Recipe

Venison And Wild Mushroom Stew

Ingredients

6 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds Venison shoulder, excess fat removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
Black pepper
Salt
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup dry red wine
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
1 large parsnip, peeled and diced
1 leek, white only, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, such as Wood Ear, Chanterelle, Morel, or Shiitaki, sliced
1 12-ounce bottle amber beer
2 1/2 quarts veal or beef stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon allspice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Egg Noddles, cooked until al dente

In a large stockpot cook the bacon over high heat until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Season the venison with salt and pepper, and lightly dust with flour. Add the oil to the pot and sear the venison on all sides over medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pot and add any remaining flour, stirring constantly. Deglaze the pot with the red wine, scraping with a wooden spoon.
Add the onions and cook over medium high heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and parsnips and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the leeks and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pot and cook until they release their moisture, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beer and scrape to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the veal stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, allspice, bay leaves and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the meat is tender and the stock is reduced, about 1 1/2 hours. Add the potatoes to the pot and continue cooking until they are cooked through, about 20-30 minutes. Add the bacon and cook for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste. Werve with egg noodles tossed with butter.