The 10 Venison Slow Cooker Recipes Made for Setting and Forgetting (2024)

Whether you're a hunter or just a venison enthusiast, there's one thing you can't deny - version is good for you. It's high in protein, low in fat, and filled with lots of iron and other beneficial vitamins. Yes, venison might be better for you than beef but it's also harder to cook, too. It's so lean it tends to dry out very quickly and easily. That's why I love venison slow cooker recipes!'

How To Use Your Slow Cooker

While you can 'technically' make these recipes on the stove top under a watchful eye, we highly recommend adding a slow cooker into your kitchen arsenal. Not only are they great for slow cooking meat and protein, they are also a game-changer when it comes to potlucks and parties, espically if you are in charge of bringing the dip.

Crock Pot 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

The 10 Venison Slow Cooker Recipes Made for Setting and Forgetting (2)

These slow cooker recipes make it super convenient to cook up a delicious venison roast or venison stew in your Crock-Pot. So get to pair your favorite slow cooker venison recipes with red wine and enjoy!

1. Venison Chili

Ground venison is perfect for making an amazingly flavorful venison chili. It's so lean, which means you don't have to worry about draining off the fat after cooking it. And that wild game flavor really pairs well with fire-roasted diced tomatoes and kidney beans. If you're into making a bowl of Texas chili, feel free to omit the beans and double up on more meat. This chili will be ready to eat in four hours of cooking time on high or eight hours on low.

This recipe can also be made in the Instant Pot as well! The cook time is less than if you prepare on the stove and the prep time isn't so bad either!

Get the recipe here from Culinary Hill .

2. Crock-Pot Venison Stew

This is a great way to cook down a savory venison roast so it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. All you need is a can of mushroom soup and a few spices and seasonings. Or, if you're feeling ambitious, you can make your own one-pot cream of mushroom soup before you whip up this venison stew. Either way, you can choose whether you want to cook this stew on low for nine to 11 hours or speed it up on high heat for four to five hours.

Get the recipe for slow cooker venison stew here from The Spruce .

3. Crock-Pot Barbecued Venison Sandwiches

One look at this delicious pulled venison sandwich and I may give up pulled pork for life! You can use any cut of venison you like for this recipe, so long as it's not ground venison. So pull out a few venison steaks or a venison roast and toss them into the slow cooker. They will be shreddable and tender in the total time of 10 hours on the low setting. Then pull out your favorite soft buns, barbecue sauce, and maybe some pickles and jalapenos. Talk about comfort food!

Get the recipe here from Food.com.

4. Beer Braised Venison Roast

I like chopping my venison roasts and steaks up into bite-sized pieces, but I also appreciate the presence of a bit old hunk of meat on the table. This beer braised Crock-Pot venison roast does just that. The beer helps tenderize the meat while accentuating that perfectly gamey flavor with malty backbones. You can choose to use a boneless venison roast for ease, or toss in a bone-in steak. Cook this roast on low for six hours and it'll be perfect for slicing and topping with fresh thyme.

Get the recipe for this slow cooker venison pot roast here from Curious Cuisiniere.

5. Crock-Pot Venison Stroganoff

Are you ready for this amazing pasta recipe? It seriously couldn't be easier than some cubed venison steak in the slow cooker with a package of dry onion soup mix. Add in some cream of mushroom soup and finish it off with sour cream and you'll swear this recipe could be served in a restaurant. Cook up your pasta noodles and get ready to plate it up. This slow cooker favorite is ready on low in only six to eight hours.

Get the recipe here from Legendary Whitetails.

6. Slow Cooked Venison with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

If you closed your eyes and took a bite of this sweet-and-savory venison slow cooker recipe, you might think this was made with a beef roast. That makes this the perfect recipe to serve to those who think they don't like game meat. The apples give everything a perfect level of sweetness and the sweet potatoes really soak up all the flavors from the beef broth. Four hours later on low and you'll have a perfectly tender roast. Sounds pretty nice to me!

Get the recipe here from Scratch Made Wife.

7. Crock-Pot Venison Loin Recipe

If you're wondering what to do with that venison loin or tenderloin, you should definitely make this Crock-Pot venison recipe. Dredging it in flour before cooking it on high for six hours will make a super thick sauce, which makes the perfect gravy for a side of mashed potatoes. And who doesn't love a slice of roast drowning in gravy?

Get this venison roast recipe here from Genius Kitchen.

8. Easy Crock-Pot Venison Korean BBQ

I don't know about you, but I love Korean barbecue. It has such sweet and salty flavors, with just a touch of spice. You don't even to make anything that fancy using this recipe - just a package of Campbell's Korean BBQ Slow Cooker Sauce and five to seven hours on low. Including the spinach and rice noodles for serving, this recipe only uses five pantry-staple ingredients.

Get the recipe here from Julie Golob.

9. Slow Cooker Teriyaki Venison

If you're not into Korean flavors but you like Asian-style venison, our very own slow cooker teriyaki venison recipe is for you. By combining soy sauce with brown sugar, ginger, and apple cider vinegar, the sauce gets the perfect sweet-and-spicy flavors. Serve this up with some of your favorite stir-fried veggies and some rice for a quick and easy weeknight meal. It only takes an hour on high followed by three hours on low for this dish to come together.

