Slow Cooker Venison Stew
Ingredients
- Up to 1⁄2 C seasoned flour (substitute all-purpose)
- 2 to 3 lbs venison shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 3 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 C vegetable juice, such as Spicy Hot V8
- 1 1⁄2 C beef broth
- 3 C cubed potatoes
- 2 C green beans
- 1 1⁄2 C corn
- 1 1⁄2 C sliced carrots
- 1⁄2 tsp black pepper
- 1⁄2 tsp crushed marjoram
- 1 tsp crushed oregano
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
Directions
Put flour in zipper-style bag, and season generously with salt and pepper if you’re not using seasoned flour.
Add 1/4 of the meat cubes and shake the bag to coat the meat with flour.
Repeat until all venison is coated.
Heat oil in a wide, heavy Dutch oven.
Add the meat and cook over medium-high heat to brown. Drain excess fat.
Place meat cubes in slow cooker set on high. Add remaining ingredients.
Turn heat to low and cook 10 to 12 hours.
Serve with oyster crackers, sour cream, and Sriracha (or other hot sauce), as desired.
Serves 8. Freezes well.
- Private lands wildlife biologist Jason Nally advises that you can maintain high quality in venison if you cool the meat as soon as possible after field dressing the animal and allow it to age. Aging allows the natural enzymes in the meat to break down the collagen fibers that are contained within the muscle and tenderizes the meat. It will also allow the moisture in the meat to gradually evaporate, which will concentrate the flavor of the meat.
- If weather permits, you can hang the meat in an outbuilding or barn for five to seven days. However, with Kentucky’s often unpredictable weather, aging your venison in a refrigerator or cooler may be a safer option. There are also several butcher shops around the state that will process your deer for a fee.
- Here is how Nally ages his venison in a refrigerator or in a cooler. “I have limited space at my house,” says Nally, “so, I will usually place the meat in a cooler with the plug opened and the cooler set on a tilt in order to drain away the melted ice. I will turn the meat every day and replenish the ice in the cooler. I will do this for five days or more depending on the age of the animal.”
- The 2015/2016 Hunting Guide contains comprehensive information on season dates, bag limits, weapons restrictions and quota hunts. Find it at Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide.
