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This Red Wine Venison Stew is the perfect meal to cozy up with on a weekend night (or enjoy throughout the week as leftovers for lunch). Made in the style of the classic French bœuf bourguignon with red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and fresh herbs it is simple and supremely satisfying!
This is one of my all-time favorite venison recipes! It’s not difficult to make and is absolutely stunning. There are so many layers of flavor to this dish thanks to the low and slow braise in the oven. Serve with perfectly buttery mashed potatoes for a meal that is as comforting as it is delicious!
Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Ingredients for venison stew:
- Venison
- Red Wine
- Bacon
- Carrots
- Onion
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Flour
- Beef Stock
- S&P
- Bay Leaf
There are a few steps to this recipe, but none of them are terribly complicated! And it’s all made in one pot! Here’s how you can make the best venison stew ever:
How to make Venison Stew
- Cook the bacon. Until beautiful and crispy. Remove it from the pan and save the drippings.
- Sear the venison. In those bacon drippings! We’re creating layers of flavor here, people!
- Cook the mushrooms. Again, in the same pot. The remove and set aside, just like the venison and bacon.
- Sauté the veggies. Until tender and fragrant. If necessary, deglaze the pan with a smidge of beef stock.
- Return the venison to the pan. Add coat everything with flour. This will help thicken the gravy as the stew cooks. A little trick I learned from Julie Child!
- Add the wine and stock. And the fresh herbs and bay leaf. All the aromatics!
- Cook the stew. For 3 hours in a 325-degree oven. The meat will be fall apart tender and the sauce will be so silky and luxurious!
- Serve with mashed potatoes. If you know what’s good for you!
Best Cut of Venison for Stew
While a lot of my recipes utilize ground venison, this one uses the sirloin cut from the deer. This cut is perfect for stew because the low and slow cooking process tenderizes the chunks of meat! Make sure the silver skin is trimmed off before cooking or it will remain tough.
Other Venison Recipes You May Enjoy
Red Wine Venison Stew
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 pounds venison sirloin cut into chunks
- ½ pound bacon cut into pieces
- 1 pound mushrooms chopped (I used a mixture of button and cremini)
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ tablespoon flour
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 cups beef stock
- 4 cups dry red wine such as burgundy or cabernet sauvignon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season venison generously with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on all sides. Set aside.
- Place a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven with a lid over medium heat. When hot, cook the bacon in the pot until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. If necessary, add one tablespoon of grapeseed oil to the pot if there is not a thin layer of drippings along the bottom of the whole pot. Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Add the seasoned venison to the pot and sear the pieces on all sides, about 1 minute per side. This may need to be done in two batches as all the venison may not fit at once. Remove the seared venison from the pot and set aside. Reduce heat to medium once again.
- Add the mushrooms to the empty pot and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until mushrooms have released their natural moisture and have browned. Remove the mushrooms from the pot and set aside.
- Add the carrots and onion to the pot, stirring to coat in whatever oil and drippings remain. Cook for three minutes, adding a splash of beef stock to the pot to deglaze. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Return the venison to the pot and sprinkle the flour over everything. Toss to coat. Add in the herbs, bay leaf, beef stock, and wine. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Cover the pot and place in preheated oven. Bake for 3 – 3.5 hours or until venison pieces are tender and the sauce is silky.
- Remove from oven and stir in the bacon and mushrooms. Serve on top of mashed potatoes for a truly wonderful meal!
Notes
- Leftover stew can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.
- Beef stew meat can be used in place of venison if desired.
Guyan says
Can you do this in a crock pot after searing the venison ?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Guyan,
Yes, you totally can! And good call on doing it after the searing of the venison - that step creates so much flavor that you really don't want to skip it. After searing, add everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for about 8 hours. The liquid might not reduce as much, but you can always then reduce it on the stove if you'd like. Otherwise you'll just have a higher liquid to stew ratio!
