Instant Pot Venison Stew

Name: Instant Pot Venison Stew Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 pound venison, cubed (with all sinew removed); 1 onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (diced); 4 cups beef broth; 5-6 potatoes, diced (about 4 cups); 5-6 carrots, diced (about 2 cups); 1 buttercup squash, diced; ½ tsp paprika; 1 tsp sea salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 2 tsp Italiano seasoning; ½ tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 tbsp cornstarch (optional); 2 tbsp cold water (optional)

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In this Instant Pot Venison Stew Recipe, we're using venison and veggies to create a one-dish meal that is hearty and rich in flavor. We added buttercup squash with the traditional carrots and potatoes to give this dish an extra flavor boost. Prep time is only 15 minutes, and the Instant Pot does all the work! This hearty meal is the perfect comfort food to make on a cold day. So give your taste buds a treat and try this recipe today!

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Instant pot venison stew in a white bowl with bread on the side

We were fortunate to have a very successful hunting season this year, and our freezers are bursting. As a result, venison is on our menu at least four days a week, and we can never go wrong with this easy instant pot stew recipe.

This venison stew goes so well with my homemade air buns on the side or homemade focaccia bread. This wild game stew is a great meal the whole family will enjoy.

For more venison recipes, be sure to check out Venison Meatballs With Sweet and Sour Sauce and Smoked Venison Roast. Also, check out Ground Venison Recipes - 19 Easy Recipes (an excellent roundup of great recipes that contain instant pot venison chili, venison crockpot stew, and other venison instant pot recipes).

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Recipe Features
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
How to cook venison stew in an instant pot
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top tips
Recipe FAQs
What to serve with instant pot venison stew?
More instant pot recipes
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Food safety
💬 Comments

Recipe Features

EASY: This is an easy, delicious recipe that can be made in under 1 hour. The Instant Pot does all the work!
VERSATILE: You can use different types of meat to get the same great result. Try using deer, elk, moose, even beef! Change up the vegetables to include whatever you have in your fridge!
COOKS FAST: Pressure cooking helps the venison to cook quicker so it doesn't take up much time from you to prepare this meal. The cooking time is only 35 minutes!
TENDER VENISON: The pressure cooker is the key to creating tender venison in this stew. Not only does it cook the meat quickly, but it also creates a nice sauce for the stew. It's just as tender as if you used the slow cooker.
GREAT FLAVOR: This recipe uses beef broth as a base for flavor and is loaded with vegetables and venison - which provides lean protein and an awesome flavor profile.
MAKE AHEAD: This venison stew is great for make ahead and freezer meals.
GLUTEN-FREE: This venison stew - instant pot, is naturally gluten free!

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Venison stew meat (or other game meat), cut into bite-sized pieces. For best results, cut about ½-inch to 1-inch cubes. The recipe calls for about 1-pound of stew meat.
Olive oil: Olive oil is required to prevent the venison from sticking to the bottom of the pressure cooker while sauteing. You could also substitute avocado oil as well.
Beef broth (or water). Beef broth provides the best flavor for this recipe. You can also use vegetable broth or chicken broth as well.
Potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks. I used red potatoes, but feel free to use any potato, even sweet potatoes!
Onions, peeled and chopped. I used a red onion, but you could also use a yellow onion or sweet onion.
Carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks. I used our own home-grown garden carrots, feel free to use the type of carrots you have on hand.
Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped. If you do not have garlic cloves, substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Buttercup squash, cut into 1-inch chunks. I used buttercup squash as that is the kind I grew in the garden this year (my favorite), but you could also use butternut squash or acorn squash. If you like buttercup squash, be sure to try Roasted Buttercup Squash Soup.
Paprika. This adds a nice sweet peppery flavor to the stew. You could also use smoked paprika if you have it.
Sea salt. I used sea salt for the best flavor, but you could use regular table salt instead.
Black pepper. Black pepper adds depth and some spice to the stew. Feel free to use course ground black pepper as well for a more vibrant and flavorful stew.
Italiano seasoning. This seasoning consists of dehydrated onion, carrot, red bell pepper, garlic, green bell pepper, among other seasonings. It is one of my favorite seasonings to cook with! It adds a savory element to the stew.
Red wine vinegar. The red wine vinegar has acidic components that help tenderize the meat while it cooks. It also brings out all the flavors of the stew. If you do not have red wine vinegar, you can substitute white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or red wine.
Worcestershire sauce. Worcestershire is perfect for tenderizing meat, as well as adding deep flavor to the stew.

