Slow Cooker Venison Stew
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
8 hrs
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Total Time
8 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
524 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Slow Cooker Venison Stew
Description
This venison stew starts with browning cubed venison to develop flavor, then sautéing onions, mushrooms, and garlic until softened. Ingredients including brown sugar, salt, black pepper, tomato paste, and cranberry sauce add depth and subtle sweetness. Chestnuts and fresh or frozen cranberries bring texture and a fruity edge. Red wine and beef broth serve as the cooking liquid, enriched further with Worcestershire sauce for umami complexity. The mixture is cooked in a slow cooker until the venison is tender, allowing flavors to mature and combine thoroughly.
The resulting stew offers a balance of savory, mildly sweet, and slightly tart notes with a thickened sauce coating tender meat and vegetables. The texture is enriched by the mushrooms and optional chestnuts, providing bites of softness and firmness. Fresh thyme garnish brightens the plate when served over creamy mashed potatoes, complementing the stew’s richness.
This stew is well suited for cooler weather, providing a filling, comforting meal. The slow cooker method simplifies the process and produces consistently tender results without close attention.
To prepare in a Dutch oven, increase broth and wine quantities and bake at a moderate oven temperature until tender. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen up to three months, allowing for easy meal planning and reheating.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil or as needed
- 2 lb venison cubed, 950g
- 1 onion peeled and finely diced, large
- 1 ½ cups mushroom sliced
- 3 garlic minced, cloves
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly
- 1 cup chestnut optional, cooked, 120g
- ½ cup Cranberry 65g, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup red wine or ruby port, 240 ml
- ½ cup beef broth stock cube is fine too, 120 ml
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- salt to season
- black pepper to season
- thyme to garnish, fresh leaves
Instructions
- Heat the oil in your slow cooker if it allows for searing or in a separate pan. Brown the meat over medium-high heat, in batches, until nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.
- Add a splash more oil if needed and reduce the heat. Sauté the onion and mushrooms for 5-7 minutes, stirring, or until softened.
- Stir in the garlic then the sugar, salt, pepper, tomato paste and cranberry sauce. (If you have been using a separate pan transfer everything to your slow cooker now).
- Add the meat, chestnuts, cranberries, beef broth, wine and Worcester Sauce and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 -5 hours or LOW for 7 -8 hours or until the venison is tender.
- Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve over mashed potatoes sprinkled with fresh thyme.
Notes
- You can cook the stew in a Dutch oven by following the searing and sautéing steps, then baking at 160°C (325°F) for 1.5 to 2 hours with increased broth and wine.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 524 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 524kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 55g | 110% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Cholesterol | 193mg | 64% |
| Sodium | 830mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 1294mg | 28% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 145IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 21mg | 23% |
| Calcium | 41mg | 4% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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