Description
This Slow Cooker Venison Stew is a thick, hearty, and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. Featuring tender venison seared to perfection and slow-cooked with potatoes, carrots, celery, and aromatic herbs in a rich broth enhanced with red wine and Worcestershire sauce. It’s an ideal way to enjoy wild or red meat in a fuss-free, cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Coating
- 2 lbs. venison stew meat (or elk, antelope, moose, beef, bear – really any red meat)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1–2 Tbsp. high heat tolerant oil or fat (duck/deer/beef fat, avocado oil, clarified butter)
Vegetables
- 1 lb. baby gold potatoes, quartered
- 3–4 large carrots, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
Flavorings and Liquids
- 2 tsp. Herbs de Provence
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 4 cups beef or venison stock
- ½ cup dry red wine (Cabernet or Bordeaux recommended)
- 5–10 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Optional Thickener
- 3 Tbsp. corn starch, arrowroot powder, or tapioca starch
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper in a medium bowl. Pat the venison dry with a towel to remove any moisture, then toss the venison chunks in the flour mixture until evenly coated and the flour is absorbed.
- Sear the Venison: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil or fat. Once hot, sear the venison on all sides in batches to avoid overcrowding, browning the outside to lock in flavor and texture.
- Assemble in Slow Cooker: Transfer the seared venison to the bottom of the slow cooker along with the quartered baby gold potatoes. Layer the diced carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic on top.
- Add Seasonings and Liquids: Sprinkle the Herbs de Provence, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper over the vegetables and meat. Add the drained diced tomatoes, beef or venison stock, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook Low and Slow: Cover and set the slow cooker on low for 8-9 hours to allow flavors to meld and meat to become tender.
- Optional Thickening: After about 6 hours of cooking, remove a few spoonfuls of the broth and transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the optional starch (corn starch, arrowroot, or tapioca) until dissolved to form a slurry. Pour this slurry back into the stew and stir well. Leave the lid slightly ajar and continue cooking until done to thicken the stew.
- Serve: Ladle the thick, hearty venison stew into bowls and enjoy with crusty bread for a cozy meal.
Notes
- You can cook this stew on high for 4-5 hours, but cooking on low for 8-9 hours yields more tender meat and better flavor development.
- If you prefer gluten-free options, the recipe can likely be adapted by using gluten-free flour or by skipping the coating steps and using the starch to thicken the stew.
- Searing the meat in batches is important to get a good crust and prevent steaming the meat.
- Leaving the lid slightly ajar in the final hour helps thicken the stew when adding the slurry.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
