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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Venison stew with celery root mash

Venison stew with celery root mash is a French braised dish for 4 people, ready in 2 hours 50 minutes, medium difficulty, for about €5.20 per person. The meat marinates overnight in red wine before simmering slowly with bacon and mushrooms into a rich sauce, served with a soft celery root mash. The key is that overnight marinade, which tenderizes the meat and mellows its gamey flavor.

A venison stew marinated in red wine, with bacon lardons and mushrooms, alongside a silky celery root mash. Perfect for special occasions.

Venison stew with celery root mash
Total time
2 h 50
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.20
Calories per person
520 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Venison stew is a game meat simmered slowly in a red wine sauce, thickened with flour and scented with thyme and bay leaf. The bacon lardons bring fat and smokiness, the button mushrooms add a texture that soaks up the sauce. The result is meat that falls apart easily, a deep sauce, almost sweet in places thanks to the carrot that infused during the marinade.

This is a dish for festive meals, from November to February, when you want to host without racing against the clock. Plan on a good afternoon of prep, but most of it simmers on its own. The celery root mash, soft and creamy, tames the richness of the game meat and even wins over people who think they don't like venison.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Venison stew meat 1 kg
  • Smoked bacon lardons 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Button mushrooms 250 g
  • Onion 2
  • Carrot 1
  • Celery root 600 g
  • Potatoes 300 g
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Pantry

  • Red wineoften in the pantry 75 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 10 cl
  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Celery, Lactose, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Marinate the venison with the red wine, sliced onion and carrot, thyme, and bay leaves.

    One night in the fridge is enough, cover the bowl well.

  2. Drain the meat, keeping the marinade, and brown it in the oil with the bacon lardons, then dust with flour.

    Pat the meat dry before searing it.

  3. Pour in the strained marinade, cover, and let simmer over very low heat. 2 h

    Skim off foam during the first fifteen minutes.

  4. Add the pan fried mushrooms for the last 15 minutes of cooking. 15 min

    Sear them separately so they don't release water into the sauce.

  5. Peel the celery root and potatoes, boil them in salted water, then mash with the cream and butter. 25 min

    Pass them through a potato ricer for a silky texture.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a red wine you'd actually drink, its quality carries straight through into the final sauce.
  • If the sauce is still too thin at the end of cooking, remove the lid for the last fifteen minutes so it reduces.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt, the wine marinade can sometimes mask the meat's seasoning.

The variations

  • You can swap the venison for wild boar or braising beef if you can't find game meat.
  • For a meatless version, replace the venison with a mix of mushrooms and potatoes, and skip the bacon lardons.
  • For a faster meal, use leftover stew made the day before, it only gets better reheated gently.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for soaking up sauce
  • A bold red wine like Burgundy
  • Applesauce for dessert

Storage

The stew keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it's often even better the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the mash. Reheat it gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Do you really need to marinate the venison overnight?

It's not mandatory but it's strongly recommended. An overnight marinade tenderizes the meat and softens its strong gamey flavor.

Can you make this stew ahead of time for a holiday meal?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make the stew one or two days ahead, it tastes even better once reheated.

What venison cut should you use if you can't find stew meat?

Shoulder or neck cut into cubes work very well, these cuts are well suited to long, slow braising.

Can you replace the heavy cream in the celery root mash?

You can use whole milk or light cream instead, the mash will be slightly less rich but still good.

How long does it take to make a venison stew with celery root mash?

Count 2 h 50 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a venison stew with celery root mash?

About 520 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a venison stew with celery root mash cost?

About €5.20 per serving, or €20.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains celery, lactose, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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