Crock Pot Venison Stew With Bacon And Mushrooms

Total Time: 8 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 lbs venison stew meat, trimmed of fat, tenderized by pounding and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
• salt and pepper
• 2 slices smoky bacon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut in half and sliced into half moons
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup dry red wine or 2/3 cup dry sherry
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
• 12 ounces fresh mushrooms (sliced or quartered)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Recipe

• 1 season the venison with salt and pepper.
• 2 in a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp; transfer to paper towels and crumble.
• 3 add the oil to the bacon drippings and brown the meat in batches on all sides, about 10 minutes total.
• 4 transfer to the slow cooker as you finish each batch.
• 5 add the onion, carrots and garlic to the skillet and cook. stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes.
• 6 sprinkle with the flour, stir and transfer to the cooker.
• 7 add the wine to the skillet, bring to a boil and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan, until the wine has thickened slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 8 pour into cooker.
• 9 add the bay leaf, thyme and broth; stir to evenly distribute.
• 10 cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
• 11 add the mushrooms and crumbled bacon and stir to combine.
• 12 cover and continue to cook on low until the venison is tender enough to cut with a fork, another 3 hours.
• 13 remove the bay leaf and stir in the vinegar.
• 14 serve.