Venison & Three-Mushroom Stew

The stew cut, browned hard & braised low with shiitake, oyster & lion's mane — over mashed potatoes

Serves 4–6 · 25 min

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2 lb venison stew meat, 1½″ cubes, patted dry
salt · pepper · 3 Tbsp flour · 2–3 Tbsp oil
12 oz mixed shiitake, oyster & lion's mane, torn/sliced
1 onion + 2 shallots, diced · 2 celery stalks · 4 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp tomato paste · ½ cup red wine (optional)
3–4 cups beef stock · 2 bay · thyme
to serve: mashed potatoes · parsley

What you need

2 lb venison stew meat, 1½″ cubes, patted dry

salt · pepper · 3 Tbsp flour · 2–3 Tbsp oil

12 oz mixed shiitake, oyster & lion's mane, torn/sliced

1 onion + 2 shallots, diced · 2 celery stalks · 4 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp tomato paste · ½ cup red wine (optional)

3–4 cups beef stock · 2 bay · thyme

to serve: mashed potatoes · parsley

Brown the venison hard. Salt & pepper the dry cubes, toss in the flour, and sear in batches in the hot oil until deeply browned; set aside. Don't crowd — browning, not steaming, builds the stew's depth.
Brown the mushrooms. In the same pot, sear the mushrooms hard until browned and shrunk, ~6 min; set most aside (add back at the end so they keep texture).
Aromatics & tomato paste. Soften the onion, shallot, celery, and garlic; stir in the tomato paste and cook it dark 2 min. Deglaze with the wine (or stock), scraping the fond.
Braise low & slow. Return the venison, add stock to nearly cover, bay & thyme; cover and simmer very low (or 325°F oven) 2–2½ hr until fork-tender. Add the reserved mushrooms in the last 15 min.
Finish. Taste for salt; if thin, simmer uncovered to reduce. Serve over mashed potatoes with parsley and bread.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Brown the venison hard. Salt & pepper the dry cubes, toss in the flour, and sear in batches in the hot oil until deeply browned; set aside. Don't crowd — browning, not steaming, builds the stew's depth.

2. Brown the mushrooms. In the same pot, sear the mushrooms hard until browned and shrunk, ~6 min; set most aside (add back at the end so they keep texture).

3. Aromatics & tomato paste. Soften the onion, shallot, celery, and garlic; stir in the tomato paste and cook it dark 2 min. Deglaze with the wine (or stock), scraping the fond.

4. Braise low & slow. Return the venison, add stock to nearly cover, bay & thyme; cover and simmer very low (or 325°F oven) 2–2½ hr until fork-tender. Add the reserved mushrooms in the last 15 min.

5. Finish. Taste for salt; if thin, simmer uncovered to reduce. Serve over mashed potatoes with parsley and bread.

No alcohol? swap the wine or beer for the same amount of stock, with a splash of vinegar or lemon for the brightness. Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.