Easy Instant Pot Venison Roast Recipe

With two avid hunters in my house, I have two freezers full of wild game meat. We have deer, elk, and moose meat.

Because venison is very lean, it dries out quickly when cooked and can be tough to chew. I used to always slow cook it in the crock pot, but I find that cooking venison roast in a pressure cooker makes the meat incredibly moist and tender. Even a tough deer neck roast!

If you like this recipe, check out my Instant Pot Venison Stew and 31 Ground Venison Recipes.

Instant Pot Venison Roast

The best thing about cooking venison in the instant pot is that it breaks down the tough connective tissue in the wild meat until it's nice and tender. And there's no need to worry about overcooking; the longer it cooks, the more tender it will be!

The deer meat is so tender it falls apart easily with a fork. I sometimes shred the pressure-cooked roast, add sliced peppers, and serve it in a wrap.

You'll Also Love: Smoked Venison Roast and Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstraps.

Ingredients

• Venison roast. I used a 2 to 3-pound roast, but you can use a larger roast or a smaller roast.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Beef broth.
• Worcestershire sauce.
• Potatoes and Carrots. Cut into 1-inch chunks.

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make Instant Pot Venison Roast

Sear: Add olive oil to the pressure cooker. Turn the Instant Pot to the 'Saute' setting for 10 minutes and brown the roast on all sides. Don't skip this step, it adds great flavor and helps the juices stay in the meat.

Season: Once the roast is browned on all sides, add sliced onions, minced garlic, and beef broth to the instant pot. Deglaze the pot with the beef broth by scraping off any bits that might be stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle paprika, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt, and pepper on the roast.

Pressure cook: Place the lid on the instant pot. Close the valve and set the cooking time for 60 minutes on the "Meat/Stew" or high-pressure setting.

Add the vegetables: After the timer is up, let the pressure cooker naturally release. When the pin drops, remove the lid and add diced potatoes and carrots around the roast. Use a spoon to push the vegetables down the best you can underneath the beef broth. Place the lid back on the instant pot and close the valve. Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes. After the 12 minutes are up, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release the rest of the pressure.

Make the gravy and serve: Remove the lid and transfer the tender roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Turn on the sauté function to make the gravy. Make a slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water. Whisk constantly as you pour the cornstarch slurry in. Stir until it thickens.

Serve gravy over deer roast and vegetables and enjoy!

Substitutions

• Venison roast. You can use any game meat. I have used this recipe to make elk, moose, and deer roasts - even beef roasts!
• Onion. Use a yellow onion or sweet onion instead of a red onion.
• Garlic. Substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
• Beef broth. Use chicken or vegetable broth instead.
• Worcestershire sauce. Substitute with red wine or balsamic vinegar.
• Potatoes. Use any type of potato, even sweet potatoes.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Freezer: Wrap the pressure-cooked roast in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the venison without the vegetables as they may get mushy if frozen.

Reheating: Thaw overnight before reheating on the stovetop or microwave until hot throughout.