Crockpot Venison Stew is slow-cooked to perfection in a dark rich broth full of deer meat, potatoes, and tenderizing brown ale! Come home to a hot and hearty meal straight from your slow cooker! Pair your venison stew with a few slices of Homemade Soft White Bread. Just right for sopping up all of the tasty rich broth at the bottom of your bowl!
There is nothing that will draw your family to the kitchen like the wonderful aromas of venison stew hitting their nose as soon as they walk in the house! This Crockpot Venison Stew will do exactly that. So flavorful and delicious, there won't be a drop left in their bowls.
Making Stew with Deer Meat
I always start thinking about Crockpot Venison Stew when the fall gets here. Pretty soon, another deer hunting season will be right around the corner. We will be back in the woods, looking to bring home some more wild game for our freezer.
When we return from the night watch in the woods, we are usually chilly and hungry. Coming home to a house filled with the aroma of a hot venison dinner ready to go on the table is so comforting. This Crockpot Venison Stew warms us up quite well after spending time in the woods!
What You Need to Know About Deer Meat
What is venison stew meat?
Stew meat is basically the least tender cut of the deer. Grumpy says it is the bits and pieces of tougher meat that also can be made into ground venison. It is the tougher meat from the animal which is why slow cooking is the best way to prepare it.
Can I use another cut of deer meat for stew?
Stew meat is basically the least tender cut of the deer. Grumpy says it is the bits and pieces of tougher meat that also can be made into ground venison. It is the tougher meat from the animal which is why making venison stew in the crockpot is the best way to prepare it.
Does all venison have a wild gamey taste?
Wild game has a rich and earthy flavor. However, gaminess is caused by several factors. Undesirable flavor can be the result of taking an older buck, one that was in the rut (therefore his testosterone is high), or poor processing can all be factors of a gamey flavor.
How long can I store venison in the freezer?
It depends on how the meat is packaged. I recommend vacuum sealing. Good wrapping will assist in longer storage. We have had venison in the freezer for as long as 2 years and have never had freezer burnt meat.
What you need to make this recipe
Below are just some of the basics you need to make this recipe. You will need several seasonings from the pantry which are listed in the recipe card itself.
Venison Stew Meat
Potatoes: I love to use gold potatoes. I feel like they have the creamiest texture and buttery flavor. They go excellent in this stew.
Cremini Mushrooms are my favorite. If you don't like mushrooms, just leave them out. You can also use white button mushrooms or baby portabellas.
Tomato Paste: this is an important ingredient. It will help thicken up the stew as well as add flavor.
Red Wine or Beer: A dark or light beer will work, whichever you enjoy the most. I prefer a dry red wine.
Beef Broth: Essential in this recipe. It adds flavor.
Crockpot: I use this one. I love that it has a warm setting on it so if it finishes before we get home, it keeps it warm still.
Troubleshooting for Crockpot Venison Stew
- Follow the recommended cooking method for this recipe. Cooking it longer is ok but do not cook it for less time.
- If you cook this recipe on high, I recommend 4 hours. However, I highly recommend that you cook this recipe on low.
- Be sure to dice your carrots and potatoes into smaller pieces. A good recommendation is 1" cubes. Anything larger can cause your vegetables to not cook.
- Follow the instructions for layering the ingredients into your pot. Potatoes and carrots will take longer to cook than any of your other ingredients and need to be on the bottom layer closer to the heat.
Steps To Making Crockpot Venison Stew
Prepare the stew meat by tossing it with flour, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl.
Heat a large non-stick skillet until it is hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and sear meat until browned on all sides. This should only take 2-3 minutes.
While deer meat is searing, prepare your vegetables for the stew. Chop and measure your vegetables for the venison stew and set aside.
In your crockpot, layer your vegetables and seasoning in your slow cooker ceramic pot. Start with the potatoes and end with the seasonings (the first 13 ingredients listed in the recipe).
Place the browned stew meat on top of layered vegetables and pour broth over top. Place the lid on your crockpot and set you're it to cook on low temperature for about 7-½ hours. Cooking on high heat is not recommended for this recipe.
When your venison stew is done, remove the bay leaf, serve and enjoy!
What I like to serve with Venison Stew
Whenever we eat a stew, we like to have some sort of starch to soak up the gravy at the bottom of our bowl. I usually will make a recipe for Homemade Soft White Bread or Homemade Sweet Dinner Rolls to serve with this stew!
If you love Venison Recipes, be sure to check out my new website. Some of our favorite recipes there is Venison Stir-Fry, Venison Sloppy Joes, and BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves!
Other Slow Cooker Recipes you may like
The convenience of the slow cooker makes dinner time smooth going. Coming home to a hot meal with no mess is pretty darn satisfying! Some of our favorite recipes are Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket, Slow Cooker Beef and Veggie Sliders, and Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs!
