Rustic Cabin-Style Venison Stew with Root Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-25 · Updated 2026-06-25

A hearty venison stew with earthy root vegetables and herbs, slow-simmered to tender perfection – perfect for a cozy mountain cabin meal. This american-inspired beef ready in about 160 minutes pairs venison stew meat, cubed, large yellow onion, chopped, celery stalks, chopped for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs venison stew meat, cubed
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, toss 2 lbs cubed venison with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.
2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the venison in batches and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes per batch, then remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Reduce heat to medium, add 1 large chopped yellow onion, 2 chopped celery stalks, and 4 minced garlic cloves to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in 1 cup red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom, and simmer for 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
5. Step 5: Return the browned venison to the pot along with 4 cups beef broth, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours.
6. Step 6: Add 3 peeled and cut carrots and 2 peeled and cut parsnips. Continue simmering uncovered for another 45 minutes until the meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
7. Step 7: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.