Dutch Oven Venison Stew Recipe

This venison stew recipe with potatoes and carrots in a thick sauce is delicious comfort food. Fork tender Dutch Oven stew with cubed deer backstrap or shoulder pieces cooks nicely on the stove or oven for dinner.

Easy Deer Shoulder Recipe

The first thing I ever made with deer stew meat was Crockpot Venison Chili. Another winner with this meat slow cooked for longer in a different method that should be tried as well. Also a way to cook this if ground into more of a hamburger meat consistency, super versatile. If you are new to cooking wild game meat we can help!

Both use venison shoulder which is tougher than other cuts and best if cooked for a longer time to get as tender as possible. You want your Stew Recipe Without Wine to be fork tender when done which does take some time vs. the tenderloin or back strap pieces.

Venison Cube Steak is another thing we have made with deer meat that turned out amazingly well. Typically made with the most tender pieces, and for not as long. Pan fried venison backstrap recipe with a light breading on the outside in steak form, is yet another yummy way to use this type of lean meat.

Venison Stew Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Venison cut into bite size pieces like stew meat
• Carrots peeled and diced
• 1/2 c onion diced
• Celery sliced
• Minced garlic
• Red potatoes cut into large bite size cubes
• Beef broth or use half red wine
• Tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp cornstarch optional for thicker sauce

What to Make with Deer Backstrap

If you didn’t want to cook the whole piece, cut it into bite size pieces like we did here! You could even add legumes into the mix, our Lentil Stew is great. I mean the amount of vegetables you want to add can be increased for sure. You do want quite a bit of sauce in the mix too, can make it thick or more of a soup consistency. Both are wonderful.

If you’d rather cook deer meat in your Crockpot then use the same ingredients below but the timing from our Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe here.

Deer Tenderloin Recipe in Dutch Oven

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan or cast iron skillet.
• Blot outsides with paper towels and season meat with salt and pepper.
• Then fry on medium high heat, stirring so that each piece is fried on all sides. 5-7 minutes will be enough. Then transfer the venison to a Dutch Oven.
• In the remaining oil, fry the chopped onions, carrots and celery for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and tomato paste.
• Pour in 1 cup of broth (or half red wine half broth) and stir, cover the pan with a lid, bring to a boil and wait 5 minutes.
• Pour vegetables with broth into Dutch Oven, add salt, spices and parsley.
• Stir and cook for 60 minutes cooking time to break down connective tissue to get fall apart soft.
• After 60 minutes, add potatoes, pour in the remaining broth
  • (whisk in a small bowl with cornstarch if you want sauce to be thicker before pouring into pot)
• Cook the stew for another 15 minutes to half hour or until they are tender to your liking. Ready stew can be served immediately, with chopped fresh herbs.

in pressure cooker

For a faster version just use this meat instead to make a Instant Pot Stew Meat Recipe in a pressure cooker instead. For more tender pieces cut them smaller.

in slow cooker

If you wanted a low and slow version with gravy we have a way to do that as well. You can use our timing for Slow Cooker Beef Tips with this meat too so buy double and try them both 😉

Each of the deer meat cuts does work best in certain recipes. Just like beef or bear meat some are tougher than others and the most tender pieces are smaller with less of them.

How to Cook Venison Pieces

1. Often called the “loin” of the deer, the backstrap is a prized cut. It runs along the spine and is exceptionally tender and lean. Backstrap steaks are perfect for grilling or pan-searing, and they can be seasoned and cooked simply to let the meat’s natural flavor shine.
2. The tenderloins, also known as “filets,” are the most tender cuts of deer meat. They are located inside the ribcage and are incredibly lean. Tenderloins are typically small, making them ideal for quick cooking methods like broiling, sautéing or made into Stew Casserole Recipe.
3. Deer ribs can be slow-cooked or smoked to create flavorful, fall-off-the-bone dishes. While there isn’t as much meat on deer ribs as on pork or beef ribs, the meat is succulent and well worth the effort.
4. The shoulder of a deer yields meat that is flavorful but can be tougher than other cuts. Braising or slow-cooking methods, such as making stews or chili, are excellent ways to tenderize and make the most of this cut.
5. The neck is often overlooked, but it contains flavorful and tender meat. Slow cooking or pressure cooking animal necks is recommended for the neck, as it allows the meat to become incredibly tender and flavorful.
6. Ground can be versatile and used in various recipes, from burgers and meatballs to chili and tacos. It’s often a convenient way to utilize trimmings from other cuts. Jump to recipe and enjoy!