Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs venison shoulder or neck, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 3 large carrots, sliced into rounds
  • 3 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
  • 8 cups beef bone broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add venison cubes in batches, searing until mahogany colored on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside. Note: Don't crowd the pan or the meat will boil instead of brown.
  2. Lower heat to medium. Add diced onion and celery, stirring until onions are translucent.
  3. Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes until the paste turns a deep brick red. This removes the raw metallic taste of the paste.
  4. Return the seared venison to the pot. Pour in beef bone broth and add thyme and bay leaf.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours until venison is tender and gives way under a fork.
  6. Stir in sliced carrots and cubed potatoes. Continue simmering for 30-40 minutes until root vegetables are fork tender.
  7. Stir in frozen peas during the final 5 minutes of cooking.
  8. Remove the bay leaf before serving.