When I first started cooking with deer meat, venison roast was my go-to. For a while it was the only wild game dish I felt confident enough to cook. So if you are a newbie in the kitchen with deer meat or just a fan of slow cook meals, give this slow cooker venison roast recipe a try!
It is super easy and super yummy. Plus, what is better than coming home to 85 - 90% of dinner done and the house filled with the smell of a home cooked meal? The best thing about cooking anything low and slow, but especially wild game is that it really breaks down the connective tissue making it so, so tender and juicy. AKA, fall off the bone!
I have always made my roast in a crock pot and is definitely my preferred cooking method. You could certainly go for cooking it in a dutch oven, pressure cooker or in a roasting pan in the oven. What I love about the crock pot though, is you can set it in the morning and go to work.
Getting Started
For starters, thaw out your deer roast cut ahead of time, so it is ready to go the morning of. Starting with a thawed piece of meat allows for better seasoning and the opportunity to sear the meat. You can totally put the roast in the crockpot frozen and still get the job done if you forgot to set it out or had a last minute hankering for roast. But for the very best results, get that baby out of the freezer early.
Searing
Then before you drop it in your crock pot, give it a good sear on all sides. I prefer to use my cast iron skillet. What you do for this is drizzle a little olive oil on the skillet. Once the skillet is very hot and the oil starts to smoke a bit you will set the meat on the hot skillet for just a minute. Just long enough to get a golden crisp. Repeat on each side.
**As an Amazon associate, I earn on qualifying purchases.**
Seasoning
Next, go ahead and drop the meat in the crock pot along with any browned bits from your skillet. And add your seasonings. I go for salt and fresh cracked black pepper. (These guys are game changers and really elevate your cooking.) Then a little onion powder, garlic salt and Italian seasoning.
This part is really all about preference though. Add in any of your favs! Paprika, thyme, garlic powder, oregano, a bay leaf or two or rosemary. If you have any fresh herbs on hand, like stems of rosemary, they would make a fantastic addition.
Toss in a sliced onion to the crockpot. Then add in some garlic. If you keep garlic cloves on hand 3 or 4 will do. I typically keep a jar of minced garlic like this one in the fridge.
Next, add ½ stick of butter. Because, when was adding butter to any dish a bad idea?
Fill with broth until the meat is fully covered. Any broth will do, but I prefer beef broth. I’ve certainly used vegetable or chicken broth in a pinch though.
Now add in your Worcestershire sauce. A teaspoon will do. But, again this is a matter of preference so if you can’t get enough of this stuff go for another dash or two.
Some recipes call for adding in carrots or potatoes. Because I like to completely cover my roast in broth, this doesn’t work for me. It ends up a mushy mess. I don’t skip the carrots and potatoes though! They make an excellent side. Check out this simple recipe for roasted rosemary potatoes.
Morning Time Saving Tips
If your mornings are crazy, you can do all of these steps the night before and leave your crock pot bowl in the fridge with the lid overnight. Then before you dash out to work, carpool line or daycare drop off all you have to do is transfer it to the crockpot and go.
If the idea of breaking out another pan during a hectic evening or when you are in a mad dash in the morning makes it seem like this is not worth the trouble and certainly not an easy weeknight meal…don’t worry. You don’t have to sear the meat. I recommend it if you’ve got the time, but you will still absolutely have a delicious meal at the end if you have to skip this step.
Low and Slow
With a roast, low and slow is the name of the game. Low temps and long cooking times. So set your crock pot to low heat and plan on letting it go for at least 8 hours. Longer won’t be a problem and may be even better. If you put that guy in frozen, plan on the longer cook time. But if you’ve got a commute and workday ahead of you then this likely isn’t going to be a problem.
It should literally fall apart when you poke at it or try to lift it.
Gamey Flavor Tip
Not all venison meat is created equal. This is wild game, lean and organic in the most organic sense. These guys aren’t all fed the same thing and lined up in stalls. Occasionally, you harvest a deer that holds true to the bad reputation venison can have and does in fact have a loud gamey flavor.
This seems to be particularly true in those old-timer, trophy bucks. Great on display…sometimes not great meat.
An old wives tale that seems to work for me is to soak the meat in milk ahead of time. Most will say, specifically buttermilk. But, if you don’t keep that stocked regular milk does the trick for me and helps reduce that flavor. This is true for any cut of meat and whatever dish you are preparing.
Sides Suggestions
For me, we consistently serve up roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted baby carrots, rice and gravy. Do not forget the gravy! You can give making your own gravy a try, or keep it simple and use a jar of store bought beef gravy.
Here are some other sides that would go great too:
-
Mashed potatoes
-
Egg noodles
-
Green beans
-
Green bean casserole
-
Roasted brussels sprouts
-
Fried green tomatoes
Serve It Up
When the meat is falling apart and you just can’t stand the delicious smell any longer without digging in, it is ready to serve. Carefully lift it out of the crockpot and onto a serving platter. Add any pieces that broke off and fell back in.
With a ladle, scoop up some of the juice and pour right over top. For a nice presentation (and to limit the amount of dishes you dirty up) you can add those roasted veggies right onto the platter.
I like to plate the rice 1st with the roast covering the rice just a bit. Then pour some gravy over both the rice and the roast. Viola!
If for any reason your crew doesn’t finish it off the first night, leftover venison roast is just as yummy the next day. Or it makes a delicious roast sandwich for lunch.
Enjoy!
I hope you give this one a try! It is a great recipe for anyone new to trying venison. Whether new to cooking with it or new to eating it. Plus it is one of those dishes you can experiment with a little over time and make it your own.
Happy hunting and cooking!