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to cook venison stew in an instant pot

If you are looking for an easy and quick recipe, this venison stew is perfect for you. Using the pressure cooker will ensure that the meat is tender enough to eat without breaking your jaw. In addition, the ingredients are simple and basic, which means that they are easily accessible, cheap, and healthy.

First, add the olive oil to the instant pot and turn on the saute function for 10 minutes. When the oil starts to sizzle, add the meat. After 5 minutes, add chopped onions and garlic and cook with the meat. Stirring often, saute until the cycle ends or until the meat is brown on all sides.

Cubed venison meat browning in the instant pot on the saute function with onions and garlic

Add the beef broth to the instant pot and use a spoon to scrape any brown bits on the bottom of the pressure cooker. Next, add potatoes, carrots, squash, paprika, sea salt, pepper, Italiano seasoning, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Give it a final stir to mix all the ingredients well.

All of the ingredients added into the pressure cooker and ready to be cooked

Secure the lid and set it to "sealing" or the "stew" setting. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.

Remove the lid and give the venison stew a good stir. If you want your stew to be thicker, mix two tablespoons of cornstarch and two tablespoons of cold water and pour it immediately into the stew. Stir until thickened.

Venison stew in the instant pot after the pressure was naturally released then quick released, ready to eat.

Pour into serving bowls and enjoy!

Variations

This recipe is an excellent alternative to beef stew (which usually contains diced tomatoes and tomato paste). Still, you can modify the ingredients for specific tastes by adding different vegetables, herbs, or spices. For this recipe, I recommend adding carrots and onions to achieve the best flavor possible.

Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish
Deluxe - add celery, fresh mushrooms or dried mushrooms.
Kid friendly - add crushed tortilla chips on top

Equipment

I used an 8-quart Instant Pot that I have had for a few years now, and I LOVE it! I also have an 8-quart Instant Pot that is stainless steel which I also love!

Storage

Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely. Place cooled venison stew in a refrigerator container or freezer-friendly bag, with all air removed.

FRIDGE: Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

FREEZER: Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, remove from the freezer and thaw overnight before reheating on stovetop or microwave until hot throughout.

Top tips

Use leftover meat. Making venison stew in the instant pot is an easy and versatile way to cook. It is also a great way to use up leftover venison or other game meat. Leftover meat cooked in the instant pot is extra tender, and virtually falls apart with your fork. If using leftover cooked meat, skip the saute step.
Sear the meat first. This provides a much more flavorful stew, trust me! However, do not overcook the meat in this step.
Natural release the pressure for best results. When you have a lot of boiling liquid, you risk the danger of getting burnt by the hot steam. The natural release also helps to ensure the meat is tender.
If you like your stew thicker, as soon as the pressure is released and it is safe to open the lid of the pressure cooker, mix together 2 tbsp. cornstarch with 2 tbsp. water and add it immediately to the stew. Give it a stir until thickened. I find that the potatoes break up and act as a thickener to the stew. But feel free to make it as thick as you like. 🙂

Recipe FAQs

What is venison?

Venison is the term to describe the meat of a deer (whitetail or mule deer), antelope, moose, or elk. Venison is an alternative to beef, pork, or lamb. It is also great meat to cook because it's low in fat and calories, high in protein, and extremely lean. However, as it's leaner than other meats, it can be dry and tough if cooked incorrectly.

What does venison taste like?

Venison meat tastes very similar to beef, but it has a much lower fat content and is drier than beef. If the animal has been eating a lot of sage, the meat may have a flavor of sage to it. Where we live, the deer graze on grass, clover, and timothy hay, so the venison has a very mild taste to it.

Is venison good for you?

Yes! Venison is high in protein and low in fat. Venison contains 50% less fat than beef, making it a healthier red meat alternative. In addition, deer or elk meat has less cholesterol than chicken and less saturated fat than salmon. Plus, it's also high in nutrients like B vitamins, iron, and phosphorus.

What is the best cut of meat for venison stew?

The shoulder is full of great meat for stew recipes, as well as the rump and hindquarters; all of these cuts will make excellent stew meat. For extremely tender venison, use backstrap in this stew.

A closeup of venison stew in a white bowl

What to serve with instant pot venison stew?

Smoked Corn on the Cob
Air Buns
Garden salad
Focaccia bread
Garlic bread

More instant pot recipes

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