Venison stew is the ultimate cold weather comfort food that is both full of flavor and easy to make! Venison, potatoes and carrots are slow cooked in a rich and thick red wine sauce until the venison is fork tender and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.
"Your venison recipes are outstanding. My daughter is a hunter and I was looking for ways to cook venison so it didn’t taste “gamey”. Your stew and chili are now house favorites. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!" - Bridgit ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Venison stew is one of my favorite ways to cook with venison roast! The venison is literally fall apart tender with zero gamey flavor, the potatoes and carrots are cooked perfectly, and the sauce is incredibly flavorful!
A mix of red wine, beef broth and simple seasonings come together to create the perfect, thick sauce to accompany the venison and vegetables, resulting in a hearty, flavorful stew!
And if you love this recipe, then I know you'll also love my extremely popular Beer Braised Venison Roast with Carrots and Mashed Potatoes! It's the best. Head over there next and check out all the rave reviews.
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Why you'll love this venison stew recipe
- Easy to make. What's great about this recipe is that it only requires about 20 minutes of hands-on cooking time, then it gets transferred to the oven to slow cook for a few hours. Your house will smell amazing and your stomachs will be full!
- Full of flavor. Tomato paste, red wine, balsamic vinegar and the perfect blend of seasoning truly sets this venison stew apart.
- Thick and hearty. I like my stew thick and hearty, and this recipe is just that. It's packed with tender venison, vegetables, and a rich, comforting sauce.
- Fall apart tender venison. The meatloaf simmers until it's fork tender and practically melts in your mouth.
- Multiple cooking method options. I provided directions for the stovetop, oven slow cooker and instant pot. Use whatever method works best for you!
Ingredient notes
- Venison roast. I prefer to make venison stew using small chunks of boneless venison roast, but you could make a bone-in roast work as well.
- Flour. Just a small amount of flour helps to thicken the stew while it cooks. In my opinion, it's a must, but you could try thickening with cornstarch or arrowroot powder once the stew has finished cooking.
- Red wine. Red wine adds so much rich flavor to the stew along with a touch of sweetness. If you're looking for a non-alcoholic option, you can try substituting with a generous splash of pomegranate, cranberry or red grape juice along with beef broth, or just use more beef broth.
- Balsamic vinegar. I use balsamic vinegar in just about all of my venison recipes. The sweet acidic taste of balsamic vinegar helps to balance out the flavors when cooking with both venison roast or ground venison, and it also helps to tame those strong venison flavors.
- Worcestershire sauce. Plays a similar part in the venison stew as balsamic vinegar. For me, it's a must.
- Granulated sugar. Just a small amount of sugar helps to balance out the acidity in the dish.
- Peas. I like the pop that peas bring to stew, but you can totally omit them if preferred.
Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Venison Stew
I love the rich flavors and thick consistency that develops when cooking venison stew in the oven, but using a slow cooker or Instant Pot are great methods for their own reasons!
Making venison stew in the slow cooker or Instant Pot is very similar to the process of cooking venison in the oven. When using either of these methods I still like to sear the venison first to build on the flavors and make it taste as close as possible to the oven method.
Slow cooker
When using a slow cooker, you'll need to dirty an extra pot to sear the meat before transferring to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients. But using the slow cooker is a great option when you have a busy day and you just want to set it and forget it. In the slow cooker, the stew will take about 6-8 hours on low to cook.
Instant Pot
The great news about using an Instant Pot is that you can sear the venison right in the pot! This is also a very quick method for making stew. You'll have venison stew ready in about one hour total! If you own an Instant Pot and want to save on dishes, you could also use the slow cooker feature on the Instant Pot.
The recipe card includes instructions for making venison stew on the stove, in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Expert Tips
- Sear the roast. I know it's tempting to skip, but searing the chunks of roast creates a deep golden brown crust, adding delicious flavor to the stew.
- Deglaze the pot. This is especially important if you're transferring the stew to the slow cooker - you don't want to leave behind all that delicious flavor! When you sear meat, it leaves little browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, and deglazing the pot by slowly pouring liquid into a hot pot releases those flavorful bits.
- Use a semi-dry red wine. I like to use a red blend that's around the $10-15 price point. There's no need to use an expensive wine when it comes to cooking, but you still want to choose one that you would enjoy drinking.
