Entree: New Zealand – Auckland & North Island – Venison Stew

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 1 hr 45 min

Total 2 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) venison, trimmed and cut into 1–1.5 in (2.5–3.8 cm) cubes
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
- 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
- 2 large onions, chopped, about 12 oz (340 g)
- 3 medium carrots, sliced, about 12 oz (340 g)
- 2 stalks celery, sliced, about 6 oz (170 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 9 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine (New Zealand Pinot Noir or similar)
- 2 cups (480 ml) beef or venison stock
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp / 1 g dried)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp / 0.5 g dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb (450 g) kumara (sweet potato), peeled and cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tomato ketchup or redcurrant jelly (optional, for slight sweetness)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Instructions

1. Toss the venison cubes with the flour, 1 tsp (5 g) salt and 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) black pepper to lightly coat. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, brown the venison on all sides, 3–4 minutes per batch; transfer browned pieces to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the butter. Sauté the onions, carrots and celery until softened and starting to color, about 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and optional ketchup or redcurrant jelly, then deglaze with the red wine, scraping up browned bits; reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Return the venison and any accumulated juices to the pot, add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover partly, and cook gently for 1 hour. Add the kumara, continue to simmer, covered, until venison and kumara are tender, another 30–45 minutes. Remove bay leaves and herb stems, adjust seasoning with the remaining 1 tsp (5 g) salt and 1/4 tsp (0.5 g) pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with steamed greens or crusty bread.