This Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes is hearty, smoky, and just a little sweet - the kind of stew I want on a cold night. The Instant Pot gets tender venison and a rich broth on the table in about an hour and fifteen minutes, no all-day simmering required.
Chipotle peppers in adobo and a bit of maple syrup are what make this one different from a regular beef stew. That smoky heat balanced by just enough sweetness. It's actually a lot like my cozy beef stew recipe, just faster and richer thanks to the Instant Pot, and venison works beautifully in place of the beef.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients for Chipotle Venison Stew
- Best Cuts of Venison for Stew
- How to Make Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes
- Ingredient Substitutions
- Variations on Instant Pot Venison Stew
- Tips for Instant Pot Venison Stew
- How to Store and Reheat
- Serve With...
- Your Venison Stew Questions Answered
- More Easy Instant Pot Dinners
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
One pot, minimal cleanup: You brown the meat and pressure cook everything in the same Instant Pot, no extra dishes.
Good for meal prep: It keeps well in the fridge, so it's an easy one to make ahead for the week.
Naturally paleo-friendly: No flour or thickeners, just meat, vegetables, and broth.
Key Ingredients for Chipotle Venison Stew
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions.
- Venison Stew Meat: Lean and flavorful, venison brings a rich, earthy taste to this dish.
- Sweet Potatoes: add natural sweetness and creamy texture to balance the smoky spice.
- Chipotle Peppers with Adobo Sauce: bring a smoky depth and a bit of heat that makes this stew stand out.
- Maple syrup: just a tablespoon enhances the flavor and adds subtle sweetness.
- Chicken broth: keeps the stew light yet flavorful, allowing the chipotle and spices shine.
Best Cuts of Venison for Stew
Stew works best with cuts that would be tough cooked any other way. Shoulder, neck, or a roast cut into cubes. Those cuts have more connective tissue, and the Instant Pot's pressure breaks that down into gelatin instead of leaving it chewy. This is the opposite of what you want for a quick sear like a stir fry.
If you're working with a leaner cut, like backstrap, it'll still work here, but it won't get quite as rich or fall-apart tender.
How to Make Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes
The process is straightforward: brown the meat and onions right in the Instant Pot, add your broth, tomatoes, chipotle, and sweet potatoes, then seal the lid and let the pressure cooker do the work. Thirty minutes at pressure plus a slow release is what turns tough stew meat tender, without you standing over a pot all afternoon.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Beef for venison. Ideal if you don't have game meat on hand.
- Substitute white potatoes for sweet potatoes for a more traditional stew flavor.
- Use honey instead of maple syrup for a different sweetness with a similar balance.
Variations on Instant Pot Venison Stew
- Add beans for a healthier chili-style version.
- Stir in kale or spinach after cooking for extra greens and nutrients.
- Top with avocado or sour cream to cool the heat and add creaminess.
- Use ground venison instead of stew meat for chili-like texture. It browns faster so cut the pressure time to 10 minutes since it's already broken down.
Tips for Instant Pot Venison Stew
- Brown the meat well: this builds deep flavor before pressure cooking.
- Deglaze the pot: scraping up the browned bits adds rich taste to the broth.
- Don't rush the release: letting the pressure come down naturally keeps the meat tender.
- If your Instant Pot has a Meat/Stew preset: you can use this instead of the manual timer. Just make sure it's set to at least 30 minutes at high pressure.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover venison stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave in short intervals, stirring between each.
This stew freezes well too. Cool it completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop.
Serve With...
Serve this Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes alongside a Wheat Dinner Roll or a slice or two of Homemade Soft White Bread for dipping. For a comforting finish, enjoy a bowl of Mom's Bread Pudding for dessert.
Your Venison Stew Questions Answered
Two things usually cause it: venison is leaner than beef, so it needs the full pressure time to break down, and releasing the pressure too fast can toughen meat that hasn't had a chance to relax yet. (See the tips above for how I handle the release).
Yes, Brown the meat and onions in a Dutch oven, add everything else, and simmer covered on the stovetop for about 2 hours, or transfer it all to a slow cooker for 6-7 hours on low.
Yes. Venison is just the name for meat from deer, so the terms are interchangeable here.
Chicken broth keeps this one light so the chipotle comes through, but beef broth or venison stock will give you a richer, deeper result if you have it. A splash of red wine in place of some of the broth works too.
Something bold enough to stand up to the smoky chipotle. A Zinfandel, Malbec, or Syrah all work well.
More Easy Instant Pot Dinners
If you enjoy this hearty stew, try my Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin, Instant Pot Ham and Cabbage, and Instant Pot Turkey Lentil Soup.
When you make this recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- Instant Pot
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds stew meat , venison or beef
- 2 large sweet potatoes , diced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon chipotle with adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the instant pot and turn on the saute mode.
- When oil is hot, add onions and saute 2 minutes, or until translucent.
- Place venison stew meat in a large bowl and toss with the chili powder, ground cumin, and salt.
- Add seasoned meat to the instant pot and saute until stew is browned on all sides. Cancel the saute setting.
- Add chicken broth, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and maple syrup. Scraping the bottom of the pot to bring up any browned bits of flavor. Stir in the sweet potatoes.
- Seal the instant pot lid and make sure the release valve is in the locked position. Set the manual timer for 30 minutes.
- When timer goes off, do a slow release. After 30 minutes, manually release any remaining pressure.Serve hot.
Myrna Gonzalez Childress says
Really enjoyed this. Excellent flavors. I made the mistake of chopping the sweet potatoes too small but will remember next time. I added a can of black beans once everything was cooked, which was a perfect compliment.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Myrna, so glad you enjoyed he recipe! Shelby
Nathan Newlin says
Tried in pressure cooker and was great want to try w besr meat in slow cooker........how would you vary in slow cooker as far as adding chilis and syrup later in cooking process?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Nathan, glad you enjoyed the recipe! As for a bear meat, I am not familiar with using it, however, I personally would follow the steps the same as instant pot (do the saute of veggies and sear meat first) and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6.
Medora says
I used 1/2 pound of thick sliced venison roast.I used pot in pot for the white rice and set it for 15 minutes manual. Do you think that's enough time to tenderize the roast? Venison can dry out so quickly. Am leaving the 30 minutes natural release time.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
It shouldn't dry out. There is enough liquid in the recipe to keep it from doing so. Hope it worked well for you! Shelby
Tammy says
Shelby!
We love this recipe.
My only error was using the whole 7oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo lol. But we like spicy and it turned out fabulous.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Tammy, thank you for letting me know! So glad you love the recipe! Shelby
Jacci says
Recipe instructions don't include the chicken broth, I assume I just put that in at the end before turning on the Instant Pot?
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Jacci, the chicken broth is listed first in step 6. Thanks, and enjoy!
Ron says
Excellent alternative venison stew recipe! Sweet potatoes are a great stew alternative to white potatoes and carrots and celery. Meat was very tender and the adobo pepper sauce adds just the right amount of heat to warm you on a cold night!
Note:. Instructions omit adding the chicken stock at step 6 or 7.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Ron, thanks, glad you enjoyed the recipe! Shelby
Jalena says
How many sweet potatoes do you recommend using? I don't see them listed in the ingredients....
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Jalena, it is two large sweet potatoes, diced. Enjoy!