Hope this helps 🙂
Amanda
Betsy says
We made this for tonight. Just want to confirm that the oven temp is 325 for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Thank you
Betsy says
I would like to make this but I will need to buy venison. I can’t find venison sirloin. Only medallions and tenderloins …. What are your suggestions, please? Thank you
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Betsy,
This recipe is really ideal for the tougher cuts of venison, such as sirloin/round/rump roasts. That's why it's so good - it really benefits from the low and slow braise to break down the fibers of the meat. You can use either medallions or tenderloin, but both of those shine best when they're cooked quicker and served simply (I have recipes for how to grill, sear, and smoke venison tenderloin). Both those cuts of meat are tender and succulent already, requiring very little to make them melt-in-your-mouth. It would be kind of like using filet mignon for salisbury steak - it can be done, but why ruin it? Of course, you're welcome to use whatever cut of venison you would like, but if you're going to go through the trouble of special ordering I'd suggest subbing beef stew meat instead. It'll still be delicious!
Hope this helps 🙂
Amanda
Betst says
Thank you for your quick and thorough reply, which is very helpful! We are providing the meal for a French wine pairing and thought this would be a perfect compliment!
Amanda Gajdosik says
Of course! I'm here to help. And since this venison recipe is based off of beef burgundy, it would be no disservice to use cuts of beef instead. Enjoy your wine!
Kimberly says
This was absolutely the best recipe for venison that I have ever made! I would like to make a gluten free version, would cornstarch work as a substitute for the flour?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Kimberly,
I am THRILLED to hear you feel that way about this recipe of mine 🙂
And yes, you can totally sub cornstarch for the flour! I'd maybe start with half the amount, as corn starch tends to be a better thickener. And if you find yourself wanting a thicker sauce you can always make a slurry of the corn starch and cooking liquid before reducing the sauce. Does that make sense?
Happy cooking 🙂
Amanda
Kimberly says
Yes. Thank you!
Amanda Gajdosik says
Of course! I'd love to know how it turns out when you make the swap 🙂
Grace says
Hello,
Could I cook it at a higher temperature to decrease cooking time? What would you suggest to cook for only 2 hours?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Grace,
You can cook it at a high temp and for a shorter time but I don't really recommend it. The venison really benefits from a low and slow braise in the oven. That's what makes it so tender and fall-apart. Because venison is so lean, that extra time in the oven really helps to break down the fibers in the meat and avoid a tough bite. That said, if you absolutely have to cook it faster and hotter - I'd. say you can probably get away with 375 for two hours. The meat will be cooked through, but may not be as tender, so just be aware!
Best of luck,
Amanda
Kendra says
can a venison roast be used instead of the sirloin?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Absolutely, sirloin comes from the "sirloin roast" so you can use a rump, outside, or inside round roast. Just cut up the roast into small pieces for stew and you're good to go!
Enjoy!
Ashleigh says
Question - the recipe says to cover the Dutch oven and then put it in the oven. Does the liquid still reduce with the lid on the whole time?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Ashleigh,
For me it always has. A Dutch oven, no matter how high-quality, is never going to be air tight and there is still going to be reduction and concentration of liquid while cooking. You can see in the second photo of the post that there is kind of a line on the pot from where the liquid originally was and to where it cooked down to.
Hope this helps!
Amanda
Hope this helps!
Amanda
Ashley Smith says
I am so excited to make this recipe! Do you have any thoughts on how to use it as an instant pot recipe for those nights when time gets away from you?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Ashley!
I do! I'd suggest using the saute function to cook the bacon and mushrooms and sear the meat as you would in the dutch oven as written in the recipe (or do this all in a skillet and then transfer the meat to the instant pot). Then proceed with the recipe as written, sprinkling the flour, adding the vegetables and liquids, and so on, cooking the stew for 35 - 45 minutes on high and letting the steam release naturally for at least 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon and mushrooms once the steam is fully released! It will have more liquid in it than if it was braised low and slow in the oven, so you can make a corn starch slurry to thicken it if you'd like! I don't know if using less liquid would be ideal because you obviously don't want it to burn!
Best of luck!
Amanda
Stefanie Schroeder says
Made this tonight with the first buck we harvested on our new home property! Absolutely delicious. We did add peas at the end when the bacon & mushrooms were readded. Making this again!! Thank you! 🙂
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Stefanie! So honored to be part of such an occasion! How exciting! Thank you for rating and reviewing 🙂
Happy hunting,
Amanda
Wayne and Judy Johnson says
Hi Amanda: We just tried this venison stew and it is delicious!!! I think the addition of red wine is a great idea as the gravy is so dark and tasty and the veggies and venison tender and flavourful!!! We served it over mashed potatoes as suggested and were super pleased with the end result!!! Wayne and Judy
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Wayne and Judy!
