8 Great Venison Stew Recipes

Here's the ultimate collection of venison stew recipes.

We all adore the tenderloin, and know and love how jerky can last throughout the year, but some of us may get stuck figuring out what to do with the rest of our deer. That's where a good, hearty stew comes in. It's one of the best ways to make good use of the deer meat you've harvested.

Many a cold night have been kept at bay by the warmth that comes from a stew, and don't forget how well the stuff freezes for later. Continuing in our "best of" recipe tradition, we sought out the tastiest and most unique venison recipes we could get our hands on.

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1. "Fruity" Venison Stew

No one around here is a fan of the word "fruity," except in the case of this stew. Apples and plums hug the venison meat alongside cherry tomatoes and your choice of beans in a hearty, flavorful dish that we'd love to pair with a thick ale. Don't shy away from adding potatoes to this recipe either; the more the merrier when it comes to a good stew.

Ingredients:

• 800 g-1 kg venison, cut into 5 cm chunks
• 1-2 onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• ½ cup (125 ml) red wine
• 3 cooking apples, each cut into 6 pieces
• ½ cup (125 ml) parsley
• 2 sprigs oregano
• 1 cup (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8-10 prunes
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for cooking

View Instructions.

2. Southern Soul BBQ's Venison Stew

Living in the middle of Texas, our office is a stone's throw away from dozens of great BBQ joints, and we look forward to when the chefs break out some of their more culinary endeavors - especially when it's venison. This stew comes from Southern Soul BBQ over in St. Simons, Georgia, where Chef Comer Smith dreamed up this dish after various stints in white tablecloth establishments in Chicago, France, and Southern California. Like the photo below, give us a bowl of this and a thick dark beer any winter day.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• ¼ cup high-quality olive oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 4 ribs celery, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. cubed venison
• 2 bay leaves
• 24 vine-ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, & diced
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 cups frozen peas
• ¼ cup 67% chocolate, chopped
• 4 tbsp. high-quality Worcestershire sauce
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste

View Instructions.

3. Venison Stew With Dumplings

Boy, do our friends at Food For Hunters sure know how to make a person hungry! We spied this dish a while back and have been biding our time until the next cold snap so we can whip this out. Get out your tastiest root vegetables, they're getting a bath in tasty stock and venison meat. This recipe includes the additional step of dumplings, but dumplings or not, we're dreaming about dipping a piece of crusty bread into the rich broth of this dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds venison roast,cut into large cubes
• 2 sweet onions, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 large russet potato, cubed
• 1 large yam (or 2 small, cubed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tbs. lard
• 2 1/2 cups of beef stock
• salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. dried (or 2 tsp. fresh) thyme leaves
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of self-rising flour
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• generous pinch of salt

View Instructions.

4. Venison Stew With Gnocchi (Gnocchi Con Guazzetto De Capriolo)

Gnocchi is such a fun word to say, and an even more delicious thing to eat. Soft, tasty pillows of potato floating in a rich stew is enough to make a grown man cry. Want to make your own gnocchi? The author, StoneGable, was kind enough to include a link at the end of the recipe to a how-to video.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprig of rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 4 TBS bacon
• salt and pepper
• *1 1/2 lbs boneless venison, cut into 1 inch cubes, fat removed
• 1/2 lb good chuck cubes (ask your butcher to cut them for you)
• 8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• 1 3/4 cups beef stock
• 1/2 tsp veal demiglaze, optional
• 2 bags frozen gnocchi
• 2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

View Instructions.

5. Woodland Venison Stew

Stew is comfort food, plain and simple, which is why getting back to your roots with this woodland-inspired recipe will be even more relaxing. It's simple, with easy instructions to follow, and as long as you're using fresh, quality ingredients you just can't go wrong.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds venison, cubed
• 3 chopped yellow or white onions (mine were pretty small, so I used 4)
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices, or baby carrots, peeled
• 1 1/2 cups cleaned and quartered mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• a few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries (give them a quick smash with a mortar and pestle, if possible)
• salt
• black pepper
• 2 cups beef, lamb, or venison stock, or dry red wine
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

View Instructions.

6. Venison Stew With Beetroot, Grappa, and Juniper

If you're thinking this isn't your ordinary stew recipe, you're absolutely right. A hearty marinade as well as the bold flavors of grappa and juniper make this dish a standout from traditional stews, and a bright, colorful presentation if you're planning on having a dinner party of guests to impress. Although a little bit lighter of a stew, the heartiness of the beetroot and pancetta add great texture.

Ingredients:

NEXT: VENISON QUESO DIP RECIPE: WILD GAME PARTY FOOD

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