Hearty Deer Stew

This homemade deer stew is simple, comforting, and full of flavor without being over-seasoned. I kept it easy on purpose so the natural taste of the venison could shine through instead of being masked by too many spices.

If you’re new to cooking venison or you’ve been unsure what to do with deer meat, this venison stew recipe is a great place to start.

If you’re gifted deer meat by a hunter friend, what do you even do with it? Because honestly, I had no idea that venison meat was this popular. The moment I received it, the first thing I did was hit the internet, searching for venison stew recipes, venison meat recipes, and trying to figure out how venison actually tastes. There was a lot of information out there, but one thing I kept noticing was that venison looks a lot like beef. And that’s when I thought, why can’t I just make my own recipe?

So I decided to treat the venison the same way I would treat beef, but with one important thing in mind: venison is very lean. That means it needs to be cooked properly and slowly so it becomes tender and doesn’t end up chewy. With that approach, I put together this venison beef stew recipe, and I can honestly say it turned out extremely good. I know everyone says that, but believe me when I say this is one of the best venison stew recipes you’ll come across. If you don’t believe me, try it yourself and see.

Ingredients

• Venison
• Potatoes
• Carrot
• Onion
• Green peas
• Butter
• Garlic
• Beef broth
• Dried herbs spice (Dried rosemary and Dried oregano)
• Salt & Black pepper

How to make tender Venison Stew

First thing I did was put a large, deep pot on the stove. Once it was hot enough, I added the venison meat that I had cut into bite-size chunks. The whole purpose here was to brown the meat. Now, venison is super lean, like very lean, so it started getting dry and almost burning.

To fix that, I went in with a stick of butter so there would be some moisture and fat in the pot. That worked really well. Then I added about a tablespoon of minced garlic, and honestly at this point it already smelled so good. I almost wanted to eat the meat just like that. I don’t even know what to call them… venison bites? Anyway.

Next, I chopped an onion and added it to the pot. I sautéed everything until the onion softened and looked really good.

That’s when I peeled my potatoes and one large carrot. I cut the potatoes into bite-size chunks and sliced the carrot, then added them to the pot. I mixed everything really well so the potatoes and carrots could get coated with all those flavors already in there.

After that, I poured in two cups of beef broth. I don’t know if venison broth is a thing, but beef broth worked just fine for me. I put the lid on, turned the heat down to medium, and let it cook slowly because we want this meat nice and tender.

After about 40 minutes, I did a fork test. The potatoes were cooked and the meat was tender too. That’s when I added a can of green peas that I had already drained. Then I seasoned everything lightly. I tasted first, then added a bit of salt, black pepper, and some dried herbs. It was a mix of rosemary, oregano, and another Italian-style herb—I honestly can’t remember which one.

I let it cook for another five minutes, and that was it. It was done.

I must say, this deer stew turned out extremely well. I didn’t want to go heavy on the seasoning because I wanted the flavor of the deer meat to really come through. I didn’t want it to taste like beef or anything else. Just venison.

I served it with white rice

Tips and mistakes to avoid for beginner cooks

• Whenever you use store-bought broth and stock, do a taste test before you add any salt. They have high sodium content unless you use a low-sodium broth or a homemade broth where you have control of the salt.
• You are welcome to add more vegetables if you want such as celery, green beans, sweet corn, etc.
• Venison is very lean and can dry out quickly. After browning, keep the heat moderate and let it simmer gently so the meat stays tender.
• If you mess up, don’t give up…. try again.

More easy soup and stew recipes to add to your rotation

How to store leftover deer stew

Allow the stew to cool completely before storing. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the venison stew in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months.

When reheating, warm it slowly over medium heat on the stove, adding a small splash of broth or water if needed to loosen the sauce.