Crockpot Elk Stew

This hearty crockpot elk stew is the perfect warm meal for fall. This stew is full of healthy vegetables and lean elk meat, simmered in broth and herbs to create rich, full flavors. This recipe for elk stew is so versatile – I like how I can change up the vegetables and herbs to use whatever I have at hand.

Ingredients for Crockpot Elk Stew

The ingredients are pretty simple pantry items, although the list is long. 

• Elk steak
• Red potatoes (or russet)
• onion
• garlic
• bell pepper
• jalapeño (opt)
• green beans
• diced tomatoes
• carrots
• beef broth
• bay leaves
• rosemary
• oregano
• basil
• thyme
• salt
• pepper

How to prepare the stew

Start with two pounds of cubed elk meat. You can cut a roast or steaks into cubes, or if you have it – just use elk stew meat. I usually just cube some steaks. 

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add some olive oil. Add the elk stew meat and brown . You can do it in batches, to evenly brown all of the cubes, but to save some time, I often just dump all the meat in at once and stir it a few times to get most of the sides browned. 

When the meat is all browned, put it in the crockpot. Place the skillet back on the burner and add 1 cup beef broth to the hot skillet. Stir and scrape up the browned bits of meat, and bring the broth to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour the broth into the crockpot with the meat.

Browned meat in crockpot with broth.

Dice the onion and garlic, and add to the meat. Add the seasonings, herbs, bay leaves, and diced tomatoes. Stir together and turn crockpot to high. Cook on high for 2 hours*.  

*Note: You may add all ingredients at the beginning, and let it stew together for the entire cooking time. Cooking the meat first will help soften the tough elk meat without making the vegetables turn to mush. But you can certainly put it all in together, and it will be great. 

Dump a can of diced tomatoes in with the meat. Any kind of tomatoes will work!

Ready to cook.

After the elk stew has cooked for 2 hours, add the potatoes, carrots, green beans, and jalapeño. Pour water over and stir together. Cook on high for an additional 3 hours.

Vegetables added, ready to cook.

FAQ: 

Can I put everything in the crockpot at once? 

Yes. You can put all ingredients in at the same time, and let it cook together for 5 hour on high or 8 hours on low. The vegetables will be softer, but it will still be great! 

How long to cook elk stew in the crockpot? 

I cooked a total of 5 hours on high, but you could also cook it on low for 7-8 hours. Try not to open the lid more than necessary, as each time you lift the lid on a crockpot, it can add an extra 15-30 minutes cooking time.

How can I get tender elk meat?

This slow cooker elk stew recipe usually produces tender meat! The low and slow cooking time, along with the acidic tomato sauce, tenderizes the wild game. 

How to get rid of gamey flavor? 

This recipe includes plenty of onions, garlic, and other herbs that really help with the wild game flavor. Strong game flavor depends a lot on what type of animal you are using, and also on how you field dress the animal. But, using onions and garlic really help. For my in-depth guide to great venison, download a free copy of my Wild Game Printable.

Ready to eat! Smells fabulous.

What to serve with elk stew?

We like to enjoy a large square of homemade cornbread with this stew.

A fresh salad on the side is nice, although I often skip the salad because there are so many veggies in the stew.

Finish the meal with a soft molasses cookie or piece of apple pie.

Delicious elk stew!

Try some other elk meat recipes:
Elk Lasagna
Elk Meatloaf 
Venison Meatballs 
Venison Breakfast Sausage

Crockpot Elk Stew

This crockpot elk stew is chunks of tender meat simmered in broth, with lots of vegetables and herbs. Hearty and healthy meal for the chilly fall months.

3.94 from 113 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 181 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lbs elk steak cubed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 lbs red potatoes cubed
• 1 large onion diced
• 1/2 lb carrots diced
• 1 jalapeño diced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1 can green beans (15 oz)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
• 6 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 2 teaspoons salt
• teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup water

Instructions

 

• Heat olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. When oil is hot, add meat.
• Let meat brown well, stir every 2-3 min. Let meat fry for 7-8 minutes. Place meat in crockpot.
• Place skillet back over heat, and add broth. Stir and scrape the browned bits, and bring the broth to a boil. When it boils, remove from heat and pour broth into the crockpot with the meat.
• Add onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices and bay leaves to crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours.
• After meat has cooked for two hours, add potatoes, jalapeño, carrots, bell pepper, green beans, and water. Continue cooking on high for 3 more hours.
• Stir and serve.

Notes

If you don't have beef broth, you can substitute chicken broth or water. You can also make beef broth with bullion cubes and water.

You may use antelope, deer, moose, or beef in place of the elk meat. 

This is a thick stew. Not much liquid. If you like it with more liquid, you may add more water. 

You can use any type of tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes are fine, as well as Rotes, crushed tomatoes, or tomato sauce. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 181kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 18gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 528mgPotassium: 848mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3684IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 3mg

Keyword crockpot, crockpot elk stew, elk, slow cooker, stew, wild game

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