Last Updated on October 12, 2021 by Anne-Marie

Tired of making the same deer stew crock pot recipe? Then you've got to try this slow cooker venison stew that's cooked with carrots, parsnips, onions, and baby Bella mushrooms and seasoned with juniper berries.

Why make a deer stew crock pot recipe?

This simple venison stew recipe came out of a blogger recipe challenge.

I was partnered with Corina at Searching for Spice and wanted to redo her recipe for Slow Cooked Juniper Beef Stew.

Corina wrote that juniper berries are used in Scandinavia and Central European in deer stew and wild game recipes. It's probably a way to disguise the gamey taste of the meat.

I loved the change from the usual onion soup mix that I add to my Easy Slow Cooker Venison Stew. Plus, it was the best way to use those juniper berries in my spice rack!

How to make a gluten free crock pot venison stew

Make this in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Don't forget to use a slow cooker liner for easy cleanup.

1. Place venison stew meat in a bowl and sprinkle pepper, salt, and gluten-free flour over the meat. Toss to evenly coat.

2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan, large skillet, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place venison in the pan and sear meat until evenly browned on all sides.

3. Remove meat from the pan. Place meat in slow cooker crock.

4. Pour broth into the pan. Bring to boil, lower heat, and keep at a low simmer.

5. Add tomato paste to the pan and stir to combine.

6. Scrape off bits of meat, cooked on flour, and other brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a spoon or spatula to deglaze the pan thoroughly.

7. Pour contents of the pan over the meat in the slow cooker. The liquid should completely cover venison. If not, add more stock or a little cold water.

8. Sprinkle spices and herbs (garlic, juniper berries, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, thyme, and bay leaf) on top of the meat. Add vegetables.

9. Cover and set the slow cooker on low heat. Cook for 8-10 hours until the venison is tender.

10. Serve with gluten-free crusty bread and a side salad. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What type of venison?

Most people use deer stew meat in crockpot venison stew.That's because stew meat is the least tender cut of the deer. So it works wells in stews and crockpot dishes.

Otherwise, your processor turns it into ground venison. (Perfect to use in a venison chili recipe.)

You can also use venison roast, either one large roast or several smaller roasts. Leave the roasts whole and cook until tender. Then cut the meat into 1-inch cubes.

The only cut of deer meat you should not use in this stew is venison steaks. Save that for grilling.

You can use other game meat like elk or antelope instead of deer.

How to make a crockpot venison stew that’s gluten free

There are several things to keep in mind if you want to keep this crock-pot venison stew recipe gluten-free.

Use gluten free flour

Coat (or dredge) the venison in gluten-free flour. Then brown it.

Sure this adds an extra step, but browning venison gives a nice flavor to the stew and adds a thickener to the beef broth.

Feel free to use any gluten-free flour you like! Brown rice flour adds a nutty taste to this great recipe.

However, an all-purpose gluten-free flour like Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour works well, too.

Use gluten free broth

You can use gluten-free beef broth, beef stock, or even vegetable stock or broth in this recipe. Make sure to read the label carefully for any hidden sources of gluten.

Another option is using gluten-free Massel Beef-Stock Powder plus water. You could also a little red wine for an extra special touch.

Keep a supply of Massel stock powders and cubes in your pantry. They’re terrific for making a quick batch of stock to use in recipes.

Check out my  Best Gluten-Free Products List to find more of my favorite gluten-free baking products!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes?

If you love slow cooking, here are some of my favorite recipes:

● Easy Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken Recipe – one of my favorite healthy recipes

● Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes – make these with gold potatoes

● Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe with Vegetables and Rice – made with beef stew meat

Continue to Content

Yield: 8 SERVINGS

Best Slow Cooker Venison Stew Recipe

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Tired of the same deer stew crock pot recipe? Try this slow cooker venison stew that's made with juniper berries, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds venison, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups gluten-free beef stock or beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons juniper berries, gently crushed
• 8 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 pound baby Bella mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 red onions, sliced

Instructions

1. Place venison stew meat in a bowl and sprinkle pepper, salt, and gluten-free flour over the meat. Toss to evenly coat.
2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place venison in a pan and cook until evenly browned on all sides.
3. Remove meat from pan and place into slow cooker crock.
4. Add 3 cups of broth to the pan. Bring to boil, lower heat, and keep at a low simmer.
5. Add tomato paste to the pan and stir to combine.
6. Scrape off bits of meat and cooked on flour with a spoon or spatula to deglaze the pan thoroughly.
7. Pour contents of the pan over the meat in the slow cooker. The liquid should completely cover venison. If not, add more stock or a little cold water.
8. Sprinkle spices and herbs on top of the meat. Add vegetables.
9. Cover and set the slow cooker to the low setting. Cook for 8-10 hours until the venison is tender.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 324Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 542mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 7gSugar: 10gProtein: 40g

Nutritional information is automatically calculated per the ingredients list. Serving size may not be accurate. Please double-check with your preferred nutritional app for the most accurate information.

Originally published on April 14, 2014. Updated with new pictures and information.