*If you made this recipe, please give it a star rating*
Crockpot Venison Stew
Ingredients
- 2 cups Yukon gold or red potato peeled and cubed
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms quartered
- ½ cup onion diced
- 1 cup celery sliced
- 1 cup carrot sliced
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1-½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ¾ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup flour
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 lb venison tenderloin (or stew meat) cut into 1-½ inch pieces
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup brown ale
- 1 14-oz can less-sodium beef broth
Instructions
- Layer first 14 ingredients in an electric crockpot.
- Combine flour, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish; dredge venison in flour mixture. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add venison. Cook 4 minutes or until browned on all sides, turning frequently. Add venison to crockpot.
- Pour beer and broth over venison. Cover and cook on low 7 ½ hours or until meat is tender. Discard bay leaf.
- Stew can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months; add a little more water or beer when reheating.
Amanda
LOL - my hubby doesn't hunt, but there are plenty of them here in southern WI! A good friend of mine looks forward o this time of year. Her boyfriend and all his buddies go up north for a week of hunting. She can't wait to get him out of the house LOL!
This stew looks great - I have never tried venison. Sounds like a shocker, but since we don't have a hunter here... I bet this would be just as fabulous with beef too 🙂
Jessie
Grumpy cracks me up! sitting around sulking because it was bad day weather wise. I hope that yummy venison stew cheered him up!
Barbara Bakes
You take such good care of Grumpy! I might need my husband to take up hunting so I can have a week by myself!
Natalie
wow yum! I haven't had venison since I was a little kid, but this sounds awesome!
Pam
My husband would love this stew, especially because you cooked it with beer. Great photos Shelby.
Mags
It's been awhile since I've had venison stew. Hubby doesn't hunt, but my dad and brothers did when I was growing up and I fondly remember all the meals we ate from their hunts. This looks delicious Shelby.
Helene
What a stew. Looks delicious.
teresa
my tummy is cravint this stew!
Josie
You crack me up! You sound exactly like my mom about my dad regarding hunting (and what a pain in the tush they can be when the weather doesn't cooperate!). I need a grumpy in my life to bring home venison for me so I can try this stew!
Katy ~
HoneyB, I can just see Grumpy's big smile for this one. It looks outstanding!
Coleen's Recipes
We don't have access to venison here, but we DO make moose stew. I'm chuckling at Grumpy not wanting to hunt in the rain...a little wimpy don't you thin? haha. I totally know what you mean about enjoying Grumpys hunting trips. Around here we call it, enjoying Hubbys snowmachine trips.
HoneyB
Thanks!
Grumpy went out...early morning and evening hunt. So he still went out....he just complained. 😉
Coleen, it not so much he doesn't want to be in the rain. Its more that its too windy and raining pretty hard to be hunting with a bow. Right now it is archery season. 😉 However, that said, it has done nothing but rain here for about 2 weeks straight now.
Barbara, I get more than a week. 😉 Early archery starts around Sept 28 and he hunts right thru muzzleloader, rifle...up to the 2nd weekend in December!
Donna-FFW
Well, that just looks absolutely delish! Grumpy is LUCKY to have you.
Phoenix
This looks amazing! I've been trying to think of a way to get the boyfriend interested in something other than burger meat, and this might do the trick. Thanks for sharing!
{kiss my spatula}
what a perfect stew for a chilly evening! i love venison!
Nat
Gorgeous !
Olga
have never had venison. it's gray and cold in DC...would love a bowl of it.
pigpigscorner
I've only had venison at restaurants and have no idea where to buy the meat. This looks great!
Pete
Tough or next to impossible to buy wild venison. Gotta hunt it. Nothing more satisfying than harvesting your own food, meat or vegetables.
Mama C
I made this recipe recently and it turned out fantastic! The only changes I made was to use rice flour instead of ap flour, and pino noir instead of beer, as we were somehow out...
MacKenzie
I was wondering about how much this recipe makes. I have to feed about 25 to 30 fireman (also known as food vacuums haha) and I'm wondering if I shouldn't make two. Thanks.
BRIAN & JOANIE
My husband has been making venison stew for years. I made your recipe 2 days ago. He says it was the best he's ever had. I made pop overs with them. Yummy!
ERIN
COULD I USE VENISON "STEW MEAT" INSTEAD OF THE BACK STRAP? I HAVE SOME IN THE FREEZER AND I NEED A RECIPE FOR IT. THIS LOOKS PERFECT.
Shelby
Absolutely and thank you!
Kristine
My family doesn't like mushrooms. Would you substitute something else or just leave them out? Thanks!
Shelby
You can leave the mushrooms out 🙂
Laura
A family friend of ours hunts and always gives us some venison! YUM!
ashley
This looks so warm and comforting!
Carolyn
This looks perfect for the colder days!
