Dutch Oven Venison Stew with Veggies

Name: Dutch Oven Venison Stew with Veggies
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 4 h 50 min
Yield: 12 cups
Ingredients: 4 lb venison shanks (2 hind shanks or 1 hind shank +2 front shanks); salt and black pepper, to taste; 1 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat); 2 tablespoon butter; 1 cup onion, diced; 1 tablespoon garlic, minced; 3 tablespoon tomato paste; ¼ cup all-purpose flour; 2 cups red wine; 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 6-8 cups stock (wild game, beef, etc.); 3 prigs fresh thyme; 2-3 bay leaves; 2 cups carrots, sliced at an angle; 2 cups celery, sliced at an angle; 1 ½ lb baby gold potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size; chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Additional Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 50 mins
Servings
12 cups
Calories
261 kcal
Course
Main Course, Soup
Cuisine
American

Dutch Oven Venison Stew with Veggies

Zara Evans

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Learn how to make a savory venison stew with fall-apart tender meat and savory vegetables for the ultimate hearty comfort food!

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Ingredients

Servings

4 lb venison shanks (2 hind shanks or 1 hind shank +2 front shanks)
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon pork lard (or other cooking fat)
2 tablespoon butter
1 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoon tomato paste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups red wine
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6-8 cups stock (wild game, beef, etc.)
3 prigs fresh thyme
2-3 bay leaves
2 cups carrots, sliced at an angle
2 cups celery, sliced at an angle
1 ½ lb baby gold potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pat the shanks dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and black pepper.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add lard to the pan and let it melt.
Sear shanks for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. You might have to get creative depending on the size of the shanks. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan. Set the shanks aside.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add butter to the pan and let it melt. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes or until the onions are softened.
Add tomato paste and flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn't burn.
Add red wine and Worcestershire sauce to the pan. Bring to a simmer.
Add the shanks back to the Dutch oven. Add in bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Add enough stock to cover the shanks. Season with salt and pepper. The broth will reduce quite a bit so don't go too crazy with the seasoning.
Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and place in the oven for 3 hours. Turn the shanks a couple of times throughout the cooking process to make sure they are cooking evenly.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the bones from the meat but keep the meat in larger pieces submerged in the broth.
Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine and make sure the vegetables are submerged in the broth.
Place the Dutch oven back in the oven for 1 ½ hours, or until the vegetables are softened and the meat is ready to shred.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the meat and herbs from the pot. Remove the connective tissue from the meat, then shred it into bite-size pieces. Add the meat back to the Dutch oven and stir to combine.
Serve with chopped parsley on top and crusty bread on the side for dipping, if desired. Enjoy!

Equipments used:

Notes

As opposed to most venison stew recipes, this recipe does not use venison stew meat or chunks of meat. Shanks are the perfect cut of venison meat to use for stew because they are destined for slow cooking. You can sub any bone-in venison roast for the shanks or use another game meat like elk as well.
The acidity of red wine helps to break down meat to make it fork-tender. To change the flavor of the stew, you can substitute stout beer or brown ale for wine.
Typically, a variety of root vegetables are used in stew. This recipe uses a classic mix of carrots, celery, onions, and gold potatoes. You can get creative and add other vegetables like mushrooms, parsnips, peas, fennel, pearl onions, etc.
I like to use a rich venison stock for stew because it adds a delicious rich quality to the broth. You can use beef stock or beef broth instead.
Worcestershire sauce adds a boost of flavor to stew recipes. You can also add balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar for a different flavor boost.
Homemade pork lard is my go-to cooking fat for wild game. Using bacon fat will produce a similar result. Or you can use olive oil or your favorite cooking fat.
Fresh thyme is my herb of choice for stew. You can use other hearty fresh herbs like fresh rosemary instead.
You can make stew in a crockpot, but the broth may not reduce or thicken the same as it will in a Dutch oven.
This recipe can be made up through step 8, then refrigerated overnight. The next morning, bring the shanks in liquid to a simmer on the stove, then proceed with step 9.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 261kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 102mg (34%) Sodium 481mg (20%) Potassium 1021mg (29%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 3801IU (76%) Vitamin C 16mg (18%) Calcium 46mg (5%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 261 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	261kcal	13%
Carbohydrates	19g	6%
Protein	31g	62%
Fat	6g	9%
Saturated Fat	3g	15%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	2g	10%
Trans Fat	0.1g	5%
Cholesterol	102mg	34%
Sodium	481mg	20%
Potassium	1021mg	22%
Fiber	3g	12%
Sugar	4g	8%
Vitamin A	3801IU	76%
Vitamin C	16mg	18%
Calcium	46mg	5%
Iron	5mg	28%