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 baby gold potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and aromatic Herbs de Provence, all simmered in a rich broth enhanced by red wine and Worcestershire sauce. The stew can be optionally thickened for a luscious finish and is best enjoyed with crusty bread.

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, divided

Cooking Fat

1–2 Tbsp. high heat tolerant oil or fat (duck, deer, beef fat, avocado oil, or 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

Herbs 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 (such as Cabernet or Bordeaux)
5–10 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Optional Thickening

3 Tbsp. corn starch, arrowroot powder, or tapioca starch

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Instructions

Prepare and Coat the Venison: Mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper in a medium bowl. Pat the venison dry thoroughly using a towel to remove any moisture. Toss the venison chunks in the flour mixture until they are evenly coated and the flour is absorbed.
Sear the Venison: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the chosen oil or fat. When hot, sear the venison pieces on all sides until browned, working in batches as necessary to avoid overcrowding. This step locks in flavor and texture.
Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place the seared venison at the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the quartered baby gold potatoes on top.
Add Vegetables and Seasonings: Layer the diced carrots, celery, diced onion, minced garlic, Herbs de Provence, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining ½ teaspoon pepper, drained diced tomatoes, beef or venison stock, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce over the venison and potatoes.
Slow Cook the Stew: Set the slow cooker on low heat and cook for 8 to 9 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the meat to become tender. Cooking on low is preferred for best texture and flavor development.
Optional Thickening: After about 6 hours, if you prefer a thicker stew, remove a few spoonfuls of broth into a bowl. Stir in your chosen starch (corn starch, arrowroot, or tapioca) until dissolved forming a slurry. Pour the slurry back into the stew, stir well, and continue cooking with the lid skewed for the remaining time.
Serve: Serve the stew hot with crusty bread for dipping, creating a cozy and satisfying meal.

Notes

You can cook this stew on high for 4-5 hours, but slow cooking on low for 8-9 hours yields a more tender meat and fuller flavors.
This recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flour, although it likely works fine. Alternatively, omit the initial flour coating steps and use the optional starch to thicken.
Using different types of red meat such as elk, antelope, moose, beef, or bear can be substituted easily.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 320
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 640mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 3.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 33g
Cholesterol: 95mg