We had our first snowfall this weekend and it was a doozy. Like, hold up inside the house all day and only open the door to let the dogs out kind of snow storm. There is still 8 inches of snow on our back deck, a stark reminder of winter’s impending approach.
The Sunday morning after the storm was absolutely glorious. Not having any plans for the day meant I could appreciate the bright sun shimmering off tree branches coated with fresh, powdery snow from the comfort of my couch.
My husband, on the other hand, could not resist spending a peaceful morning like this out in the woods sitting in his hunting blind. I’m all for spending time in the Great Outdoors, but on days like this I’m much better suited to staying indoors under a blanket with a hot cup of coffee.
Lazy Sundays like this are perfect for slow cooked meals and one of our favorites is a hearty venison stew. This version has chunks of tender venison stew meat, russet potatoes, and carrots all brought together with beef stock and beer.
I make this stew in a cast iron dutch oven and it takes about 2 hours but this could absolutely be done in a crock pot on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.
Jay is actually the best at making venison stew but since he was stuck out in the wilderness that morning, it was up to me to get the stew on.
We each have our own ways of making it. Jay likes to use cream of mushroom soup to thicken it and I like to add a can of beer. Regardless of our preferences, one thing we always do is dredge the meat in seasoning and flour and sear it on medium high heat in a little bit of oil for just a couple seconds. This is such an essential step to keep the meat tender, especially venison which can get dried out easily. If we’re using a crockpot, we sear the meat first then add everything to the slow cooker.
Because it’s the Sunday before Thanksgiving, I wanted to test out a roll recipe. I made Martha Stewart’s Parker House Rolls and they came out amazing. I cannot wait to try these Thursday, but I’m glad I have a batch to hold me over until then.
I started the roll recipe the night before and they cooked while the stew was in the oven. The fluffy, buttery rolls were perfect for sopping up the ale and broth liquid in the stew.
This recipe works for both venison and beef. The Kitchn has a pretty good guide for picking out a cut of beef for stew, which you can check out here. Lean meat, like venison, definitely works better for slow cooking since it has more collagen which breaks down and becomes tender when cooked on low heat for longer periods of time.
Even though I didn’t use his coveted cream of mushroom soup, Jay was pretty happy to come home to a hot pot of stew. A flour slurry and a touch of cream added at the end kicks the stew up up a level and creates a richer broth. Nothing beats a warm, hearty stew like this on a cold winter day.
Venison Stew with Ale, Carrots and Potatoes
- 1 Lb Stew Meat (Venison or Beef)
- 1 Tbsp Flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
- 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
- 2 Stalks Celery, finely chopped
- 5 Carrots, cut in 1 inch pieces
- 3 Medium Russet Potatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces
- 2 Cups Mushrooms, sliced
- 4 Cups Beef Stock
- 12 Oz Beer
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- Fresh or Dried Thyme
- Fresh or Dried Tarragon
- 1/4 Cup Flour
- 2 Tbsp Cream (Optional)
Preheat the oven to 325. Heat a large skillet or dutch oven to medium high and add the oil. Pat the meat dry and toss with salt, pepper and flour. Working in batches, place the meat in the pan and sear for a couple seconds on each side. Once browned, remove and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and celery to the pan and cook until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
If using a slow cooker, add all the ingredients except for the flour and cream to the slow cooker and combine. Heat on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. When almost ready to serve, remove 3/4 of a cup of liquid and combine with the flour. Add back to pot and let cook on hight for 20 minutes. Add the cream, if using, and serve.
If using a dutch oven, add the carrots and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and place the stew meat back in the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the flour and cream. Place the lid on the dutch oven and put in the oven for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Remove from the oven and extract 3/4 of a cup of liquid. Whisk with the flour and add back to the pot. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and add the cream, if using. Serve with these Parker House Rolls or crusty bread and enjoy!