- Use the oven method if possible. While all the cooking methods yield delicious results, the oven method is my favorite. The rich flavors and hearty consistency that develop while slow cooking in the oven can't be beat.
Substitutions and variations
- Venison roast. When making stew, I like to cut a boneless venison roast into small 1-2" pieces, but you could make a bone-in roast work if you're in a pinch. Leave the roast whole and shred with forks once it's fork tender. You may need to increase the cook time.
- Flour. Just ¼ cup of flour helps to thicken the stew while it cooks. In my opinion, it's a must, but you could try thickening with cornstarch or arrowroot powder once the stew has finished cooking.
- Red wine. Red wine adds so much rich flavor to the stew along with a touch of sweetness. If you're looking for a non-alcoholic option, you can try substituting with a generous splash of pomegranate, cranberry or red grape juice along with beef broth, or just use more beef broth.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Common Questions
The best cuts for wild game stew are tougher pieces like deer neck, shoulder, hindquarter, and shank, which benefit from slow cooking to break down the collagen and silverskin. While any venison cut can tenderize in stew, I prefer using a boneless roast. For the perfect texture, I cut the venison into 1-2" chunks for fall-apart tenderness.
Slowly cooking venison in broth over low heat for an extended period of time breaks down the connective tissues, while keeping the venison moist. This results in delicious fork tender venison. Keep cooking until the venison is fall apart, fork tender.
If the venison is tough, it likely needs more time to cook. Simmer the stew until the venison is fork-tender, which usually takes about 3 hours in the oven or 6-8 hours on low in the slow cooker, depending on the size of the meat chunks. It may need even longer for larger pieces of meat. It needed, you can add extra broth.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing
Store in an air-tight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost the stew in the fridge overnight.
Reheating instructions
Whether you're reheating a single serving or multiple servings, I recommend reheating the stew in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.
I think meat tastes better when reheated on the stove or in the oven instead of the microwave. But, that's not to say that I haven't reheated stew in the microwave when I'm in a hurry. So, it can also be done that way.
Hearty Venison Stew
Equipment
- Dutch Oven (or slow cooker)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds venison roast cut into 1-2" chunks
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound potatoes cut into 1-2" chunks (about 3 potatoes)
- 1 pound large carrots cut into 1-2" chunks (about 3 carrots)
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
Oven or Stove-Top
- If using the oven method, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add half the venison and sear about 5 minutes, until nicely browned, flipping the venison halfway through. Remove to a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining venison.
- To the same pot, add the onion and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Add back in the venison with its juices, sprinkle with flour and mix together.
- Deglaze the pot by slowly pouring in the red wine, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot - this is where the flavor is at!
- Add in the broth, water, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaves.
- Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. If your pot isn't oven safe, transfer the stew to an oven-safe dish and cover. Alternatively, cook the stew for the same amount of time on the stove over low. You want it to lightly simmer.
- Remove from the oven and add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and place back in the oven. Continue to cook another 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the vegetables and venison are fork tender.
- Mix in the peas and remove the bay leaves. Enjoy with crusty bread!
Slow Cooker
- Follow the instructions above through step 4 to sear the venison and deglaze the pot, then transfer the stew from the pot to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except for the peas.
- Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
- Mix in the peas and remove the bay leaves. Enjoy with crusty bread!
Notes
- Sear the roast. Searing the venison in a hot skillet creates a deep golden brown crust, adding delicious flavor to the roast. This flavor also carries through to the gravy.
- Use a semi-dry red wine. I like to use a red blend that's around the $10-15 price point. There's no need to use an expensive wine when it comes to cooking, but you still want to choose one that you would enjoy drinking. If needed, you can substitute with more beef broth.
Instant Pot Instructions
What's great about the Instant Pot is the sauté function - this way you can sear the venison right in the instant pot, and you don't have to dirty an extra pot!-
- Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add half the venison and sear about 5 minutes, until browned, flipping the venison halfway through. Remove to a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining venison.
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- Add the onion and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cook about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Add back in the venison with its juices, sprinkle with flour and mix together.
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- Deglaze the pot by slowly pouring in the red wine, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot - this is where the flavor is at!
- Add in the broth, water, thyme, salt, pepper, sugar, bay leaves, potatoes and carrots.
