Venison Stew w/ Drop Dumplings

Serves 6

Ingredients

For Venison Stew

  • 1 lb venison, cut into stew-friendly chunks
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 8 cups beef stock
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 medium yellow potatoes, diced
  • 8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp crushed hot pepper (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp chopped rosemary
  • 2 tsp chopped thyme
  • 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley

For Drop Dumplings

  • 1½ cups biscuit mix
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

How-to

Make Stew

  1. Season venison with salt & pepper on all sides. Lightly dredge the meat in a little flour, shaking off excess
  2. Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high. Brown all sides of venison, but do not over-cook. This should take about 5 minutes in total
  3. Remove the browned meat to a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside
  4. In a separate medium pot, heat up the beef stock to a bare simmer over medium-low heat
  5. In a large oven-proof pot, melt the butter over medium heat
  6. Once the butter is melted add the onions. Sauté until tender, about 2-3 minutes
  7. Add the flour, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in a couple ladles of hot stock, making sure no lumps of flour remain
  8. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms and potatoes. Stir & allow to simmer in the shallow stock for 5-6 minutes
  9. Add back the venison and all remaining ingredients. Allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes until venison is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked
  10. While the stew is simmering, mix together dumpling batter ingredients
Make Drop Dumplings
  1. Preheat oven to 375º
  2. Stir all dumpling ingredients together in a medium bowl until just combined
  3. Take heaping tablespoon-sized scoops of the dumpling mix & drop them into the simmering stew
  4. Move the pot from the stovetop into the oven. Bake the stew, uncovered until the dumplings are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes
  5. Ladle and serve!