COMFORTING VENISON STEW

ONE POT | SLOW COOKER | PRESSURE COOKER

This stew will have you looking forward to cold weather. It’s my wild game take on a classic French dish. Red wine helps to break down the venison, creating extremely tender meat—all you’ll need is a spoon. If you are like me and love homemade meals at the ready, freeze this stew for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

Serves: 6

1½ pounds venison stew meat

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or vegetable oil

3 medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons minced garlic

5 cups beef broth

2¾ cups dry red wine

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced

4 large carrots, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch-thick pieces

1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

1 cup frozen peas

1. Set a rack in the middle position of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the venison cubes dry with a paper towel, then season them with the salt and pepper.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add one-third of the meat and cook until it is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.

3. Add the onions and vinegar to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Cook until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Return the venison and any accumulated juices to the pot. Stir in the broth, wine, maple syrup, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 hours.

4. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes. Cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour.

5. Stir in the frozen peas, cover the pot, and braise in the oven for 30 minutes.

Slow Cooker Variation: After browning the meat in step 2, transfer it to a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker and add all the remaining ingredients except the peas. Cover and cook on High for 5 hours or on Low for 8 to 1 0 hours. Thirty minutes before the stew is finished cooking, stir in the peas. Cover and continue cooking.

Pressure Cooker Variation: Select Sauté and sear the venison in the butter and olive oil as directed in step 1 in an electric pressure cooker. Add all the other ingredients except the peas, lock the lid, and close the steam valve. Select Manual and set the time for 3 5 minutes on High Pressure. Quick release the steam and stir in the peas. Close the lid and let sit for 5 minutes until the peas are hot.