Serve up a heart, heartwarming stew that will fill your family up. Instant Pot Venison Stew makes a ton and is perfect for sharing with friends or filling the freezer.
We are all about the wild game here in this house! We are generally able to fill our freezer each winter, yay! So then we need lots of tasty recipes to use up the meat. This venison stew is super hearty and the Instant Pot makes it mostly hands-off! I also provide slow cooker and stovetop instructions in case that works better for you.
Need to feed vegetarians? Pumpkin Squash Stew is a super filling option. We also love to "travel" in our meals and make Miso Chicken Soup when we want a change. But especially with a hearty bowl of stew, you need to serve bread to soak up every last drop. Caramelized Onion Sourdough Loaf is a great way to do that.
Key Ingredients
Stew Meat - I focused on venison here, but any "red meat" will do ya. Whether it's wild game or beef, just grab whatever's in the freezer. This is perfect for your tough cuts that will benefit from a longer cooking time.
Root Veggies - Carrots, potatoes, parsnips. Yum! Anything in your root cellar is great, even if it's at the end of its life and a little squishy. I peel parsnips, but carrots and potatoes just need a good scrub.
Liquid - Stick with beef stock for a strong flavour here, but if you only have veggie or chicken, it works! I do recommend the wine for extra depth, and the alcohol does bake off. If you want to leave it out just use more stock.
How to Make Venison Stew in an Instant Pot
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Sear stew meat in oil on the sauté mode of the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Add the onions until they get some colour.
Step 3: Pressure cook the meat and perform a natural release.
Step 4: Add in the root veggies and cook again.
Step 5: Finally, add in the frozen veg and sauté to heat as needed.
Step 6: Mix up flour and water and stir in to thicken as desired.
FAQs
Quite honestly, I don't recommend skipping this step. I know everyone shakes their head at slow cooker recipes that dirty a pot on the stove first. That's why I go for the Instant Pot because of the sauté mode I'm not even dirtying a second cooking vessel! It really does add extra layers of flavour so I encourage you to do it!
If you want to up your game, double or triple the part where you saute meat, onions, add in spices, wine and broth and let it cook…then when it's done, scoop out a quart (if you triple it, you’ll be scooping out roughly two quarts) worth of the tender meat and amazing broth…cool, label, pop in the freezer to be a quick start on another meal such as my stroganoff, pot pie or another delicious stew.
The leftovers of this stew can easily be used to make a pot pie- simply make the crust in my pot pie recipe, dump the stew into a 9x13 dish, top with the crust, and bake. A great way to make leftovers not feel like leftovers! You can make the pot pie the next day, or you can simply freeze the leftover stew. I love these containers because they hold up well to several uses.
Always do this when you are cooking meat! A natural release is when you let the pot just sit for 15-20 minutes after cooking time ends. This allows the juices to redistribute in the meat, much like resting on the counter when removing from the oven. It also keeps the meat from turning tough. You'll either hear the pin drop in this time, or you'll have just a little spit of pressure left to release. Make sure you leave enough cooking time in your day to be doing this twice.
Photos by Megan Hampton
More Instant Pot Recipes
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Instant Pot Venison Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lbs venison stew meat or moose, elk, bison, beef…any red meat really
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion chopped
- Bacon fat, butter, lard, olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups broth or water
- ½ cup white or red wine or more broth
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic chopped, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 - 2 cups chopped parsnips or beets optional
- 4 cups chopped potatoes no need to peel
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ cup water
Other delicious optional last minute add-ins:
- 1 - 2 oz frozen chopped kale, spinach, or other greens
- 1 - 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 - 2 cups frozen peas
Instructions
- Sprinkle your meat with a good dose of salt and pepper. A little heavier than if you were doing it on something you would eat straight as it's going to help season the whole pot.
Instant Pot
- Heat the Instant Pot on sauté and add your fat and brown the meat in batches, without crowding. Remove as needed to brown the rest.
- Add the onions and sauté until they have some colour.
- Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, broth, wine, and garlic along with the meat and onions. Put the lid on, set to sealing and cook for 30 minutes on high pressure. Let it naturally release for at least 20 minutes before flipping the vent; doing a quick release can make your meat tough/dry.
- After the first time is up, check that your meat is tender. It does not need to be fall apart tender but if it still feels like shoe leather…it should maybe go a bit longer on its own…
- Then add in your celery, carrots, potatoes, and optional parsnips and beets.
- Cook on high pressure for another 15 minutes and another natural release.
- When the time is up, check that your vegetables are fork tender and easily mash if you press a chunk against the side of the pot with a fork.
- If you’d like to add any of the frozen vegetables, do so now. I do it at the end so they maintain their bite and don't become mush.
