Venison Stroganoff Recipe - How to Make Venison Stroganoff (2024)

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4.93 from 51 votes

By Hank Shaw

October 20, 2014 | Updated May 13, 2020

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Venison Stroganoff Recipe - How to Make Venison Stroganoff (2)

This one is a classic. I mean really:Who hasn’t eaten beef stroganoff?

I’ve seen (and eaten) so many versions of this French standby (yes, despite the name it’s a French dish) that I’ve lost track. They’ve ranged from horrible — cream of mushroom soup and hamburger — to sublime renditions done with care and with great ingredients. I hope you find this recipe one of the latter.

Stroganoff has traditionally been made with quality meat, sliced thin. That means cuts like sirloin or even filet mignon in beef. Hamburger versions are OK, but not my thing.

With venison, thinly sliced pieces of backstrap mixed with mushrooms, shallots, dill and sour cream are the ticket. This is filling, easy-to-eat cool-weatherfood of the first order.

Know thatthere is huge variation in stroganoff recipes. A few things are pretty consistent, however. To be a proper stroganoff, you must have thinly sliced red meat — beef, lamb, venison, elk, etc. — sour cream, mushrooms, some sort of onion, and butter. Lots of butter.

What to eat it with? Well, historically it’s been French fries, believe it or not.

But here in America stroganoff is almost always served with egg noodles. This tastes great, but is brutal to photograph. (I think Holly did a great job with these photos, no?) So I went with Austrian spätzle, which are a lot like egg noodles.

You can do whatever, but I really like the way the stroganoff matches with the little spätzle dumplings. And if you don’t want to make these plain Jane spätzle, try my pumpkin spätzle or nettle spätzle, which can also be done with spinach.

4.93 from 51 votes

Vension Stroganoff with Spatzle

My version of venison stroganoff relies good, fresh mushrooms, shallots, a splash of Madeira wine, and both fresh dill and a rarer ingredient, dill pollen, which you can omit if you can't find it. As for the dairy, butter is the fat and sour cream is the sauce. Can you loosen it with some heavy cream? You bet. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I did not in the photo.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: French

Servings: 4 people

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 pounds venison backstrap, in one piece
  • 2 large shallots, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 pound sliced cremini or button mushrooms
  • 1/4 pound sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup Madeira wine or sherry
  • 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
  • Dill pollen to garnish (optional)
  • Heavy cream, optional (to loosen sauce)

SPATZLE

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon black or white pepper
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • Up to 3/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • I make the spaetzle first. These can be made up to a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Mix all the ingredients except the heavy cream together in a bowl. Now thin the sticky dough into a batter that is a bit like really thick pancake batter with the heavy cream. I use a Spaetzle Maker to make my spaetzle, but you can either use a colander with wide holes or just flick the dough/batter off a cutting board with a knife.

  • Get a kettle of salty water going over high heat. Once it boils, make the spaetzle. Boil them hard until they float, then 1 minute more. Skim off with a slotted spoon or a spider skimmer. Move them to a baking sheet. When they are all made, toss them with a little oil so they don't stick together.

  • To make the stroganoff, salt the venison well and let it sit on the cutting board for 20 minutes or so. I do this while I make the spaetzle. Get 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan good and hot over medium-high heat. Pat the venison dry and sear all sides well in the butter. Cook it until it's rare to medium-rare. If you don't know how to determine this, use the finger test for doneness. When the meat is ready. move it to a cutting board and let it rest.

  • Add the mushrooms to the pan and turn the heat to high. Soon they will give up their water, and when they do, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When most of the water has boiled away, add the rest of the butter to the pan along with the shallots and saute everything for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, toss and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes or so. Sprinkle some salt over everything.

  • Add the Madeira and toss to combine. Let this boil down furiously. While it is doing so, grate some nutmeg over the mixture. When the Madeira is mostly gone, turn the heat down to low. Slice the venison thinly and return it and any juices that have collected on the cutting board to the pan. Stir to combine and add most of the chopped fresh dill.

  • Stir in the sour cream and turn off the heat. Stir to combine and let it heat through from the heat in the pan. Do not let this boil, or even simmer, or Very Bad Things will happen. Think nasty curdled crap. To serve, spread out over the spaetzle and top with any remaining dill and the dill pollen, if using.

Nutrition

Calories: 806kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 1146mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 962IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 11mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Featured, French, Recipe, Venison, Wild Game

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Venison Stroganoff Recipe - How to Make Venison Stroganoff (2024)

FAQs

How do you make Stroganoff less bland? ›

Quartered mushrooms and a combination of pearl onions and shallots give the finished dish a more interesting texture and flavor. Adding gelatin to the chicken stock gives it more body, letting the sauce come together more tightly to coat the meat and noodles.

