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Venison Stew with Root Vegetables

If you've got a hunter in the family, this is the perfect recipe to use up that venison in the freezer! The hearty root vegetables and slow cooking make the meat incredibly tender, and trust me—the flavors marry together beautifully overnight. Even if you're not sure about venison, this stew might just convert you!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs venison stew meat cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 4 carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 parsnips peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 turnips peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 lb baby potatoes halved
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Method
 

  1. Pat venison dry with paper towels. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper, then toss venison to coat evenly.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bacon fat. Working in batches, brown venison on all sides (about 6-8 minutes per batch). Don't overcrowd the pot! Remove and set aside.
  4. Add remaining oil and sauté onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute.
  5. Pour in red wine, scraping up all those delicious browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 3 minutes.
  6. Return venison and bacon to the pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring to a boil.
  7. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
  8. Add carrots, parsnips, turnips, and potatoes. Cover and continue simmering for another 45-60 minutes until vegetables are tender and meat is fork-tender.
  9. Remove rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving with crusty bread.