Richa Gupta
The soup looks spicy and yummy over all!
Kaylee
I have this is in my crockpot right now, but with Elk instead. Thank you so much for posting game recipes, my dad is a huge hunter so we get most our meat from him and since my husband is out of town I need to prep cook for the week.
Shelby
Hi Kaylee! Thanks for letting me know. I hope your family loves this recipe with the Elk! I have not had Elk yet, but Grumpy does want to do an Elk hunt so I'm pretty sure one day I will finally get to try it 🙂
Claudia Lamascolo
We love venison and stew is the way to go, it makes it so tender. I love how delicious this looks and the flavors will be exactly what I would use my husband would love this. I will need to make this when he gets venision again!
Lisa
We have so much venison in the freezer. I was just thinking I need to make a stew and this one looks so delicious.
Dahn
delicious stew! We still have some venison from last year that needs to get eaten so we can make room for this years supply. Time to make some stew!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
It seems that being a "hunters widow" is more beneficial than being a "golf widow". My husband never shows up with game after 18 holes. Your venison stew looks amazing!
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites
Sending this recipe right over to my fiance now! He's got a bunch of venison in the freezer and needed some new ideas for it! Thanks!
Jersey Girl Cooks
I'm not a huge venison person but I think I'd love this stew! Or I could always use beef instead. Love your presentation!
Carolyn
This sounds lovely, bread dipped in this stew would be so amazing!
ashley manila
I have to try this soon!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl
This looks so yummy! I don't often cook with venison - but this sounds fabulous! 🙂
Karen
How awesome that you have someone who goes out and brings back dinner! Your bowl of the stew is gorgeous.
Caroline
I haven't had venison in so long since we don't really get it here, but I used to love it when we got it in the UK. This looks so comforting.
Anne Lawton
you can't go wrong with stew this time of year! This looks good.
Heather
I just went out recently with my boyfriend and his family hunting in WI, I am making this today on high heat whist we go to cut our Christmas tree. I have only had venison stew once, one my boyfriend made early on in our relationship, with meat he had shot the year before. This recipe sounds amazing and I can’t wait to try it. I will day I added a bit more veggies and the meat was a smidge more than 1lb so I added more of everything else. And I always add waaaay more garlic. It smells amazing so far so it should be an awesome meal. Thank you for the recipe ?
Shelby
Hi Heather! I hope it turned out great for you! Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Marla
My husband is concerned the mule deer tenderloin won’t get tender enough. What have you found? Or any suggestions to make sure it is tender enough?
TIA
Shelby
I have used tenderloin when my stew meat was gone and had no issues. However, I recommend stew meat as it takes well to long, slow cooking. Normally tenderloin needs to be cooked quickly as overcooking it can cause it to become tough. My recommendation is to use stew meat if you have it. Having said that, the meat recipe still was not tough - it was very delicious!
Laurie Zahar
I was pretty excited to try this recipe as we too, have a freezer full of venison. I totally forgot to put it on Sunday morning so I converted it to a stovetop recipe using a LeCreuset pot and it was delicious! I probably simmered it too long, but it melted in our mouths. Thank you so much for sharing. You hit all the spices perfectly. Can't wait to make the next batch in the crock pot!
Shelby
Hi Laurie! So happy you stopped by and let me know you tried the recipe! Glad it turned out so delicious for you also 🙂
Claire
Made this for dinner tonight, I had never made venison myself before so I just stuck to the recipe and it was amazing! It melted in my mouth and my picky child ate 2 bowls! Definitely keeping this recipe on hand to make again and again!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Hi Claire, Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience! So happy your picky child loved it! 🙂 Shelby
Ken McBroom
Can’t wait to try this recipe. I have made venison stew before but not in a crockpot. I can put this together turn it on and go hunting and return home to a delicious dinner.
Shelby Law Ruttan
I hope you love it! I like it with beer and wine, but I prefer the red wine (in the broth and in a glass!) Thanks!
Mike
Best stew l have ever had! Seriously!
Shelby Law Ruttan
Thanks Mike!
Pooky Sholtz
Love this recipe. I've made it 3 times now. Needs nothing extra.
Shelby Law Ruttan
Thank you so much! Shelby
Kathryn
I must say great recipe!
I love stew and soups so I made a
Venison soup in crockpot!
Seasoned cheap part of Venison with salt pepper adobo floured the meat lightly and sautéed in frying pan added 1-2 chopped onions 3-4 carrots celery roughly chopped peeled and quarter either 2-3 potatoes and sweet potatoes or yams Sauted all to get good color optional 1/2 cup wine your choice addedBroth chicken or beef to cover and cooked in crockpot till meat & potatoes are all tender. Stew in crockpot on high a good 6 hours
Taste add seasoning if needed.
Serve with good crusty bread & butter.
Maybe someone will like this as a soup?
Enjoy