Get the recipe here.

10. Classic Slow-Cooked Venison

This recipe is perfect for venison shanks or venison shoulder. Both of these cuts are notorious for being super tough, but slow cooking them allows them to braise up low-and-slow. They should take about eight to 10 hours on the low setting, so this recipe is a great one to set up before you go to work. Cook up some savory red potatoes to serve alongside this fork-tender deer meat dish.

Get the recipe here from Epicurious.

Products featured on Wide Open Eats are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

This post was originally published on January 31, 2018.

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The 10 Venison Slow Cooker Recipes Made for Setting and Forgetting (2024)

FAQs

What cannot be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

How do you cook venison so it's not tough? ›

Here are a few tips and guidelines on how to cook deer meat:
  1. Marinate the meat: To tenderize the meat and add flavor, marinate it in a mixture of acidic ingredients, such as vinegar or citrus juice, and herbs and spices. ...
  2. Cook low and slow: Venison is lean meat, which means it can dry out easily i.
Sep 22, 2018

Is it better to cook venison fast or slow? ›

Hot and Fast

If the meat in question is one of the tender cuts found on a deer's loin (T-Bone, Club, Rib-Eye, Sirloin, or porterhouse steaks) or upper rump (rump roast), your job couldn't be simpler: Cook venison at high heat– the quicker the better. “Cook it no more than medium rare,” Goff says.

Why is venison hard to cook? ›

Actually, because of how lean the meat is, it's actually PREFERRED to eat deer meat medium rare. There's really very little fat in venison, so it's a pretty tricky meat to cook quickly. Most wild game cooks recommend medium-rare because if too much moisture is cooked out of the meat, it'll become tough and chewy.

What's the difference between slow cooker and crockpot? ›

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

What happens if you don't brown meat before a slow cooker? ›

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

What is the best seasoning for venison? ›

Ideal flavours for venison
  • Fruits: quince, cherries, prunes, blackberries, apples.
  • Herbs: thyme, rosemary, bay, sage.
  • Spices: star anise, allspice, black pepper, cloves, juniper.
  • Alcohol: red wine (e.g. Grenache, Zinfandel), cider, ale. Other: chestnuts, celeriac, red cabbage, chocolate, mushroom.
Mar 7, 2016

What does vinegar do to venison? ›

Marinades tenderize (soften muscle fibers) and enhance the flavor of venison. Marinades can add fat and calories to this lean cut of meat. Always be marinate meats in the refrigerator. Always include a high-acid liquid like lemon or tomato juice, vinegar or wine to soften the muscle fibers.

What to soak deer meat in before cooking? ›

Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.

Why is my slow cooked venison tough? ›

Why does my venison always come out tough? If you find that your roasts always come out sort of rubbery, dry or hard, it's likely because you're not cooking long enough and at a low enough temperature. If you're using a slow cooker you want to cook your meat on low for 8-9 hours, or until falling-apart tender.

What is the best method in cooking venison? ›

Cooking your farm-raised venison
Venison cutSuggested method
Steaks and medallionsPan-fry, bbq
Stir-fryHot pan or wok
RoastsSear, then oven roast at moderate temperature
Diced venisonSear, then gently casserole at low temperature
1 more row

How to season deer meat? ›

You can simply pat the venison dry and season with salt and pepper before cooking, or you can marinate the cut of meat for a few hours or overnight. Personally, when it comes to venison steak and venison backstrap, I like to use a simple marinade to enhance the flavor of the venison without overpowering it.

How do you make deer meat super tender? ›

Aging the Deer Meat. Many people forget what may be the most important step in creating succulent, tender deer meat: aging. Aging the deer helps develop the final tender texture of venison. If you are using a processor, this step will be done for you.

Why don't we eat venison? ›

Eating venison fresh isn't recommended because of how common parasites and tapeworms are. Even in homemade jerky and fermented sausages, E. coli can stay in the deer's intestinal tract. You should steam, roast, or boil venison to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before drying.

What is the best tenderizer for venison? ›

For steaks, chops, and other thinner cuts, mechanical tenderizers are generally the best option. This includes crank or push-style cubers that use fine blades to sever the muscles into smaller lengths.

Can you just throw everything into a slow cooker? ›

Make everything from stews, curries and even desserts in an easy to use slow cooker. Just simply add your ingredients and let the machine do the work- perfect for busy weeknights and family dinners.

Is it safe to put raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Research conducted by USDA FSIS indicates it's safe to cook large cuts of meat and poultry in a slow cooker. Follow the manufacturer's recipes and safety guidelines. Start clean. Start with clean hands, utensils surfaces and a clean cooker.

Can you put raw hamburger in a slow cooker? ›

Absolutely, which is why you should always adjust times and amounts as needed. Smaller amounts of slow cooker hamburger only need a few hours before they are done.

Can you throw raw meat in a slow cooker? ›

Yes, you can totally cook raw beef in a slow cooker. Many slow-cooker chili recipes have a step for browning the beef before it goes into the Crock-Pot. While this step isn't necessary, caramelizing the meat creates richer, bolder flavors.

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