Venison Stew Recipe
Campfire venison stew with couscous and wild garlick
VENISON STEW
6 – 8 People
Ingredients
1 lb(ish). venison, diced
1 good glug of olive or veg oil
4 medium potatoes diced, skin on.
3 or 4 large diced carrots, skin on.
3 sticks celery, chopped.
1 large onion, diced
Button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced/chopped
2 tsp. herbs de Provence
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1 can chopped tomatoes
Good squirt of tomato puree
1 litre(ish) stock (veg or meat), dont put too much liquid in, you can always add more*
3–4 dashes Hendersons Relish*
I have out two methods of preparing the stew, the first based on doing it at home, the second for around the campfire. There isn’t much difference in flavour so I typically just go for the second.
Method One
Dice the venison into chunks, being sure to remove as much of the silvery sinew tissue as possible (Leaving this on makes the meat tough).
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, allow the venison to brown for 5-7 minutes or until brown all over. Remove the venison from the pot and set aside.
Raise the pot to get the heat down to medium and add the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Allow the vegetables to saute for about 8-10 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
Add the garlic, herbs de Provence, salt and pepper and cook for an additional minute before adding the tomatoes, stock* and Hendersons Relish*. Then, add the venison back to the pot along with the button mushrooms. Stir well and bring the stew to a boil.
Once a boil is reached, raise the pot to heat lower, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the stew to simmer for 1 hour or until the venison is tender.
Serve hot with bread or couscous.
Method 2
Dice the venison into chunks, being sure to remove as much of the silvery sinew tissue as possible (Leaving this on makes the meat tough).
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over a medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, allow the venison to brown for 5-7 minutes or until brown all over.
Chuck all the rest of the ingredients in including the stock and bring to the boil.
Once a boil is reached, raise the pot to heat lower, cover the pot with a lid, and allow the stew to simmer for 1 hour or until the venison is tender.
Serve hot with bread or couscous.
NOTES
You will notice the * by stock and Hendersons Relish and the stock. The main reason for this is that Hendersons Relish is a vegetarian version of Worcester Sauce. Why a vegetarian version when you have meat in?
Well, many vegetarians / vegans have chosen their life style due to intensive farming practices and animal welfare. The venison we use is a wild animal that has led a healthy natural life and when it comes to being dispatched it is typical done with one shot, which is swift, so the animal doesn’t know its been killed so no stress for it.
The reasons we use venison is because they have no natural predators in the wild and, with introduced species as well, are thriving and expanding their range and so need to be controlled to reduce damage to young and older trees.
Many vegetarians understand this and will participate if they are aware of where the meat has come from.