Instant Pot Venison Stew
This Instant Pot Venison Stew is a hearty and comforting dish featuring tender venison, potatoes, carrots, celery, and a rich tomato-based broth. Pressure cooking ensures a flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth texture, making it the perfect meal for any cold evening.
8 Servings
Ingredients
For the Stew:
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 cups carrots chopped
- 1 large celery stalk chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 4 medium potatoes chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 lbs venison round steak cubed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 cups salsa mild or spicy, based on preference
- 5.5 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
For Thickening the Stew:
- ¾ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or regular flour if not gluten-free
Instructions
Prepare the Ingredients
- Begin by chopping the onion, carrots, celery, and yellow bell pepper into small, even pieces to ensure uniform cooking.
- Peel and dice the potatoes into bite-sized chunks. To maintain texture, avoid cutting them too small, as they may become too soft while cooking.
- Cut the venison round steak into 1-inch cubes, trimming away any excess connective tissue.
Layer the Ingredients in the Instant Pot
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and yellow bell pepper to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Evenly distribute the potato chunks on top of the vegetables. Do not stir.
- Place the cubed venison over the potatoes, ensuring an even layer.
- Drop in the bay leaves, ensuring they are submerged but without stirring the mixture.
- Pour in the beef broth, salsa, salt, and black pepper evenly over the ingredients. Again, refrain from stirring, as layering allows for even pressure cooking.
- Using a spoon, drop small dollops of tomato paste across the top of the mixture. This method prevents the tomato paste from sinking and sticking to the bottom, reducing the risk of a burn notice on the Instant Pot.
Pressure Cook the Stew
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the steam release valve is set to Sealing.
- Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High Pressure and set the cooking time to 30 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. After this, carefully turn the steam release valve to Venting to perform a quick release for any remaining pressure.
Final Touches and Thickening
- Carefully remove the lid and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the frozen peas and corn, allowing them to warm through in the residual heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the almond milk and gluten-free flour until smooth.
- Select Sauté mode on the Instant Pot and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the stew, stirring continuously. Allow the stew to simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the broth thickens to the desired consistency.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and allow the stew to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
This Instant Pot Venison Stew is naturally gluten-free with a few simple adjustments:
- Flour Substitute: Use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or cornstarch instead of regular flour to thicken the broth. If using cornstarch, mix 2 tablespoons with ¼ cup of water before adding.
- Broth Selection: Ensure that the beef broth used is labeled gluten-free, as some brands contain additives that include gluten.
- Salsa Ingredients: While most salsas are naturally gluten-free, always check the ingredient list for any hidden gluten-containing additives.