What’s for Dinner, Deer?

Once upon a time venison was a primary source of protein in the American colonies. In fact it was served at the first Thanksgiving provided by the Wampanoags. In the 17th century in England it was reserved only for the landed gentry. Commoners were not permitted to indulge. When the colonists arrived in the American colonies and saw that the white tail deer were abundant, it became a daily staple. It was commonly boiled, roasted over a spit, or baked into hearty meat pies. Because venison is so lean, it was often cooked in other animal fat such as bear.

Today venison is enjoyed as a steak, roast, in a stew, and even in sausage! Due to laws against selling wild game (with the exception of Vermont), online specialty purveyors may be your best source for fresh or frozen venison sourced from farm-raised deer.
 There are many iterations of stew: a daube, which is a red wine stew with bright Mediterranean notes like olives and orange zest from Provence; a bourguignon, another French red wine stew with more earthy ingredients like mushrooms, bacon, and pearl onions; or a simple stew made with porter beer, which is similar to a stout but smoother and sweeter. This porter recipe is from a wonderful book called Dishing Up Vermont by Tracey Medeiros.

You might consider brining your stew meat to reduce any gamey taste in the lean deer meat, to tenderize it, and also help retain moisture. To do this, heat 1 quart of water with 1 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 8 garlic cloves, 1 bunch fresh thyme, 1 bunch rosemary, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, and optional 2 teaspoons of crushed juniper berries. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add 3 more quarts of cool water and place in fridge to chill completely. Submerge the meat in the cooled brine, weighted down, for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Venison Stew
Serves 4–6

2 lbs. venison stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 cup parsley
3 1/2 tablespoons celery salt
Salt & pepper to taste
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced small
1/4 cup chopped garlic
2 12 oz. bottles of porter beer
3 cups beef stock
1 28 oz. can of plum tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2 peeled and diced parsnips
2 peeled and diced carrots

Mix flour, thyme, celery salt, and salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Pat the venison dry, add to bowl, and toss to coat.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the venison in batches, so as not to crowd, until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, the onions, and garlic to the Dutch oven, stirring constantly until soft and translucent. Add the porter and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking to loosen browned bits, until the liquid thickens.

Reduce the heat to low and add the meat and juices back in. Whisk in the beef stock and add tomatoes, continuing to scrape the bottom. Add the bay leaf and Old Bay and simmer, covered, whisking occasionally for about 1 hour until tender.Add parsnips and carrots, cover, and simmer gently about 30 minutes, until tender. Discard the bay leaf and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with small potatoes, mashed potatoes, or noodles, and of course crusty bread!

Melody Tierney is a former bed and breakfast owner and loves entertaining and cooking with local ingredients.