Not sure what to make with the venison in the freezer? This delicious and rich dark chocolate venison stew is a perfect choice. It is packed with flavor, and nutrients, and is ideal for anyone on the paleo diet.
Dark Chocolate Venison Stew
What sets this dish apart is the addition of dark chocolate, adding a depth of flavor that will leave you wanting more. Don't let the thought of cooking venison intimidate you; with just a few simple steps, you can have a mouth-watering stew that's perfect for any occasion.
For a complete meal, serve this dish with some roasted Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or cauliflower rice. And since this stew reheats well, it's perfect for meal prep and leftovers.
Ingredients
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 1 hr 30 minutes
- 2 to 3 tablespoon cooking fat
- ½ lb bacon
- 2 ½ lbs venison
- 2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 small rutabaga
- Fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoon raspberry vinegar
- 3 tablespoon dark chocolate
- Sea salt and pepper
How to Make Dark Chocolate Venison Stew
Start by preparing your vegetables and venison. Then preheat the oven to 350°F.
In an oven-proof pan or Dutch oven, melt half of the cooking fat over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until browned. Remove and set this aside.
In the same pan, melt the remaining cooking fat and add the venison to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.
Then, add in the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, rutabaga, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook this for around 6 to 7 minutes, until the onions are soft.
Add the bacon and venison to the pan and the red wine. Scrap the bottom of the pan to remove any cooked-on bits. Then, add the beef broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then cover and transfer to the oven.
Bake for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours until the meat is tender. Remove the casserole from the oven and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Add the raspberry vinegar, and then stir in the dark chocolate. Once everything is mixed, taste and season if needed before serving.
More Stew Recipes
Stew is a beautiful choice for the paleo diet and includes rich flavors you will enjoy. Want more ideas using this in your menu? Check out the recipes below!
- Quick and Creamy Chicken Stew
- Nicoise Chicken Stew Recipe
- Bison Stew Recipe
- Simple Lamb Stew Recipe
- Creamy Mushroom Stew Recipe
- Hearty Crab Stew Recipe
📖 Recipe
Dark Chocolate Venison Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon cooking fat beef tallow, lard, or bacon grease
- ½ lb bacon chopped
- 2 ½ lbs venison leg or shoulder meat, cut into large cubes
- 2 onions roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 1 small rutabaga peeled and roughly chopped
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 cups beef or venison stock
- 2 teaspoon raspberry vinegar optional
- 3 tablespoon grated dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids or more
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In an oven-proof casserole, heat some cooking fat and fry the bacon until slightly browned (around 5 minutes on medium heat). Set aside the bacon.3 tablespoon cooking fat, ½ lb bacon
- Cut the venison leg or shoulder meat into large cubes. Add more cooking fat to the casserole and brown the venison cubes on all sides. Set aside the browned venison cubes with the bacon.2 ½ lbs venison
- Add more cooking fat to the casserole and sauté the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and rutabaga until soft (approximately 7 minutes).2 onions, 2 garlic cloves, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 1 small rutabaga, A few sprigs of fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves
- Return the bacon and venison cubes to the casserole. Pour in red wine and bring it to a boil, scraping off any browned bits stuck at the bottom.½ cup red wine
- Pour in 2 cups of beef or venison stock. Season with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil again.2 cups beef or venison stock, 2 teaspoon raspberry vinegar, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Cover the casserole and bake in the oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours until the meat becomes tender.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Add raspberry vinegar (optional) and 3 tablespoons of grated dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids or more). Mix well and adjust the seasoning with more sea salt or black pepper according to your taste.3 tablespoon grated dark chocolate
Notes
- This stew is perfect for a tougher cut of venison such as the leg or shoulder, but you can use any cut you have available.
- Check with your local butcher for fresh venison if you do not have a supplier already.
- Add different vegetables to the stew if desired.
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