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- Lock the lid on and check that the valve is set to seal. Set to cook for 35 minutes on HIGH pressure. When the cook time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
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- Carefully open the Instant Pot after all the pressure has released, and mix in the frozen peas and remove the bay leaves.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
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Alex
I have made this twice now using this recipe. It is a really delicious way to prepare those tougher cuts of venison that always seem to sit in the drop-in freezer for eternity, untilyour wife threatens to make dog food out of it. I use the crock pot method. Instead of yellow onions I use sweet onions. I cook two with the meat during the post sear phase, then add another to the crock pot about 3 hours in. This is now a favorite of everyone in the house.
Rachel Kochlin
Alex, I'm so glad you stumbled across my recipe before your venison got turned into dog food 😂 You'll have to check out my venison recipes, as well! I think you'll love my Crockpot Venison Roast and my Beer Braised Venison Roast. Thanks so much for leaving a review!
David Pelfrey
Made it as directed except left out the sugar and salted as I went along. Got rave reviews from the family. Will definitely make this again!
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Love to hear that, David! It's always great to find a recipe that the whole family enjoys! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
RKB
It looks delicious. Can I substitute a dark beer for some of the broth or would that greatly change the flavours?
Modern Farmhouse Eats
You can definitely substitute with some beer! That would be tasty. You should also check out my Beer Braised Venison Roast recipe!
Sarah
Made this on weekend. I added smoked streaky bacon at the start and omitted the sugar as didn’t see the need for it when balsamic vinegar is used. It was absolutely delicious and will be a firm favourite in our house. Thank you
Deb
Best stew I have ever made. Easy and great depth of flavor. Not usually a fan of wine in my dishes and never added sugar to any Savory dish but this is off the chart. Thanks for sharing this.
Nick M
Absolutely a perfect recipe…..the venison was super tender. I did however make a couple changes…..because you can buy beef stock in 4 cup boxes, I used 4 cups of beef stock and 1 cup of water….and 1/3 cup flour instead of 1-4 cup…..this is now my go to recipe for my venison stew.
Pam Marriott
I have to say this dark rich flavorful stew was SO Delicious and my now new go to for "STEW recipe." I did make a few changes due to my lack of pantry supply's. Used a purple sweet Potatoe and almond flour to coat the meat and some homemade marrow broth. I believe the peas would have been a great touch, however not having any I added celery and some fresh mushrooms on hand. My fiancé is a super picky eater and would never try venison., SO, I added his favorite, white rice to his bowl and I am telling you, he gobbled this Stew down as though some-one was going to take it away...;)) Looking forward to trying other recipes from here! Thank you so much!
Becky S
This is a great venison stew! I made using Dutch oven it’s Full of flavor .. it’s a repeat for our family.
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Becky, I'm thrilled that your whole family loves the recipe! 😊
Mary
My fiancé and I absolutely loved this recipe!! We added some sautéed mushrooms and celery! This will be a staple in our household! Thanks!
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Mary, that sounds delicious! I'm so glad you both enjoyed the recipe!
Bridgit
Your venison recipes are outstanding. My daughter is a hunter and I was looking for ways to cook venison so it didn’t taste “gamey”. Your stew and chili are now house favorites. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Bridgit, I love that your daughter is a fellow female hunter, and I'm so happy you're enjoying my venison recipes!! 😊
Chloe
This stew was phenomenal! So many great ingredients that you don't see often that actually give great umami. We used venison that my brother hunted and it was a little tough, but the flavor was out of this world. I added some celery cut in chunks and some mushrooms after sautéing the onions and browned the potatoes a bit right after the meat and then reserved them to go in with the carrots. This is becoming a staple in our house and I plan on trying it with beef too! Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Rebecca Phillips
Fabulous recipe! Used wild caught venison from the high country in New Zealand’s South Island. It was gifted to me by my sons friend when visiting there. Used local ingredients as best I could. Served with local bread (Scottish rolls - can’t remember the name?, but very similar to sourdough ones here in Australia).
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Rebecca, I'm so glad that you enjoyed the recipe! Serving with bread is a must 😋
Hope kokas
Excellent! I didn’t have red wine so increased the bullion to 4 cups and only added 1 cup of water. I also added 2 small parsnips. Very tasty & my husband said “that’s the way to do it.”
Modern Farmhouse Eats
Hope, I am so happy you both enjoyed the recipe! 😊 Parsnips sound like a great addition. Thanks so much for the review!