Classic French Venison Stew

By
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin
Rebecca Franklin is a lifestyle writer and recipe developer. Her expertise is in French cuisine, which she writes about and teaches.
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Updated on 12/5/23
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
A Classic French Venison Stew in bowls and a pot

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 80 mins
Marinade: 8 hrs
Total: 9 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

When the weather turns, and winter starts to bring colder temperatures, it’s time to think about hearty, comforting meals. A classic French venison stew, which also happens to be quick to make, fits the bill perfectly. Not only is this dish easy to make, but venison is low in fat.

What's the Best Way to Cook Venison?

While the prep and active cooking for this recipe is quick, venison works much better in recipes where it is marinated and cooked slowly, which helps it develop flavor and prevents it from drying out. With that in mind, this recipe calls for marinating the meat for eight hours or overnight, and the stew is cooked for forty-five minutes to an hour. But that time investment is definitely worth it.

Red wine is the classic choice for marinating the meat, as it imparts tastes that work so well with venison. Here, the red wine is combined with beef stock and a medley of dried herbs, including parsley, thyme, and rosemary. This helps add a ton of flavor and creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture while the stew simmers on the stovetop, filling your home with a delicious aroma.

This hearty stew is particularly good when served with a bright green salad, along with some crusty bread or mashed potatoes.

Tips for Making the Best Venison Stew

  • Use a slurry: For a thicker stew, make a slurry just before the stew is ready. Combine 1 tablespoon of flour or cornstarch with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to the simmering stew, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until thickened.
  • Choose your meat with care: Wild venison, when available, is strong in flavor, so if you are not a fan of game or gamey flavors, look for farmed venison from an ethical source.
  • Grab your strainer: If you find it hard to separate the meat and veggies from the marinade, start by scooping the meat from the baking dish—or use tongs. Next, pour the marinade and veggies through a strainer and reserve both.
  • Finish with fresh herbs: The mix of dried herbs used to marinate the meat, helps build the stew’s flavor base, but if you also sprinkle fresh herbs on at the end, your stew will have a more vibrant herbal flavor and lovely pops of green color. You don’t have to use every herb; a little fresh green parsley will do the trick.


"The venison stew was flavorful and made a tasty meal with crusty French bread. I fished the meat out of the marinade then drained the liquid into a bowl before sautéing the vegetables. My bacon didn't produce a lot of fat so I had to add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil when browning the venison." —Diana Rattray

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds venison, cubed

  • 1 cup coarsely chopped yellow or white onions

  • 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped celery

  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary

  • 1 cup dry red wine

  • 3/4 cup beef stock

  • 5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • Vegetable oil, if needed, optional

  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste

  • 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Classic French Venison Stew ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Put 2 pounds cubed venison on one side of a large baking dish. Put 1 cup coarsely chopped yellow or white onion, 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices, and 1/4 cup finely chopped celery on the opposite side. Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, followed by 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary evenly over the meat and vegetables.

    Venison, onions, carrots, and celery with seasoning in a baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Combine 1 cup dry red wine and 3/4 cup beef stock. Pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or up to overnight.

    Beef stock and red wine added to the meat and vegetables in the baking dish

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Remove the meat and vegetables from the marinade to separate bowls. Reserve the marinade for use later in this recipe.

    Vegetables and marinade in separate bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot, add 5 slices bacon, coarsely chopped, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it crisps.

    Bacon in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

    Cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Pat the venison dry with paper towels. Toss the meat chunks with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Working in batches if needed, brown the meat in the bacon grease over medium-high heat until golden. Replenish the pan with vegetable oil if needed.

    Venison chunks with flour in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Return all the meat to the pot. Add 1 teaspoon tomato paste and cook, stirring continually, until the meat and paste are combined, about 1 minute.

    Meat chunks and tomato paste in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Add 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms, along with the marinated vegetables, crisped bacon, and the reserved marinade, to the pot.

    Meat, vegetables and marinade in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Cook the mixture, covered, over low heat until the meat and vegetables are tender, and the sauce has thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm.

    Classic French Venison Stew in a bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

Recipe Variations

  • Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic to the marinade for a more flavor-packed stew. 
  • During the last few minutes of cooking, toss in 1 cup of frozen peas to make your stew more vegetable-forward. 


How to Store

  • Refrigerate leftover venison stew within 2 hours in a covered container for up to 4 days.
  • To freeze, transfer leftover stew to an airtight freezer container, leaving about 1/2 inch of headspace to allow for expansion. Label with the name and date and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
357 Calories
7g Fat
12g Carbs
51g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 357
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 129mg 43%
Sodium 383mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 9%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 51g
Vitamin C 5mg 26%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 8mg 43%
Potassium 1048mg 22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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