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Duration
3 hours
Serves
4
Chef’s notes
This mustardy venison and wild mushroom stew is hearty and rich, perfect for a cold day after a successful hunt. While you’ll often see this flavor combo with beef, it works even better with venison. The trick that sets it apart? The mushrooms are roasted separately and added at the end, giving them a toasted, earthy flavor and a firm texture—they won’t turn rubbery or mushy after a long simmer.
For a serious umami boost, I like to use a mushroom rub from my cookbook Wild + Whole, but you can easily make your own by grinding dried shiitake or porcini into a coarse powder. It’s an easy way to crank up the flavor and make this stew unforgettable.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. venison stew meat
- Coarse sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp. minced rosemary, divided
- Beef tallow or neutral-flavored oil for cooking (such as avocado)
- 1 tbsp. ground dried mushrooms (shiitake or porcini), optional
- ½ large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1½ cups chopped carrots
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup cognac
- 1½ cups beef or chicken stock
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup whole grain mustard, plus extra for serving
- 8 oz. wild or baby portobello mushrooms
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Also works with
Any tough cut
Special equipment
Dutch Oven
Preparation
- Before cooking, pat the venison dry if it was previously frozen to remove excess moisture that will inhibit browning. Season with salt, black pepper, and half a teaspoon of rosemary.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. Drop in a tablespoon of beef tallow, and once melted, brown the venison in batches, giving the meat room to sear rather than steam. Once browned, season the meat with the mushroom powder and stir until incorporated. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add another teaspoon of fat. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until soft, then add the carrots. Cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are golden. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir in the garlic and remaining rosemary, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the cognac to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the chicken stock, Dijon, and whole grain mustard until smooth. Return the venison and any juices to the pot, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Let simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the venison is very tender.
- While the stew simmers, preheat an oven to 425°F. Tear the mushrooms into even-sized pieces and toss with avocado oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and the edges are crispy. Stir the roasted mushrooms into the stew just before serving.
- Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or even a dollop of whole grain mustard for an acidic kick. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
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Chef’s notes
This mustardy venison and wild mushroom stew is hearty and rich, perfect for a cold day after a successful hunt. While you’ll often see this flavor combo with beef, it works even better with venison. The trick that sets it apart? The mushrooms are roasted separately and added at the end, giving them a toasted, earthy flavor and a firm texture—they won’t turn rubbery or mushy after a long simmer.
For a serious umami boost, I like to use a mushroom rub from my cookbook Wild + Whole, but you can easily make your own by grinding dried shiitake or porcini into a coarse powder. It’s an easy way to crank up the flavor and make this stew unforgettable.
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs. venison stew meat
- Coarse sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp. minced rosemary, divided
- Beef tallow or neutral-flavored oil for cooking (such as avocado)
- 1 tbsp. ground dried mushrooms (shiitake or porcini), optional
- ½ large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1½ cups chopped carrots
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup cognac
- 1½ cups beef or chicken stock
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup whole grain mustard, plus extra for serving
- 8 oz. wild or baby portobello mushrooms
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Also works with
Any tough cut
Special equipment
Dutch Oven
Preparation
- Before cooking, pat the venison dry if it was previously frozen to remove excess moisture that will inhibit browning. Season with salt, black pepper, and half a teaspoon of rosemary.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat. Drop in a tablespoon of beef tallow, and once melted, brown the venison in batches, giving the meat room to sear rather than steam. Once browned, season the meat with the mushroom powder and stir until incorporated. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add another teaspoon of fat. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until soft, then add the carrots. Cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes until the onions are golden. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir in the garlic and remaining rosemary, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the cognac to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the chicken stock, Dijon, and whole grain mustard until smooth. Return the venison and any juices to the pot, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Let simmer for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the venison is very tender.
- While the stew simmers, preheat an oven to 425°F. Tear the mushrooms into even-sized pieces and toss with avocado oil, salt, and pepper on a sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and the edges are crispy. Stir the roasted mushrooms into the stew just before serving.
- Taste and adjust with more salt, pepper, or even a dollop of whole grain mustard for an acidic kick. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
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