Venison Stew:
<---ingredients
Ingredient notes
Venison: This meat from deer is smoother and firmer than beef with an earthy flavor, often with hints of the acorns, savory plants, and herbs that the deer enjoyed during its life (if it was wild). If you are concerned about the gamey taste of venison, you can mellow that flavor by soaking venison in milk, in your refrigerator, for 2 days. This tenderizes the meat, too. No venison? Substitute beef stew meat and nothing in the recipe has to change.
Red wine: My favorite wines for stews, Pot Roast, and Beef Bourguignon are Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir. Or, you can substitute more chicken broth.
Thyme: Fresh rosemary (instead of or in addition to) would be great in this stew, too. The bay leaf is essential.
1.Pat venison pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half the meat and cook in a single layer without moving until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip each piece of venison and continue cooking until browned on the other side. Transfer to a bowl. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil and repeat with remaining venison. Transfer to the bowl.
2. Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in flour and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. To the pot, add tomato paste, red wine, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, and browned venison with accumulated juices, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Stir in potatoes and carrots. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour longer, until venison is tender.
4. Remove bay leaves and any thyme stems. Off the heat, stir in peas and cover for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!!
