Red Wine Venison Stew

As many of our hobbies are outdoors, I find that many facets of our life ebb and flow with the seasons, including in the kitchen. Spring and warmer weather is fast approaching, leaving me daydreaming of steaks on the grill and ribs in the smoker – “summer meals,” in my mind. Things like roasts and stews, that are rich and hearty, warm you from the inside out.

 

It’s those cozy meals that are the backbone of my kitchen throughout the winter; while it is still a bit frosty out in the mornings, I will continue to whip up meals like this red wine venison stew!

Ingredients

1 lb. venison stew meat (elk, moose, even deer… it’s all delicious!)

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red wine

3 cups beef broth

4 medium potatoes, cubed

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup cold water

2 tbsp. cornstarch

 

How To Make Red Wine Venison Stew

Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Brown the stew meat on all sides, remove from the pan. Sauté the onions for around five minutes, adding the garlic in and cook for another minute. Put the stew meat back into the pan, as well as the wine, broth, potatoes, carrots, celery and mushrooms.

 

Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for approximately two hours. To thicken the liquid, mix together cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir into the stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Hint: This will be piping hot coming right out of the Dutch oven – dish out into bowls five to 10 minutes before serving!