Forage for dinner along with your hunting spoils in this venison nettle soup. Comforting on cool spring nights!
We love foraging. There's just something about being able to hop out in nature and grab what ya need! You can often find me wandering the garden and yard to make an impromptu jar of tea. Marius especially loves mushroom gathering, and we can make a delicious Chanterelle Chicken Soup.
Once the lettuce starts sprouting, my kitchen garden gets a workout. We can dash out and cut some fresh leaves for dinner in this (literal) Garden Salad and then the lettuce keeps growing! Lobster mushrooms are a delicacy and you don't want to miss Lobster Mushroom Pasta.
Key Ingredients
Venison - I like "stew meat" here, or really any bits that didn't "make the cut" at butchering time.
Potatoes - A combo of sweet and whatever you have in the root cellar.
Nettle - Yup, stinging nettle. Read on as to why we love using it!
Broth - Grab a jar and add it, then top off your pot with a jar of water.
How to Make Stinging Nettle Soup
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Brown venison, onion, and garlic until nice and softened.
Step 2: Dice up potatoes and add them in.
Step 3: Stir in broth and water and get simmering until potatoes are tender.
Step 4: Remove from heat and stir in nettles to wilt.
FAQs
For our family, it is. Always be aware of the potential medicinal properties of any plant you wish to consume - as well as how it was grown. Stick to known areas that aren't using pesticides. If you aren't familiar with plants and foraging them to consume, make sure and consult someone who is. Nettle isn't necessarily something you'd want to have while pregnant, for example.
The tiny hairs on the stems are mainly what will "jab" you and cause the stinging or burning. By placing them in our hot soup we are essentially burning them off and killing them! And adding the nettle at the end ensures we aren't overcooking it and losing any benefits. Checking your local extension office will often give you the education you need for preparing wild plants!
Feel free to sub in beef stew meat if that's what ya got. We are often lucky enough to have our own deer in the freezer so mainly stick with wild game. But any sort of "red meat" will work in this soup. You can also use beef broth if you're out of chicken, or feel that beef broth will pair better with your meat. You can also use more broth if you want the nutrition boost, but I prefer to add water to this one to stretch my broth as well as have a lighter flavour.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
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Venison Nettle Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 large white or sweet onion
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ pounds venison cut in 1-inch cubes
- 3 russet potatoes
- 1 sweet potato
- Salt to taste
- 32 oz chicken broth or beef
- 32 oz water
- 1 strainer full of nettles
Instructions
- Cut up venison if not already cut. Rough chop your onion and mince or grate the garlic. Peel sweet potato; dice all potatoes.
- Melt butter in a dutch oven and add onion. Once just about done turning translucent, stir in garlic to coat. Add pinch of salt.
- Add the venison to the pot and allow to brown on all sides.
- Add potatoes and saute a few minutes.
- Add broth and water to the pot.
- Stir well, and add a bit more salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer with lid on for at least 45 minutes to an hour.
- When soup is nearly done, take lid off and turn off stove. Add nettles and stir them in thoroughly. You don’t want to overcook your nettles so make sure all the nettles are incorporated in the soup.
Notes
- Don’t worry about the sting! Once nettles are submerged into the hot soup, the sting is neutralized. This is peak nettle flavour!!
- I like to peel my sweet potato but not the regular potatoes.
- Harvest the nettle only a few hours before using for best taste.
- You can use any type of broth you have on hand. I like adding half water just to give the soup a lighter taste.
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