Venison and Mushroom Stew

Here is the recipe for my Venison and Mushroom Stew- Makes 6 large bowls full 1 T. olive oil (or oil of choice) 1 large onion, diced 1 stalk of celery, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 1 small garlic clove, minced 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 12 oz. sliced mushrooms 2 lbs ground venison (can also be made with lean ground beef) 1 pound diced potatoes (about 2.5 cups) 1 T. tamari 48 oz of beef broth 2 bay leaves more salt and pepper as needed to taste Optional: 1 1/2 T. all purpose flour 1 1/2 T. whipped cream water Heat oil over medium heat. Sautee onion, celery, carrots and garlic along with salt, pepper, and thyme until onions are translucent and you start to have brown bits on the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes). Add mushrooms and cook another 2 to 4 minutes until mushrooms start to release their juices. Add venison to vegetable mixture and cook until venison is cooked through, but not all liquid has been cooked out. Stir in potatoes and tamari and add beef broth and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste (different broths will have different levels of saltiness). Bring stew to a boil, then let simmer for 20 minutes or until potato chunks are cooked through. If you would like to thicken stew, drop heat to low. Whisk together whipped cream and flour, then whisk in just a little water to make the slurry thin enough to pour. Slowly pour slurry in to the stew while whisking to incorporate and break up any lumps. Return stew to a boil for full thickening. Serve as desired. This is a great way to use up some of the deer meat that is sitting in the freezer when you are tired of having the same old thing. Make that hunter in your life happy, and cook up some venison stew!

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