- We like our gravy thick in our stew, so this next step is optional, but really quite delicious. Omit or use cornstarch to keep it gluten-free.
- Put the flour and water in a canning jar with a lid, shake it up well, then stir it into the stew. Turn to saute and cook until desired thickness and serve.
Slow Cooker
- If you want to brown the meat, do so in batches on the stovetop and also let the onions get some colour. Then add everything to the slow cooker.
- Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, broth/water, wine and garlic along with the meat and onions. Put the lid on and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours.
- After the first time is up, check that your meat is tender. It does not need to be fall apart tender but if it still feels like shoe leather…it should maybe go a bit longer on its own…
- Then add in your celery, carrots, potatoes, and optional parsnips and beets.
- Cook again for 2 hours on high or 3-4 on low.
- When the time is up, check that your vegetables are fork tender and easily mash if you press a chunk against the side of the pot with a fork.
- If you’d like to add any of the frozen vegetables, do so now. I do it at the end so they maintain their bite and don't become mush.
- We like our gravy thick in our stew, so this next step is optional, but really quite delicious. Omit or use cornstarch to keep it gluten-free.
- Shake flour and water in a jar and add to the slow cooker on high. This takes time, so I wouldn't do this if in a time crunch. Cornstarch will work quicker or just enjoy it as a thinner soup.
In the Oven
- Brown the meat in batches in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven on the stove with some oil. Allow the onions to also get some colour.
- Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, broth/water, wine and garlic along with the meat and onions. Bake at 300°F for 2-3 hours.
- After the first time is up, check that your meat is tender. It does not need to be fall apart tender but if it still feels like shoe leather…it should maybe go a bit longer on its own…
- Then add in your celery, carrots, potatoes, and optional parsnips and beets.
- Return to the oven for 60-90 minutes.
- When the time is up, check that your vegetables are fork tender and easily mash if you press a chunk against the side of the pot with a fork.
- If you’d like to add any of the frozen vegetables, do so now. I do it at the end so they maintain their bite and don't become mush.
- We like our gravy thick in our stew, so this next step is optional, but really quite delicious. Omit or use cornstarch to keep it gluten-free.
- Put the flour and water in a canning jar with a lid, shake it up well, then stir it into the stew. Cook over medium heat on the stove (careful with the hot handles!) until desired thickness and serve.
Notes
- Leftovers keep 3-4 days in the fridge, or freeze for quick meals another day!
- I never peel my potatoes, but often the parsnips need it.
- Always remember to add the frozen veggies last so they don't disappear into mush.
Erin Verhelst
I love this recipe! We have a batch of gamey moose steaks that do well in stew. So yummy.
Amanda Desrochers
Highly recommend! I made it with some forgotten in the freezer moose.
Donna Robbins
Made this with deer so so yummy!
Anne Marie Hofer
Love learning more about sourdough from u. Also just a little jealous of ur 2 milk cows
Laurie
This is so tasty and easy to throw together. The family loves it!
Holly
Love this recipe!
Vivian Powell
Getting venison soon...so this will be in my Instapot soon!
clair
This is great for our Highland beef too. I love how various cooking tools are referenced in your recipe - IP, crockpot, and oven braising.... awesome.
Amber
Yes please!!! So delicious and filling. Very tasty.
Wendy
Made this yesterday for lunch today. It was so good. I didn't have any wine so I left it out and it wasn't missed. And I have lots leftover for supper for tomorrow's crazy day.
Kate
This is a fantastic recipe, easy and delicious. Everyone in the family loves it, not often that happens ?
Always make a double.
Brittany
I’ve only ever made this with beef. I’d love to have it with wild game.
mogrma
Made it ...with venison...delicious!
Brittany Wierenga
Made this last night with some venison stew meat, and it was unreal. Cooked it in the instant pot and the meat was fall apart tender, my husband couldnt believe how good it was. Followed the instructions and got a nice thick gravy with it. Husband and picky toddler approved. Using the leftovers to make pot pie tonight!
Casey Brown
Made this tonight with beef and it was delicious! I love that this recipe specifies all the different cooking vessels. So handy!
kateschat
I'm so glad you liked it! I have it going now!
Elizabeth Moore
A new favorite! I didn't have potatoes or parsnips, but added a little extra of the others and it turned out fantastic. I did it in the dutch oven and needed a little extra water for the veggies, but maybe my oven was on the hot end. It's going in the regular rotation for sure.
Jarrett
Added worcestershire sauce at the same time as the final salt and pepper. Very good
Amber
Yummy!!
Amy
This is hands down the best stew recipe I have ever made! It hits the spot every time. Thank you for sharing it!