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Published: Mar 7, 2020 Updated: Oct 20, 2022 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 2 Comments

Venison Stew Recipe

Name: Venison Stew Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 4 slices chopped thick-cut bacon ((or 2 tablespoons olive oil)); 2 lbs venison/elk meat ((cubed)); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp black pepper; ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes ((optional)); 1 large onion ((chopped)); 4 cloves garlic ((sliced)); 4 cups broth ((beef or chicken)); 1 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes; 2 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp sage; 3 medium russet potatoes ((cubed)); 1 cup roughly chopped carrots; ¼ cup flour; ¼ cup red wine

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This rich and hearty Venison Stew Recipe is loaded with succulent deer meat, cubed potatoes, and carrots. Red wine is used to give the stew a rich, deep flavor. The same recipe can be used to make elk stew. Serve this flavorful stew with Jalapeno Cheddar Sourdough Bread to sop up the rich sauce

Why This Recipe Works

Deer stew is delicious and a wonderful way to use deer meat.
The same recipe can be used to prepare elk stew or beef stew.
Venison stew can be refrigerated in air-tight containers for up to a week, or frozen to be enjoyed at a later date.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Venison — Venison stew meat (either elk or deer) can be used in this venison stew recipe. If you don't have game meat, try it with beef or lamb!
Vegetables — I added carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic. However, a few stalks of celery and frozen peas can also be added.
Wine — A deep, dark wine like burgundy, merlot, cab, or any red blend goes great in venison stew.
Herbs — Thyme and sage go great in this recipe, but you can also use any of the following: bay leaf, parsley, savory, or oregano.
Flour — If you don't have flour, you can substitute with half as much cornstarch.

How to Make Instant Pot Venison Stew

Step 1: Press "start" on the pressure cooker and select "saute/high" then select "start." Sauté the chopped bacon until it renders some of its fat.

Step 2: Pat meat with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season the stew meat with salt, paprika, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Brown the meat in batches, making sure not to crowd the pressure cooker.

stew meat n the bottom of an instant pot

Step 3: Add diced yellow onion and garlic to the last batch of meat and saute until caramelized.

Step 4: Return the remaining meat to the pot, along with the broth. Deglaze the pot, scraping up any brown bits that may be stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add diced tomatoes, thyme, and sage. Stir to combine.

Step 5: Lock the lid in place, and select "high pressure." Set the vent to "seal" and the time to 15 minutes, then press "start." When the time is up, "natural release" for 5 minutes then finish with a "quick release." When the valve drops, remove the lid and stir in the potatoes and carrots.

Step 6: Lock the lid in place again and select "pressure cook." Set the vent to "seal." Set the time to 5 minutes and press "start." When the time is up, "natural release" for 5 minutes, followed by "quick pressure release."

Step 7: Meanwhile, whisk wine and flour together to form a paste. Stir in ½ cup of the hot broth from the pot until you have a smooth slurry.

Step 8: Pour the slurry back into the pot, and stir to combine. Select "saute" and "start." Bring the stew to a boil, stirring until the stew is thickened.

Stove Top Venison stew Instructions

Don't let the fact that you don't have a pressure cooker stop you from making this yummy venison stew. Just follow these easy stove-top directions:

Fry bacon in a 6-quart Dutch oven.
Pat meat with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Season cubed meat with salt, paprika, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.
Remove bacon from the pot and fry the meat in batches over medium high heat.
Add diced onion and garlic to the last batch of meat and saute until caramelized.
Return the remaining meat to the pot, along with the beef broth.
Deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom.
Add diced tomatoes, thyme, and sage. Stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and cook, covered, for one hour.
Add potatoes and carrots, and continue to simmer, covered, for one more hour.
Whisk wine and flour together to form a paste. Add ½ cup of hot broth to the paste and stir to make a slurry.
Pour the slurry back into the pot, and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, while stirring, until the stew is thickened.

elk stew in a white bowl with a silver spoon on the side

Recipe FAQs

What does elk taste like?

Elk is delicious and less gamey than deer meat. It's my favorite game meat of all. It has a very mild flavor and can be substituted in recipes that call for beef.

How should elk be cooked?

Elk meat is very lean. When cooking with ground elk meat in particular, consider adding some fat to help bind the meat and for added moisture.

Is elk meat healthier than beef?

Elk is lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol than beef. One pound of elk has 662 calories and 8.7 grams of fat. Beef, on the other hand, has 1320 calories a pound and 89 grams of fat. Given these numbers, elk is obviously the healthier of the two.

Pro Tips

If you want to make this venison stew recipe but don't have venison, you can buy some here, or use beef or lamb instead. The cooking time can probably be reduced since beef and lamb are not as lean as venison and tend to cook faster.
If you are worried about gaminess, soak the cubed deer meat in milk the day before you make the stew.
Make sure the meat is cut into the same size cubes so that it cooks evenly.
Other great additions to elk stew would be celery, peas, and mushrooms.
If you don't want to add wine, just stir the flour in with water or cold broth and add a tablespoon or two of Worcestershire sauce.
Experiment with different herbs. Fresh parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, or bay leaf are all great additions to this elk stew recipe!
Deer or elk stew is hearty enough on its own, but if you want to be extra naughty, serve it over creamy mashed potatoes, oh my!

Other Venison Recipes

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