INGREDIENTS
1 (3 pound) venison roast cut into 1½ -inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 onions diced
2 celery ribs finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine or chicken broth
2 cups chicken broth
5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried (see note 3)
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes scrubbed and quartered
4 carrots peeled and sliced
1 cup frozen peas
DIRECTIONS
Pat venison pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven or large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half the meat and cook in a single layer without moving until browned on one side, about 5 minutes.
Flip each piece of venison and continue cooking until browned on the other side. Transfer to a bowl. Heat another tablespoon of olive oil and repeat with remaining venison. Transfer to the bowl.
Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in flour and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. To the pot, add tomato paste, red wine, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves, and browned venison with accumulated juices, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour.
Stir in potatoes and carrots. Return to a simmer, cover, and cook 1 hour longer, until venison is tender. Remove bay leaves and any thyme stems. Turn off the heat, stir in peas and cover for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
