Rustic Venison Stew

Learn how to make the best rustic venison stew! Perfect for the stove top or slow cooker, this will be your next go to stew recipe.

During the Fall and Winter months, this stew is a regular guest to our kitchen. There is something so comforting about a nice hearty bowl of venison stew. Every Autmn, Grey goes deer hunting during bow and rifle season, so we usually have a freezer full of venison for the year. What a blessing! I have talked about the benefits of having a freezer on the homestead before and this is one of the benefits!

It is so comforting to know that with the winter vegetables, and meat from the freezer we can almost always whip up a stew or soup. We grow greens like kale, chard, and spinach all winter long and they go perfect in a hearty stew like this one. I’ll crack open a jar of home-canned tomatoes that I canned during the summer and feel so good knowing that much of this recipe is locally sourced or home-grown.

Tools You’ll Need to Make Rustic Venison Stew

Every tool needed for this recipe are commonly found in most kitchens, but before you get started, check out this list to be sure you have everything you will need. There are a few kitchen tools that make this recipe possible:

• Large Pot or dutch oven
• Slatted Spoon
• Gallon Freezer Bags
• Sharp kitchen knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Rustic Venison Stew

• 1 pound venison steaks or stew meat
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-16 oz can of home canned tomatoes, or store-bought
• 1 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 cup of chopped kale
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• crusty bread, for serving

How to Make Venison Stew

1. Cut up venison steaks, if you are not using stew meat, and put meat into a gallon sized freezer bag.
2. Add to the bag: flour, paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, dried cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Seal the bag and massage the spices and flour into the meat until well coated.
3. In a large pot, or Dutch oven heat the olive oil.
4. Add the meat to the heated olive oil. Do not crowd the venison, there should be space between each piece so the meat will brown properly. You may need to brown the venison in batches.
5. Once the venison is browned, set it aside in a bowl.
6. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, then set the wine aside with the venison.
7. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pot, and add the onions, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook the vegetables down until they are tender.
8. Return the venison and wine back to the pot with the vegetables. At the same time, add the tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh thyme, kale, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste, and beef broth. Cover. Bring pot to boiling.
9. Once the stew is brought to a boil, lower the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
10. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with crusty bread.

Rustic Venison Stew Tips

• Let the venison reach room temperature before browning. It can sit in the spice bag or be set out on the counter before being used.
• It helps to dry the venison with a kitchen towel or paper towels before adding to the spices. This will allow the venison to brown easier.
• Make sure when browning the venison, not to crowd it! This will make the venison steam instead of brown. A browned meat will get a nice sear and be much more flavorful.
• Let this stew simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, it can go longer but it must simmer for at least 30 minutes. The key is low and slow!
• Use a good quality beef broth. Many brands of beef broth are not good quality… it makes a difference to use one that tastes good.

Can I make venison stew in the slow cooker?

Yes! This recipe cooks well in slow cooker. I recommend browning the venison in a separate pan before cooking in a slow cooker.

Can I freeze rustic venison stew?

Yes! Venison stew freezes and re-heats wonderfully. Simply cool the stew after cooking and transfer to a freezer bag or container. Be sure to label what the contents are and the date. Venison stew will keep in the freezer for one year.

Can I freeze dry venison stew?

Yes! Like most soups and stews venison stew re-hydrates beautifully by simply adding hot water. Pour the stew onto the freeze-drying trays. If stored in mylar bags, venison stew will keep for at least 25 years.

Rustic Venison Stew

Print

Learn how to make the best rustic venison stew! Perfect for the stove top or slow cooker, this will be your next go to stew recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound venison steaks or stew meat
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 ribs of celery, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-16 oz can of home canned tomatoes, or store-bought
• 1 tsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 cup of chopped kale
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Cut up venison steaks, if you are not using stew meat, and put meat into a gallon sized freezer bag.
2. Add to the bag: flour, paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, dried cayenne pepper, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Seal the bag and massage the spices and flour into the meat until well coated.
3. In a large pot, or Dutch oven heat the olive oil.
4. Add the meat to the heated olive oil. Do not crowd the venison, there should be space between each piece so the meat will brown properly. You may need to brown the venison in batches.
5. Once the venison is browned, set it aside in a bowl.
6. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, then set the wine aside with the venison.
7. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pot, and add the onions, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook the vegetables down until they are tender.
8. Return the venison and wine back to the pot with the vegetables. At the same time, add the tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh thyme, kale, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste, and beef broth. Cover. Bring pot to boiling.
9. Once the stew is brought to a boil, lower the heat to low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
10. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve with crusty bread.

Notes

Let the venison reach room temperature before browning. It can sit in the spice bag or be set out on the counter before being used.

It helps to dry the venison with a kitchen towel or paper towels before adding to the spices. This will allow the venison to brown easier.

Make sure when browning the venison, not to crowd it! This will make the venison steam instead of brown. A browned meat will get a nice sear and be much more flavorful.

Let this stew simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, it can go longer but must simmer for at least 30 minutes. The key is low and slow!

Use a good quality beef broth. Many brands of beef broth are not good quality... it makes a difference to use one that tastes good.

Pin in it for Later!

You May Also Be Interested in: 

Kale Cranberry Pecan and Feta Salad

Ideas for What to Have on a Homestead | Homestead Planning

A Freezer is Essential on the Homestead

Home Canned Tomatoes -How to Can Tomatoes