Hearty and Creamy Venison Stroganoff

Ingredients

• 1 (2 pound) venison roast, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ⅓ cups beef stock
• ¾ cup water
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Put the venison in a big bowl and mixing in the red wine, a teaspoon of salt, and some black pepper. Let it sit and soak up those flavors for about 10 minutes. When the venison is ready, take it out and set the marinade aside.

Step 2

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the venison and cook it, stirring now and then, until it’s nicely browned—this usually takes around 5 to 7 minutes. Once browned, transfer the meat to a plate. Pour off any excess grease from the skillet.

Step 3

Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Toss in the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a few more minutes until everything is fragrant and translucent. Scoop this onion and garlic mix onto the plate with the venison.

Step 4

Now, melt a quarter cup of butter in the skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook it, stirring frequently, until it turns a light golden color—around 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the beef stock and water, bringing the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and mix in the reserved red wine marinade along with Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Step 5

Add the venison and onion mixture back into the skillet. Cover everything and let it simmer gently, giving it a stir every 20 minutes or so, until the venison is tender—it should take between 1 and 2 hours.

Step 6

About five minutes before you’re ready to eat, stir in the cream of mushroom soup and cream cheese until everything is smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, then serve up and enjoy!