Venison Stew

Meggan Hill

4.99 from 159 votes

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Cozy up to a bowl of Venison Stew, made with lean protein, red wine, and lots of winter vegetables. If you’re lucky enough to have venison on hand, add this recipe to your menu immediately.

Bowls of venison stew on a table.


 

This Venison Stew recipe is rich, hearty, and the perfect way to enjoy venison. Whether you hunted recently or have a freezer full of it, it’s great to build up a repertoire of recipe favorites that you can turn to.

I grew up in a family of hunters, so most of the meat of my childhood was venison. I enjoy the gamey taste, but I know not everyone does. I’ve included my tips below for reducing that wild flavor (a soak in a milk bath!), while the recipe itself showcases plenty of strong flavors like lots of fresh vegetables, garlic, and red wine.

Whether venison is an old favorite or a new flavor, this stew recipe is a great way to showcase, and enjoy, your venison.

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Recipe FAQs
  6. Venison Stew Recipe

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for venison stew.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Venison: This meat from deer is smoother and firmer than beef with an earthy flavor, often with hints of the acorns, savory plants, and herbs that the deer enjoyed during its life (if it was wild). If you are concerned about the gamey taste of venison, you can mellow that flavor by soaking venison in milk, in your refrigerator, for 2 days. This tenderizes the meat, too. No venison? Substitute beef stew meat and nothing in the recipe has to change.
  • Red wine: My favorite wines for stews, Pot Roast, and Beef Bourguignon are Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir. Or, you can substitute more chicken broth.
  • Thyme: Fresh rosemary (instead of or in addition to) would be great in this stew, too. The bay leaf is essential.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Pat venison pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half the meat and cook in a single layer without moving until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip each piece of venison and continue cooking until browned on the other side. Transfer to a bowl. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil and repeat with remaining venison. Transfer to the bowl.
Browning cubes of venison in a pot.
  1. Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Celery and onions cooking in a pot.
  1. Stir in flour and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. To the pot, add tomato paste, red wine, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, and browned venison with accumulated juices, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Stir in potatoes and carrots. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour longer, until venison is tender.
Venison stew simmering in a pot.
  1. Remove bay leaves and any thyme stems. Off the heat, stir in peas and cover for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Bowls of venison stew on a table.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This Venison Stew recipe makes about 12 cups of stew, enough for 8 hearty servings, 1 ½ cups each.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make ahead: Venison stew tastes even better the second day, so consider making it a day or 2 in advance.
  • Freezer: Freezing potatoes makes them soft and grainy, so if you want to freeze the stew, consider omitting the potatoes. Add them when reheating the stew, or consider serving the stew over mashed potatoes instead. To freeze the stew, cool it completely, then pack in freezer-safe containers. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Bowls of venison stew on a table.

Recipe FAQs

How do you reduce the gamey taste of venison?

To reduce the gamey taste of venison, soak it in milk in your refrigerator for about 2 days. This tenderizes the meat, too.

More cozy soups

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Venison stew in a white bowl.

Venison Stew

By Meggan Hill
Cozy up to a bowl of Venison Stew, made with lean protein, red wine, and lots of winter vegetables. If you’re lucky enough to have venison on hand, add this recipe to your menu immediately.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 8 servings (1 ½ cups each)
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Calories 193
4.99 from 159 votes
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Pat venison pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half the meat and cook in a single layer without moving until browned on one side, about 5 minutes.
  • Flip each piece of venison and continue cooking until browned on the other side. Transfer to a bowl. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil and repeat with remaining venison. Transfer to the bowl.
  • Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir in flour and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. To the pot, add tomato paste, red wine, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, and browned venison with accumulated juices, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour.
  • Stir in potatoes and carrots. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour longer, until venison is tender. Remove bay leaves and any thyme stems. Off the heat, stir in peas and cover for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Venison: This meat from deer is smoother and firmer than beef with an earthy flavor, often with hints of the acorns, savory plants, and herbs that the deer enjoyed during its life (if it was wild). If you are concerned about the gamey taste of venison, you can mellow that flavor by soaking venison in milk, in your refrigerator, for 2 days. This tenderizes the meat, too. No venison? Substitute beef stew meat and nothing in the recipe has to change.
  2. Red wine: My favorite wines for stews, Pot Roast, and Beef Bourguignon are Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir. Or, you can substitute more chicken broth.
  3. Thyme: Fresh rosemary (instead of or in addition to) would be great in this stew, too. The bay leaf is essential.
  4. Yield: This Venison Stew recipe makes about 12 cups of stew, enough for 8 hearty servings, 1 ½ cups each.
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  6. Make ahead: Venison stew tastes even better the second day, so consider making it a day or 2 in advance.
  7. Freezer: Freezing potatoes makes them soft and grainy, so if you want to freeze the stew, consider omitting the potatoes. Add them when reheating the stew, or consider serving the stew over mashed potatoes instead. To freeze the stew, cool it completely, then pack in freezer-safe containers. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 263mgPotassium: 584mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 5304IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. I made this today on a whim.. we took venison hind out of the freezer with no plan and started to panic because we forgot it was in the fridge and needed to cook ASAP.. I did not marinate the meat ahead of time like the recipe asks.. I also did not have potatoes, red wine or tomato paste LOL… I followed the recipe as well as I could with what I had and this came out so good! I used a bag of frozen veggies and served over Bob Evans premade mashed potatoes, it was so delicious!5 stars

    Reply

  2. This recipe looks amazing and I plan to try it. The only question I have is whether anyone has used beef broth instead of chicken broth, because that’s all I have on hand right now. Will it change to flavor significantly?

