Slow Cooker Venison Pot Roast With Tomatoes

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 04/13/22
Braised Venison

Foodcollection / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 9 hrs
Total: 9 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Most pot roast recipes we come across often call for beef, but this cut of meat can also be veal or venison, as in this recipe. This venison pot roast is slow cooked to perfection in the crock pot along with tomatoes, beef broth, and seasonings. It may be a simple recipe, but when all of the ingredients are combined, the flavor of the finished dish is quite complex.

Venison, which is mainly meat from deer, is leaner than beef and remains firm but tender when cooked. It has gained popularity in the last several years since the meat is more widely available due to commercial ranching. Instead of a meal eaten after a hunting trip, venison is now enjoyed in restaurants and home kitchens thanks to online game meat vendors. If you are new to venison, the meat tastes like a cross between beef and lamb with herbal notes and a rich earthiness. It has less fat and calories than beef, pork, and even chicken but is higher in protein.

To give the venison a nice outer crust, it is first dusted with flour and seared in a skillet. Then chopped onion is added, beef broth is poured over, and the mixture, including the brown bits, is transferred to a slow cooker. Add a can of tomatoes along with dried oregano and garlic powder and cook on low for several hours. The result is a flavorful and tender dish that is delicious served with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or egg noodles.

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Ingredients

  • 1 venison roast, about 3 pounds

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or shortening

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 2 cups beef broth

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Sprinkle venison roast with salt and pepper and dust with flour.

  3. Heat oil in a heavy skillet or sauté pan and add venison roast. Sear meat, rotating roast to brown all sides.

  4. Add chopped onion to skillet. Turn off heat and add beef broth.

  5. Transfer everything to a slow cooker, including browned bits in the bottom of the skillet.

  6. Add canned tomatoes to crock pot, along with oregano and garlic powder. Seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

  7. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 12 hours, until pot roast is tender.

  8. Cut venison into pieces and serve with sauce.

Recipe Variations

  • Add 1/2 pound of baby carrots or cut up parsnips when you add the tomatoes.
  • Add 1/2 pound new potatoes to the slow cooker.
  • Use different herbs or combine with the oregano; thyme and rosemary are good choices.
  • Along with the onion, add chopped celery and minced garlic.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
367 Calories
9g Fat
5g Carbs
63g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 367
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 192mg 64%
Sodium 355mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 63g
Vitamin C 8mg 39%
Calcium 29mg 2%
Iron 9mg 50%
Potassium 726mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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