How do you make deer meat super tender? ›

Like any meat , Deer meat to is tenderized by beating it, by marinating it with mild acids like lemon juice, sour curd, buttermilk, vinegar etc for minimum 4 hours . The fibers need to be cut across if you cut along the fibers the meat will be tough and chewy.

Does Stroganoff contain cream? ›

What is stroganoff sauce made of? Stroganoff sauce is a sour cream gravy made with beef broth that's thickened with flour. It's flavoured with mustard and has mushrooms in it.

What is a substitute for sour cream in Stroganoff? ›

Greek yogurt is a healthy alternative to the traditionally used sour cream in beef stroganoff recipes, so you can be confident that your family is getting a satisfying, healthy meal. Fresh dill and paprika will provide a sweet, slightly smoky garnish to top off the dish.

How do you add sour cream to stroganoff without curdling? ›

Sour cream can curdle if added directly to hot liquid. To prevent curdling, temper the sour cream by stirring a little of the hot liquid into it and then adding the warmed sour cream mixture to the pan. Buttered egg noodles (see below for details of our tasting) are the classic accompaniment to this recipe.

What can I use in stroganoff instead of Worcestershire sauce? ›

9 Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes That Get the Job Done
  1. DIY Imitation Blend.
  2. Reduced Balsamic Vinegar.
  3. Soy Sauce.
  4. Miso Paste.
  5. Oyster Sauce.
  6. Anchovy Paste.
  7. Red Wine.
  8. A1 Steak Sauce.
Apr 28, 2024

How do you cook venison so it doesn't taste gamey? ›

You can also marinate game to give it a savory flavor or to tenderize it. Always marinate it in the refrigerator (1 to 2 days for birds; 3 to 5 days for game animals). Boil used marinade before basting meat as it cooks or using as a sauce on the cooked meat. Discard any uncooked leftover marinade.

What is the best seasoning for venison? ›

Ideal flavours for venison
  • Fruits: quince, cherries, prunes, blackberries, apples.
  • Herbs: thyme, rosemary, bay, sage.
  • Spices: star anise, allspice, black pepper, cloves, juniper.
  • Alcohol: red wine (e.g. Grenache, Zinfandel), cider, ale. Other: chestnuts, celeriac, red cabbage, chocolate, mushroom.
Mar 7, 2016

What is the best tenderizer for venison? ›

For steaks, chops, and other thinner cuts, mechanical tenderizers are generally the best option. This includes crank or push-style cubers that use fine blades to sever the muscles into smaller lengths.

What cut of meat is best for stroganoff? ›

Popular choices include boneless ribeye, sirloin, and tenderloin. You can technically make beef stroganoff with any beef, but the reason why chefs choose tender cuts is that stroganoff involves flash-frying thin strips of meat before cooking them briefly in a sauce.

Why does my stroganoff taste sour? ›

Sourness comes from acidic ingredients (including tomatoes, wine and vinegar). If your dish tastes too sour try to add sweetness—think sugar, honey (it's healthy!), cream or even caramelized onions. You can also dilute the dish (same as you would with a dish with too much salt).

Does stroganoff contain paprika? ›

Add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelise. Stir in the garlic and cook gently for 2 minutes. Crumble in the stock cube and stir in the paprika and tomato purée.

Is mayonnaise a good substitute for sour cream? ›

Mayo is a great sour cream substitute. It can be used as a 1:1 replacement in both baking and dips. You'll lose some of that tang that sour cream offers, but it still does a great job at adding moisture to baked goods. Plus, it's relatively the same texture as sour cream, which makes it a great sub in dips and sauce.

Can you use cream cheese instead of sour cream? ›

Fresh, spreadable cheeses like cream cheese and mascarpone generally work well as 1:1 substitutes for sour cream in baking. Be sure to let them warm up to room temperature before using, and thin them out slightly by stirring in milk or lemon juice to get a similar texture.

How do you fix bland taste? ›

From boring to brilliant: Five easy ways to fix a bland recipe
  1. Salt. Advertisem*nt. ...
  2. Acid. One of my favorite ways to perk up a bland dish is with a splash of acid. ...
  3. Chilli peppers. Adding something spicy is a sure way to transform an underseasoned dish. ...
  4. Sugar. ...
  5. Fresh herbs.
Mar 13, 2023

How do you fix bland sauce? ›

Flat or bland sauce likely needs a hit of something acidic to lift and enhance its flavors, such as a small splash of high-quality, flavorful vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a few drops of not-too-fiery hot sauce.

How do you make bland sauce taste better? ›

5 ways to fix a bland recipe
  1. Salt.
  2. Acid.
  3. Chile peppers.
  4. Sugar.
  5. Fresh herbs.
Mar 6, 2023

What to add to Hamburger Helper stroganoff to make it taste better? ›

Worcestershire sauce: The Worcestershire sauce helps add a depth of flavor to the sauce. You could also substitute coconut aminos or soy sauce. Onions: You can use yellow onions, sweet onions, or even white onions.

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