Suitable for Gluten-free diets. Post includes Weight Watchers Points. An easy tasty meal, this fork tender venison in a rich broth is a perfect recipe for using venison shoulder or shank – those pieces that most people think are only good for mincing, but they become delicious in stews. This recipe is pretty easy too. Apart from browning the meat and softening the onions, all the rest of the ingredients go into a saucepan or dutch oven and simmer away. And about 1 hour later – you’re digging right in. The bonus is that this is healthier too. Venison is almost completely fat-free and lean and cannot be intensively farmed. In fact, most are wild, so will have lived a completely natural life until just before you get it from the butcher. Lots of boxes ticked right there. If you love wild game, you might also like this Instant Pot Venison Stew recipe, this delicious nourishing 7 ingredient Crockpot Venison Stew, and easy peasy Venison Burgers. You might also like this Brunswick Stew and Instant Pot Beef Stew.
Why Make This Recipe
Frugal – this best venison stew is made with budget-friendly ingredients. A little meat goes a long way with this recipe.Feeds a Crowd – just the thing for potlucks, game day gatherings, parties, and family feasts.Easy to make – Sear, add into a saucepan and simmer away. Leftovers freeze well – so that is a few weeknight suppers sorted!
Ingredient Notes
Onions – Feel free to use white or red onions.Garlic – Use minced garlic or garlic powder. Venison stew meat – You can use either venison shoulder or shank, just make sure to cut them into similar sizes, approximately cubed into 2-inch pieces. Wash well and pat venison dry before using.Cornstarch – To coat the venison and to thicken the stew.Seasoning – Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.Vegetables – This recipe calls for cans of black-eyed beans. Tomatoes – A can of diced tomatoes without any extra flavors. Add a bit of tomato paste for the best results. Beef broth – Using hot broth cuts down on cooking time. You can use beef stock or vegetable stock instead.Fresh herbs – use bay leaves, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme for great flavor.
Ready to learn how to make this deer stew? Then gather up those ingredients and I will show you…..
How To Make Venison Stew On The Stovetop
Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
Add the onions and garlic into a blender and blend into a paste.Meanwhile, coat the venison pieces in the corn starch and season with the best salt and pepper.Heat olive oil in a skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat, add venison and brown the deer meat in batches.Add the browned venison meat, and the remaining ingredients into a saucepan, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover and simmer for about 1 hour.Adjust seasoning, discard bay leaf and, at this point, you can either serve warm or keep in the fridge for a day to allow the flavors to meld and mature.
Pro Tip – If you are worried about the gamey taste of venison, then soak it in a liquid like buttermilk, milk, or salt water first, then rinse well before cooking.
Make It In A Crockpot
Prefer slow cooking this instead? No worries. Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
Add the onions and garlic into a blender and blend into a paste.Meanwhile, coat the venison pieces in the cornstarch and season with salt and pepper.Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over high heat and brown the meat in batches.Add the meat, beef broth, and everything else into the slow cooker (including all the browned bits from the skillet) and cook on high for about 4 hours.Test after 4 hours, and if it needs a bit more time, then cook for a further hour.Adjust seasoning, and either serve immediately away or refrigerate overnight.
Make This In An Instant Pot
Prefer to make an Instant Pot Venison Stew? Then head over to my Instant Pot Venison Stew Post.
Recipe Tips
Cut your venison meat to the same size so that they cook evenly.You don’t need to brown the meat, but seared venison adds greater flavor.Don’t forget to discard bay leaves before eating.Add an extra half a cup (125 ml) or more of broth for a thinner stew.
Delicious Recipe Variations
You can serve this homemade venison stew as is, or try these tips to tailor it even more to your taste…
Swap the meat – use moose, beef, elk or lamb instead.Spice it up – add more hot sauce, red pepper flakes, chipotle paste, or some diced jalapeños.Add more seasoning – feel free to add garlic or Worcestershire sauce, etc.Change the beans – use pinto beans, black beans or kidney beans, etc.Add more veggies – feel free to add veggies like Yukon gold potatoes and carrots or add peas to bulk it out. Feel free to throw in some sliced celery or sliced mushrooms to add great flavor.Leftover stew – leftovers can be turned into a dish like Shepard’s pie with a topping of mashed potato.
Storage
Store – You can store the cooled leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for 3-5 days.Freeze – Use this recipe as an awesome freezer meal prep solution. Yeap, simply cook this recipe in advance, let it cool, and then freeze it in zip lock bags or meal prep bowls for up to 3 months.
FAQs
More Easy Venison Recipes
If you are looking for more easy venison stew recipes, then why not check out these below:
7 Ingredient Venison Stew Crock Pot is really easy and really filling too.Instant Pot Venison Stew is easy and so good.You will love these easy Venison Burgers.Alternatively, you can try this Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Stew or this Instant Pot Beef Stew.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this with crusty bread or a green salad, depending on my mood. I also recommend these tasty sides;
Garlic Smashed Potatoes.Cornbread Salad.Instant Pot Rice.
Weight Watchers Points
There is just 1 Blue Plan SmartPoint in a serving of this.
Tools Needed
Saucepan. Skillet.Crockpot, if preferred. Measuring cups and spoons.Blender.
Thank you for reading my Deer Stew recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog. Originally published February 2017. Updated December 2022.
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