A rich and hearty stew of tender venison, mushrooms, and pearl onions, served in a deep bowl with a slice of crusty bread.

Venison Bourguignon

Name: Venison Bourguignon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: venison, cubed, 2 lbs cut into 2-inch cubes; red wine, 2 cups; onion, 1 chopped; garlic, 3 cloves minced; mushrooms, 2 cups sliced; pearl onion, 16 peeled; carrot, 2 sliced; tomato paste, 2 tbsp; beef broth, 2 cups; fresh thyme, 4 sprigs; bay leaf, 2; salt, to taste; pepper, to taste; olive oil, 2 tbsp

Category Main Course

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 150 minutes

Style French

Technique Braising

Diet Friendly Gluten-Free

Daily Recipe: April 18, 2023

This recipe is a modern twist on a classic French dish, Beef Bourguignon. Instead of beef, we will be using venison. The key ingredients in this recipe are venison, red wine, and mushrooms, all of which are in season during spring. This dish is perfect for a chilly spring evening in New York City.

Ingredients (for 4)

Venison, cubed - 2 lbs - cut into 2-inch cubes
Red wine - 2 cups
Onion - 1 - chopped
Garlic - 3 cloves - minced
Mushrooms - 2 cups - sliced
Pearl onion - 16 - peeled
Carrot - 2 - sliced
Tomato paste - 2 tbsp
Beef broth - 2 cups
Fresh thyme - 4 sprigs
Bay leaf - 2
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Olive oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation

Step 1 - 🌡️🔥👇

Preheat the oven to 325°F
Step 2 - 🔥🍳🕳️

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat
Step 3 - 🧂🌶️🥩

Season the venison with salt and pepper
Step 4 - 🥩🔥🌅

Brown the venison in batches until nicely browned on all sides. Set aside
Step 5 - 🥘🍳👁️

Lower the heat to medium, and sauté the onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute
Step 6 - 🥫🍷🍲

Add tomato paste, wine and beef broth, and stir until smooth. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper
Step 7 - 👨‍🍳🍲🔥

Add the venison and any accumulated juices back to the Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven
Step 8 - ⏰👨‍🍳🥩

Cook for 2 hours or until the venison is tender and falls apart easily when forked
Step 9 - ➕🥕🧅

In the last 30 minutes of cooking time, add the mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions, cover and continue cooking
Step 10 - 👋🍲❌

Remove from oven, skim off any fat on the surface
Step 11 - 🍽️🔥🥖

Serve hot with a slice of crusty bread

Additional

If you can't find venison, lamb or beef can be used as a substitute. This recipe can be made a day ahead and reheated. The flavors will meld together even more.