Venison Stew with Mushrooms

A delicious, hearty venison stew with mushrooms, celery root, carrots, and aromatic herbs. Make it in your slow cooker or a Dutch oven for the perfect comforting fall or winter meal.

Course Main

Cuisine International

Keyword venison

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings people

Calories 568

Author Simone

Equipment

Dutch oven
Slow cooker

Ingredients

1 kg venison stew meat cut into cubes
3 tbsp olive oil divided
2 onions sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
500 g celeriac celery root, peeled and diced
300 g carrots sliced
400 g diced tomatoes
350 ml game stock or beef stock
2 cinnamon sticks
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and black pepper to taste
400 g mixed mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch

To serve (optional):

Braised red cabbage with apples and chestnuts

Metric - Us customary

Instructions

Dutch oven method

Heat a little of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the venison in batches until golden on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add a little more olive oil to the pan and sauté the onions for a few minutes. Add the garlic, celery root, and carrots and cook briefly, stirring occasionally.
Return the venison to the pan. Add the game stock, diced tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary.
Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid. Let the stew cook for approximately 3-4 hours, or until the venison is fork-tender. Check occasionally and add a little extra stock or water if needed.
Once the venison is tender, mix the cornstarch with a little cold water to make a smooth slurry. Stir it into the simmering stew and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Add more slurry if necessary.
Meanwhile, heat a little of the remaining olive oil in a separate skillet and sauté the mushrooms until golden brown.
Stir the mushrooms into the stew just before serving. Remove the cinnamon sticks and herb stems, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with braised red cabbage, apples, and chestnuts, or your favorite side dish.

Slow cooker method

Brown the venison in a skillet with a little olive oil, working in batches. Transfer the browned meat to the slow cooker.
Sauté the onions, garlic, celery root, and carrots briefly in the same skillet. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Add the diced tomatoes, game stock, cinnamon sticks, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 8-9 hours, or until the venison is tender. Avoid lifting the lid unnecessarily during cooking.
When the meat is tender, mix the cornstarch with a little cold water. Stir into the stew. If your slow cooker doesn't get hot enough to thicken the sauce, transfer some of the cooking liquid to a saucepan, bring it to a simmer, and whisk in the slurry until thickened. Return the sauce to the slow cooker.
Sauté the mushrooms separately in a skillet until golden brown, then stir them into the finished stew.
Remove the cinnamon sticks and herb stems, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Notes

Red wine variation: Replace half the game stock with a dry red wine for a deeper flavor.

Beef variation: Replace the venison with beef chuck roast or beef stew meat.

Mushrooms: Cooking the mushrooms separately gives them better flavor and texture.

Make ahead: Prepare the stew a day in advance for even better flavor.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.

Slow cooker timing: Actual cooking time depends on the size of the venison pieces, the cut of meat, and your slow cooker.

Nutrition