Tags
crockpot, dutch oven, roots, Seasonal, Slow-Cook, stew, Vegetables, venison, wine, winter
Actually venison really creeps me out and I never eat it. An unfair stigma associated with overpopulation and vehicular manslaughter, I suppose. But the only way I will have a taste is if it’s slow-roasted and tenderized to perfection like in this recipe. This is a pretty classic dutch oven or crock pot stew, but with venison instead of beef tips. The flavor is very complex however because of the lengthy cooking time and seasonal ingredients. Not sure if this makes me feel better or worse, but this particular meat was freshly killed, cleaned, and delivered by a friend. Definitely will warm you up after a day of hunting (gasp) or what have you in the winter months. I recommend adding parsnips to turnips, but I just didn’t have any in the cupboard this time! Also better substitutes to my Cabernet and beef bouillon base would be homemade venison stock from discarded bones and a deeper wine like Sangiovese. It is not completely necessary to let it stew overnight, but definitely makes a difference if you don’t have a pressure cooker. It is completely necessary to serve with a flaky baguette to sop up the broth! Bon appetit!
Ingredients: 2 lbs venison, cubed
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp paprika
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon freshly chopped savory
2 tsp cumin
2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
3-4 celery stalks, scrubbed and chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 large Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
3 parsnips or small turnip, peeled and chopped (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/2 c red wine
2 bay leaves
4 c brown stock (beef)
liberal amounts of salt and pepper
1. Heat large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Toss cubed meat with flour and seasoning in a mixing bowl, coating completely. When oil is hot, sear meat for a few minutes, stirring with wooden spoon. Add garlic and onions and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add all other vegetables to be used and season with salt and pepper. Saute and toss in pot for several minutes.
2. Add tomato paste and herbs to pot, season again with salt and pepper. Deglaze with wine and add stock slowly. Bring liquid to round boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 15 minutes until vegetables and meat are well coated with liquid and sauce begins to blend nicely.
3. Transfer to crock pot, if using or keep on stove for several hours. If using crock pot, stir well and keep on low heat, making sure not to boil, overnight or for several hours. Remove rosemary sprigs and bay leaves before serving over bread. Season to taste. et Voila!
Tabasco & Thyme 