Winging-it Venison Stew

In the spirit of social distancing, I drastically reduced visits to the grocery store. I managed to go 3.5 weeks in between grocery runs in April, as opposed to my usual 2-3 times a week. Certain items are getting harder to come by, including many meat items, so I decided to use up venison I have in the freezer from last year’s hunting season. We have plenty! That along with some root vegetables from a local farm stand inspired this dinner. I don’t ever follow recipes exactly and I often just make them up as I go. This is my Winging-it Venison Stew recipe! Made up on the fly. It’s hearty and comforting – perfect for those colder rainy spring days in the Catskills.

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs of venison, cut into chunks (I used back straps). You can use beef if you don’t have venison
2 x carrots sliced
2 x parsnips sliced
2 x onions roughly chopped
8 oz button mushrooms
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
1/3 bottle red wine
2 cups water
2 x beef bouillon cubes
salt
pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp oil or vegetable oil
Cornstarch to thicken

Directions

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees C.
• In a dutch oven on the stove, heat up the oil and fry the venison, garlic, salt and pepper (to taste) until browned.
• Add the carrots, parsnips and onions and continue to fry for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce and stir for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the wine, water, bay leaves and beef bouillon cubes, mix and bring to a simmer.
• Put the lid on the dutch oven and transfer to the oven for 3 hours. 
• Check on it each hour as it tends to dry up. Add a cup of water if it looks like it’s needed. 
• The meat will be very tender. Put the dutch oven back on the stove and thicken with a mixture of 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with water to form a paste. VOILA !

Serve with heavily buttered mashed potatoes.

Look out for future venison recipes. I have A LOT of ground to use up!.