    Reply

    1. Hi Sue! Thanks for your question! I choose chicken broth for this recipe since it has better flavor. Other readers have used beef and it comes out great still! (One reader also added some bacon in addition to the beef broth substitution.) I hope you love it! Please let me know if you have any more questions! – Meggan

  4. This is the second time I made this recipe. This time around I added seared quartered Portobello mushrooms and added extra dried thyme, garlic, rosemary and a dash or two of smoked paprika. I used venison loin. I will keep this in my repertoire of venison recipes. This recipe is so delicious!5 stars

    Reply

    1. I’m so happy you loved it, Candice! I’m definitely going to try your additions. Sounds delicious! – Meggan

  5. Delish!!!! Perfect tenderness of meat and consistency of stew! Taste is great even for people who don’t love venison like myself.

    Reply

  6. This is the best venison stew recipe I have found. I like to add some Worcestershire sauce for a little acidity as well.

    I’m trying to figure out how I’d adapt it for the Instant Pot when in a time crunch. Unsure about timing and when to add the potatoes and carrots. If anyone has tried it in the Instant Pot, let me know!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hi Olivia, thank you so much for your comment! I’m so happy you love it! I haven’t make this stew in an Instant Pot, but I would make it similarly to how I make chili:
      1. Using the sauté function, brown the venison as directed in steps 1 and 2.
      2. Once the venison is browned, add remaining oil and vegetables as directed in step 3 of the recipe. Return venison to the Instant Pot.
      3. Follow step 4, also adding the potatoes and carrots. Bring everything to a simmer.
      4. Seal the Instant Pot, turn the pot to the Manual or HIGH setting, and set for about 30 minutes. You can either release the pressure manually, or wait for the pressure to naturally release over the next 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and any thyme stems. Stir in the peas and sauté a couple minutes.
      5. If the stew is too brothy, you can thicken it by letting it cook down with the sauté function for another 5-10 minutes, until you get the right consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

      I hope this helps, and hope any readers who have made it in an Instant Pot write as well. Take care! – Meggan

  7. I’ve not yet tried the recipe yet and plan to do so for Thanksgiving. It looks solid based on other recipes I’ve tried. I’m going to add sliced fennel or ground fennel seed/powder. I found a couple of years ago that fennel and venison go hand in hand.

    Reply

    1. Thank you for your comment, Tony! Please write back after the holiday and let me know your thoughts! – Meggan

  8. we have some of the best venison i have ever had,and made with this recipe for stew was excellent.and super easy to make..thank you best venison came from great southern outdoors in alabama5 stars

    Reply

    1. I’m so glad you loved it, Donna! I can only imagine how wonderful it tasted! – Meggan

  10. It was a wonderful, savory stew on its own. I added raspberries to the stew to cut out some of the gamy aftertaste. I don’t know if I’d recommend it to anyone else, but I thought it was delicious.5 stars

    Reply

  11. My family loved this! Will absolutely make it again. I will say the carrots took longer to cook so next time I will add them a little earlier. I also had to add a bit more liquid to cover the meat. Otherwise it was amazing.5 stars

    Reply

  13. This was a great recipe! Neighbors gave us 2 packets of venison. Normally I just fry up onions and then quickly fry the venison so it’s still rare-ish. But I had the idea it would make a good stew and found this recipe. The only problem was that the venison had what seemed like lots of silverskin or tendon and trimming it took forever. But the extra effort paid off as the venison in the stew was tender. Our venison was not a roast; one packet was 1/2 inch slices and the other was lots of very small pieces, so getting 1 1/2 inch chunks was impossible. I just did the best I could and it worked out fine. The potatoes were tiny little potatoes that I didn’t have to cut up, they were so small. My husband and I had 3 meals out of this: the first night we had just the stew as is. The second night I served the stew over egg noodles. The third night I had the idea that it would be really good with mushrooms. So I sautéed pretty finely chopped carrots and celery, added 8oz sliced mushrooms, and when the veggies were done, followed instruction #4, using half the amounts in order to make more gravy in the stew. I heated up the remainder of the original stew in a pot, added the mushroom mixture, and finally the leftover noodles. Really delicious—thank you, Meggan!!5 stars

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much Nancy for taking the time to write about this stew! I love how you used the leftovers… egg noodles, yes! Mushrooms… yes! Sounds delicious. Thank you again! Take care and Happy Thanksgiving! – Meggan

  14. This is by far the best venison stew recipe we have made. We love the overall rich flavour combination, the vegetables come out just right. Browning the meat before cooking it in the stew adds that roast meat type flavour. Really delicious. If using deer sometimes there is a strong wild aroma and taste to the meat. Not everyone likes this wile taste which can sometimes be overpowering. The trick I have found here is to marinade the deer after it is cubed in a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution with about 1tsp of salt dissolved in the solution. Usually 2/3cup each of vinegar and water are sufficient. Marinade in the solution overnight in the refrigerator (6hrs is usually more than sufficient).5 stars

    Reply

  15. Hi,

    I made this and followed this recipe exact and my venison was very tough. What am I doing wrong? Flavor was amazing.

