Savory and Hearty Elk Stew Recipe

This hearty elk stew recipe is easy to make and full of great flavors. It’s the perfect wild game dinner any night of the week!

I’ve made my fair share of wild game recipes, and after sharing my moose stew recipe that was made with ground meat, I’ve had several requests for one using thick chunks of meat.

So here we are. Of course, there are plenty of differences between this recipe and my moose recipe, so I would suggest trying them both!

Elk Stew Ingredients:

• 3 pounds elk stew meat or elk roast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 2 sweet onions, chunked (about 2 cups)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup flour, plus 2 tablespoons for broth thickening
• 4 cups beef broth (or chicken or pork broth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 pound bite-size potatoes
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced

Elk Stew Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Season the elk meat with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven, sear the chunks of stew meat in avocado oil for about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Pro tip: You can also use elk roast chunked into 1″ pieces.

Step 2: Add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Step 3: Add the tomato paste and the seared meat along with its juices. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the mixture and stir for about 2 minutes or until dissolved.

Step 4: Pour in the beef broth and add the carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for about an hour and a half or until the potatoes and carrots are soft.

Note: If your stew meat has a lot of cartilage, you can wait to put the potatoes and carrots in after it has simmered for an hour, then continue to cook until they are soft, about another hour and a half.

Step 5: Finally, add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and let them simmer with the lid off for about 10 minutes.

Optionally: If you want to thicken your broth, dissolve two tablespoons of flour in a little bit of water, then stir it into the stew to thicken the broth. You’ll want to ensure the flour is dissolved before adding to the pot, or it will clump up!

Fish out your bay leaf, then serve the elk stew hot and enjoy!

Note: Feel free to adjust the seasoning and thickness of the stew according to your taste.

Recipe Notes

For the searing: You are probably not going to get a crispy sear like you might expect. We are more trying to brown the sides.

Use the flour sparingly: We add 1/4 cup of flour right off the bat. If you feel the stew is thick enough, you certainly don’t have to add the extra tablespoons near the end of the cooking process. I personally love the thickness it provides!

Simmering your stew: I do add my meat, potatoes and carrots right away. If you are worried that the meat will not have enough time to tenderize before the carrots and potatoes are soft, you can always wait about an hour before adding the veggies in.

The longer it sits, the better: You have probably heard or experienced it yourself that chili is even better the next day.

Well, the same goes for stew! I like to make this recipe ahead of time, pull it off the heat, and rest for several hours before digging in!

Storing your elk stew

Allow the stew to cool completely before storing it in the fridge in the same pot you cooked it in. Then simply reheat it on the stove over low heat until warmed through.

If you made this recipe and loved it, let me know by leaving a review or comment below!

And for more great recipes, check out some of these favorites below!

• Elk tenderloin with rosemary garlic butter
• Butter-basted elk steaks
• Homemade cranberry elk meatballs
• Elk meatloaf recipe