You have no idea how happy this makes me to hear! I'm so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe (it's one of my all-time favorites). Thanks for rating and reviewing 🙂
Amanda
McKinzie says
Hi! Looks great, have you tried it in the crockpot? Any adjustments you would make to make it in the crockpot?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi McKinzie! No, I haven't made it in a crockpot, I just love the depth of flavor you get from doing a low and slow cook in the oven. Here's what I would recommend, however, for adapting this recipe to be used in a slow cooker:
1) Don't skip browning the venison! Yes, you'll have extra dishes but it makes all the difference! Crisp the bacon, sear the venison, and brown the mushrooms as directed in the recipe card. You can do this in a large saute pan instead of a dutch oven since you won't be putting it in the oven.
2) When you're browning the mushrooms, deglaze your pan when they're about 90% finished. Add a splash of the stock or wine and scrape up all those good brown bits on the bottom of the pan so that you get all that flavor despite using the slow cooker.
3) Toss the browned venison with flour in the slow cooker and add the carrots, onions, garlic, herbs, and cooking liquid (use only 2 cups of wine, or enough to cover the meat).
4) Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or until fork tender.
5) Stir in the mushrooms and crispy bacon pieces!
You'll want to be aware that making this in a crockpot will result in more liquid in the final product. The oven heat really helps to reduce the cooking liquid into this lovely sauce and you may not get that from the crockpot! If it's really important to you to have a thicker sauce I suggest making a cornstarch slurry and adding it to the stew before serving.
Hope this helps and best of luck! 🙂
Amanda
Janel says
I'm planning to make this tomorrow night since we've dipped into the high 20's/low 30's in the mornings here in GA. My husband just shot his first deer in our backyard, butchered it with his dad, and I've been scrambling to find recipes since I never had venison before this. I found another recipe to make a venison stock with the roasted bones, so that's simmering on the stovetop now. Thanks for this - I'm really looking forward to making it!
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Janel!
I hope you love this venison stew! It's so tender and elegant but surprisingly an easy dinner 🙂 And be sure to check out my catalog of other venison recipes for more inspiration!
Happy cooking!
Amanda
Arcie says
Practical and not a million hard to find ingredients! I made this with South African Impala and it came out pretty good. A good smoked bacon is a must in my opinion.
Amanda Gajdosik says
Oh wow how awesome to know that it works so well with Impala! That's a protein I've never worked with but hopefully one day. Thanks for rating and reviewing 🙂
Vangie says
This was DELICIOUS!!! My husband who normally wrinkles his nose when I try to sneak in venison, exclaimed that it’s REALLY GOOD!!! Even our 12 year old loved it. Could serve this to guests and anyone would assume this was beef. Zero gaminess. Thank you for this awesome recipe (smelled amazing cooking in the oven, too!).
Stacey says
I don’t normally leave many reviews but had to come here and leave a comment. This is the best venison stew that I have ever made. The flavors were spot on and you could not even tell that I used venison instead of beef. I used a nice Merlot and measured with my heart on just about everything but used all the ingredients in the recipe. I did add a little cornstarch slurry at the end because I wanted it a little thicker. Worked perfectly! Thank you so much.
Amanda Gajdosik says
Oh Stacey you just made my day! This is one of my favorite recipes and I'm so happy others are enjoying it. Also, LOL "measuring with your heart" 🙂
Sam says
Really tasty! I made with venison back strap. I didn’t have any onion soup, so I subed 1/2 cup beef stock, 1/2 cup of red wine, and the normal 1 cup water. Came out fabulous with some mashed potatoes. Thanks!
Raychel says
You never mention what to do with the garlic? Or the bacon? Do you add the bacon back in?
Amanda Gajdosik says
Hi Raychel, I mention in the recipe when to add the garlic (see Step 5) and when to return the bacon to the stew (see Step 8). Hope you enjoy this recipe after reading it thoroughly! 🙂