    Reply

    1. Hi Stefania, I’m so sorry your stew was tough! It’s possible that the stew may have simmered too long for the heat it was getting. Otherwise, depending on the cut, it might be possible there was still some silver skin on the chunks that would contribute to a chewy texture. I’m so sorry again! – Meggan

  16. I made this last weekend and it was AMAZING! I also added Portabella Mushrooms. I received rave reviews on how tender the venison was, I used unsweetened Almond Milk instead of whole milk. Will definitley make this again. Thank you so much for sharing!.5 stars

    Reply

  17. I’ve been looking for a pressure cooker recipe that I vibe with and this is IT!!! So delicious and I added some parsnips since I had them on hand. This will be a go to standard for us super delicious and very simple. Thank you

    Reply

  19. My favorite venison stew recipe ever! I’ve tried several other recipes but none have come out so delicious. The meat was so tender, perfectly cooked. This recipe is my go to from here on out. Thanks for sharing!5 stars

    Reply

  20. Excellent venison stew recipe! I’ve been making venison stew for years and have to say, this was the best venison stew recipe we have ate. Your tips on drying before cooking and only cooking a single layer at a time and to not stir the venison while browning, certainly made the venison seem more tender! Thanks for sharing your delicious venison stew recipe!5 stars

    Reply

  21. THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! My husband cannot praise this recipe enough. Followed ALL the recipe and he tells me not to change a thing?5 stars

    Reply

  22. Made this for the second time and just love it..wonderful rich flavor and the meat is beautifully tender..TY for sharing..😍5 stars

    Reply

  23. So delicious!! I’m not much of a cook but I love deer meat. This was so easy to put together and turned out wonderfully. Thanks for the great recipe! I prefer my carrots a little more tender so I will probably add them a little earlier next time but this recipe is definitely a keeper!5 stars

    Reply

  24. Easily the best stew I’ve ever had. I was surprised when the recipe called for two diced onions. It seemed like a lot! But the onions nearly melt away and make the broth taste like french onion soup. I soaked the venison in milk for 3-4 days, as recommended. Zero gamey flavor and oh so tender. Absolutely perfect.5 stars

    Reply

  25. I made this tonight with a 3 pound venison roast the only thing I changed was when I browned the beef I used adobo seasoning and some blackening seasoning it came out delicious my buddy came by and took some home to his wife said it was unbelievable couldn’t be happier5 stars

    Reply

  27. I made this with double the amount of wine and stock. I used beef stock instead of chicken broth. I added bacon- which I fried and then browned the venison in it. I cut the 2 bacon strips up (thick bacon) and put it in the broth with the venison to simmer. I added mushrooms and extra garlic to the saute pan and reserved them to be added with the peas. This recipe was unbelievable – we all loved it. I will save it in my favorites 🙂5 stars

    Reply

  28. My husband has made this recipe four times, once with antelope, once with venison, and twice with elk. Every time it has come out wonderfully! He has made single and double batches, we are yet to be disappointed. Love this recipe! 5 stars

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m glad the recipe has been wonderful for you! 😀 -Meggan

  29. Delicious soup, thank you.
    Just an FYI the gamey taste in venison, or any wild meat for that matter, is a direct result of poor field care. If you take quick and proper care of your meat it is the best meat you will ever eat.
    Been hunting and butchering my own deer for 17 years5 stars

    Reply

    1. Totally agree! When venison is properly handled it isn’t gamey at all and tastes like the freshest, best beef you’ve ever had!

  30. I was looking for a new venison stew recipe and this one completely delivered! This will definitely be my go to recipe from now on. The only thing I did differently is that
     I browned my venison in a cast iron skillet, instead of in the Dutch oven. Thank you – super yummy!!5 stars

    Reply

  32. Sounds/looks delish. When is the venison added back to the pan. No reference after browning/transferring to bowl in step 3.

    Reply

    1. Hey Red! Sorry about that recipe typo and thank you for pointing it out. You add the venison back to the pot in Step 5 along with the broth and spices. I’ve corrected the recipe now. Sorry for the confusion and thank you again for letting me know! Happy hunting. 🙂

    1. Thanks a lot, Matt! Hoping for that cool weather any day now… although it won’t be until November. 🙂 Take care!

  34. Absolutely the most delicious stew I have ever made! The gravy was sooooo unbelievably good! Totally palettelicious! 5 stars

    Reply

    1. Hey Carol, thank you so much! High praise. I appreciate hearing how it turned out for you! Take care. 🙂