Slow Cooker Venison Stew (with Red Wine)

Bowl of venison stew next to a glass of red wine and piece of crusty bread.

5 from 4 votes

Slow Cooker Venison Stew (with Red Wine)

This Slow Cooker Venison Stew is rich, hearty and full of comforting flavor. Tender chunks of venison are slow cooked with red wine, balsamic vinegar, potatoes and carrots until melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The stew thickens as it cooks into a velvety gravy that's perfect for soaking up with crusty bread. It's the ultimate cozy dinner for cold nights - easy to prepare and guaranteed to impress!

Prep Time30

Cook Time6

Total Time6 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 494kcal

Author: Rachel Kochlin

Equipment

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 pounds venison roast cut into 1-2" chunks
1 yellow onion diced
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups dry red wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef stock or broth (or venison stock)
1 cup water
½ teaspoon ground thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt plus more to season venison
½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to season venison
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 bay leaves
1 pound potatoes cut into 1-2" chunks (about 3 potatoes)
1 pound large carrots cut into 1-2" chunks (about 3 carrots)
1 ½ cups frozen peas

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add half the venison and season with salt and pepper. Sear until nicely browned, then flip and sear the other side. This will take about 5 minutes, then remove to a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining venison.
To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and diced onion. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Mix in the garlic and tomato paste, then cook for another minute. Add back in the venison with its juices, then sprinkle with flour and mix together. Let cook for a minute.
Deglaze the skillet by slowly pouring in the red wine while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot - this is where the flavor is at!
Transfer the stew from the skillet to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients except for the peas. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender.
Mix in the peas and remove the bay leaves. Enjoy with my Easy No-Knead Crusty Bread!

Notes

For a stove-top or oven version, head over to my Hearty Venison Stew recipe!

Ingredient notes:

Red wine. You'll want to use a dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Malbec. For a lighter flavor, try using pinot noir. Red blends work great, too! Just stick with a dry red blend and avoid anything labeled "sweet" or "dessert."
Non-alcoholic option: To make the stew without red wine, you have a couple options. Replace the wine with more beef broth and an extra 1-2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar or try 1 cup of beef broth + 1 cup of cranberry or pomegranate juice.
Flour. For a gluten-free version, you can omit the flour and thicken the stew with arrowroot powder or cornstarch when it's finished cooking. Mix together ¼ cup water or stock with ¼ cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch to create a slurry, then mix into the stew. Turn the heat to high and let simmer until thickened. If needed, you can add more or if it becomes too thick, you can thin it out with more stock.
Potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes have a creamy texture and delicate skin that makes them perfect for stew, but you can substitute with russet potatoes, or even sweet potatoes, if that's what you have on hand!

Make ahead:

Option 1: Follow the instructions in the recipe card through step 3, then transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker. Let cool, then cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you're ready to cook the stew, add the remaining ingredients - holding off on the peas until the stew has finished cooking.
Option 2: Follow all instructions in the recipe card to fully cook the stew. Let cool, then cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Before serving, reheat the stew in the slow cooker over high or low heat, stirring frequently, until warm.

Storing and reheating:

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat, stirring frequently, or in the microwave until it's heated to your liking.

Nutrition