Venison may well be the original fall and winter food, with venison being a common staple of early settlers. Those who got off the Mayflower were probably delighted to have such a large number of deer to eat. Modern agriculture gave rise to domesticated meats like chicken, turkey, beef, and pork, but lean venison is a great and delicious alternative to beef. I find that a good venison stew or venison steak recipe adds great variety to the diet. Choose commercial venison or venison that you or your friends picked up at the hunting range.
Be sure to cook venison less aggressively than beef because meat has less fat, which causes it to become tough when overcooked. Acidic marinades help drive out gamey flavors, and stews end up with much shorter cook times than beef.
You just have to try the wonderful Venison Stew recipe below. I personally love it and so do my wife and five children.
Autumn Garden Harvest Venison Stew Recipe
Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 pound venison stew meat, cubed
½ cup each: chopped carrots, celery, tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs such as basil, cilantro, and thyme
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped winter squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, or combination
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 cups rich chicken, veal, venison or beef broth
salt and coarse ground pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
½ cup of red wine
favorite spice mix or spicy barbecue mix
optional: slurry of cornstarch or roux made up of equal amounts of flour and fat
– Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven or pot and heat the oil over high heat. Mix the flour with the seasoning mixture to taste and roll the venison in the mixture.
– Brown the meat, turning it from time to time, for about three minutes until evenly browned.
– Add the onions and sauté for two or three minutes.
– Add celery, garlic, herbs, tomatoes, carrots, and salt and pepper to taste, building layers of flavor, and cook for three minutes.
– Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook to evaporate the alcohol.
– Add the broth and bay leaves and bring the stew to a simmer, covering the pot.
– Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, and then add the chopped pumpkin.
– Return to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add more broth or water. You can tighten the sauce by adding a cornstarch mixture, but the roux adds more flavor and creates a stronger bond. Some people prefer the natural juices, and the flour from the stewed meat and the starches from the vegetables will thicken the sauce a bit.
You can make the roux by cooking flour and butter or oil over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Cool the roux before adding it to the hot braising mixture; You should always add hot roux to cold liquids or cold roux to hot liquids, or you’ll get lumps in your sauces. Add a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired degree of sauce thickness.
You can make your own unique spice mix by combining your favorite spices or using a commercial mix or barbecue seasoning. Be sure to trim any excess venison because it is very strong in flavor.
Enjoy this delicious stew with crusty bread or jalapeño cornbread. Winter vegetables like kale complement this venison stew recipe, and you can choose any fruitcake, pumpkin or sweet potato pie, or carrot cake for dessert. My kids love to drink sparkling apple cider with this meal. Enjoy!
