After a lovely weekend of warm temps and working in the yard, today was gloomy and damp – the kind of day where you just want to curl up with a good book.
My answer to that kind of weather? Comfort food, obviously.
o, I dug through the freezer and found some cubed venison I had stashed away. It was a bit old so I thought a stew or soup would be a great way to use it up.
Looking through my recipes…goulash seemed like the perfect plan.
It’s not complicated, just good, honest flavors slow-cooked to perfection. Here’s how I made it:
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 hours
Serves: 4-6
- 2 pounds cubed venison
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium sweet vidalia onion, chopped fine
- 2 big cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
- 2 Tbsp tomato purée
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 5 ounces of your favorite red wine
- 1 large whole carrot, peeled
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- few fresh sage leaves chopped fine
- coarse sea salt
- black pepper
Let’s get cooking:
- Brown the venison: Pat the cubed venison dry with paper towels. Season generously with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches (don’t overcrowd the pot!), sear the venison on all sides until nicely browned. This step adds a ton of flavor, so don’t skip it! Once browned, remove the venison from the pot and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot.
- Sauté the aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
- Build the base: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Then, sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and cook for another minute, stirring to create a roux. This will help thicken our goulash.
- Deglaze and add liquid: Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits (that’s where the flavor is!). Let the wine simmer for a few minutes, allowing some of the alcohol to cook off.
- Bring it all together: Return the browned venison to the pot. Add the whole peeled carrot, the sprig of fresh rosemary, and the bay leaf. Stir in the chopped fresh sage leaves.
- Simmer low and slow: Add enough water or beef broth (if you have it on hand) to just cover the venison. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for at least 2-3 hours, or until the venison is fork-tender. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will meld together.
- Season to taste: Once the venison is tender, remove the rosemary sprig, bay leaf, and the whole carrot (you can discard it or chop it up and add it back in if you like a bit more texture). Taste the goulash and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed.
Serve it up:
This venison goulash is fantastic served over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or even crusty bread to soak up all that delicious sauce. It’s the perfect meal to chase away any lingering chill and bring a little warmth to your day. Enjoy!
Products I used in this recipe; dutch oven, measuring spoon, frying pan and garlic press:
