Beef Stew

A lot of people don't like the taste of venison, or deer meat. Most likely they have had bad experiences with either the quality of the meat or the way it tastes. It is a difficult meat to figure out, to get that gamey taste out of it. A few of the things that can be done to avoid a gamey taste include: 1) age of the deer as young deer meat is better tasting, 2) what the deer ate, 3) the hunter should have a quick clean kill as stress can give it a strong taste, 4) bleed the deer quickly and rinse with cold water.

But if you're not a hunter, you can't really control how the deer and its meat are handled and processed before it gets to you. So, pre-delivery to your doorstep notwithstanding, the factors you can control are how long it is cooked and what seasonings you put in into it. Slow cooking of the meat in a slow cooker such as a crock pot will make it tender, and the use of strong seasonings like garlic will remove the gamey taste. With the recipe below, your venison stew will be mistaken for beef stew!

Beef Stew

Venison Stew ingredients

* 2 lbs venison

* 3 tbsp flour

* 1 - 2 tbsp oil

* 2 heaping tsp of chopped garlic

* 4 packets of Truvia sweetener

* 1 to 2 tsp powder mustard

* 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

* 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

* 3 stalks of celery, chopped

* 1 cup onion, chopped

* 2 - 3 carrot sticks

* 8 - 10 small potatoes

* salt and pepper

Preparation of the meat

Cut the meat in 1 - 2 inch cubes. Season the venison with salt and pepper and roll the cubes in flour. Brown the meat slightly in 1 - 2 tbsp oil in a hot pan or skillet.

Put the meat in the Crock Pot and add all the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for about 10 hours or cook on high for about 4 hours, until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. To test for tenderness, stick a fork and twist. If the meat twists easily, it's done. If not, continue cooking until the meat is absolutely tender.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

This is an easy recipe for stew that can be modified as a traditional beef stew (use 2 - 4 lbs of roast meat instead), or even buffalo meat. Share this meal on a cold winter day or on a special occasion such as Thanksgiving, a Christmas tree trimming party or even Christmas Eve and you'll have a wonderful winter stew, the ultimate comfort food.

Slow Cooked Venison Stew - Reduced Sugar

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