Roast Venison

Wild venison is leaner and gamier than beef, which means it punishes any cook who rushes it. This recipe takes the opposite approach, an overnight wine-and-vinegar marinade followed by a long, slow crock-pot braise that breaks down even the toughest hindquarter cut into pull-apart tender slices.

The acid in the vinegar and red wine does the real work, tenderizing the muscle fibers and tempering the wild gamey edge. Browning the floured roast in a hot skillet before it goes into the slow cooker builds a deep crust that flavors the eventual gravy.

Tomatoes, onions, and a hit of Worcestershire round out the braise into something that smells like a hunting-camp Sunday dinner.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the flour-and-sear step, that crust is where most of the savory depth comes from
• Trim every bit of silverskin and surface fat before marinating, deer fat tastes waxy when slow-cooked
• Cook on low only, high heat will toughen lean venison even in a slow cooker
• Let the roast rest 15 minutes before slicing, the juices need to settle back into the meat

Variations

• Swap red wine for dark beer or beef stock if you’d rather skip alcohol
• Add a few juniper berries or a bay leaf to the marinade for a more traditional game-meat flavor
• Use elk, moose, or bear roast in place of venison with the same method