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.

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

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

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? ›

Slow and Moist

When pan fried or sauteed, cuts from the shoulder, front legs, and lower back legs stay tough and chewy, which is one reason many hunters turn much of their deer into venison sausage. He says even densest shoulder roast can be made tender and succulent by slowly cooking it with moist heat.

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 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."

Is it better to start CrockPot on high or low? ›

If possible, turn the cooker on the highest setting for the first hour of cooking time and then to low or the setting called for in your recipe. Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low.

Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on overnight? ›

Yes, it's safe to leave a slow cooker on when you leave the house. The purpose of a slow cooker is to allow you to cook while you aren't home. Slow cookers simmer food slowly, killing bacteria and raising meat to the perfect internal temperature.

Is it better to cook meat on high or low in a slow cooker? ›

A: Both "High" and "Low" stabilize at the same temperature; it is just a matter of how long it takes to reach the simmer point. Once food reaches the simmer point, total cook time is dependent on cut and weight of meat to reach the point of maximum flavor and texture potential.

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 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.

What makes venison taste gamey? ›

Venison silver skin, fat, ligaments, and other undesirable parts of a deer that aren't muscle don't taste very good. Deer fat is generally bitter, unlike beef fat. This is probably the number one reason why folks think venison, particularly ground venison, tastes gamey.

What do you 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.

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

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.

Can you put raw hamburger in a slow cooker? ›

You certainly can add raw ground beef to the crockpot. As a matter of fact, many (if not most) slow-cooker chili recipes ask for the meat to be added raw.

Is it OK to put raw chicken in slow cooker? ›

Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are designed to cook raw meats. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking time and steam created from the tightly covered container destroys bacteria, making slow cooking safe. You can put frozen chicken in a slow cooker, too!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Eusebia Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 5704

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Eusebia Nader

Birthday: 1994-11-11

Address: Apt. 721 977 Ebert Meadows, Jereville, GA 73618-6603

Phone: +2316203969400

Job: International Farming Consultant

Hobby: Reading, Photography, Shooting, Singing, Magic, Kayaking, Mushroom hunting

Introduction: My name is Eusebia Nader, I am a encouraging, brainy, lively, nice, famous, healthy, clever person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.