Neck Roast and Beer Stew

There’s a ton of flavor in an often-discarded venison neck roast. Browned and simmered until it falls off the bone, it’s some of the best tasting meat that ever came out of a deer.

Needless to say, the neck of a young animal will take considerably less time to cook than that of a big buck. The neck roast will get really tough before it finally gives in and starts getting tender. You can’t rush it. It’s best to plan well ahead and get the neck-simmering part out of the way a day, a week, or several months earlier. When the meat is pulled from the neck, it can be frozen for later use.

For a deeper, more pronounced beer flavor, use a darker beer.

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Neck Roast and Beer Stew

Course: Soup

Keyword: venison recipes

Ingredients

• 1 3 to 5 pound venison neck roast
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2-3 cans beer
• 1 ½ cups uncooked bacon, diced
• 2 cups green onion, chopped
• 2 cups carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 12 ounces beer
• 1 quart beef or venison stock
• 1 pound mushrooms, any variety, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• warm, crusty bread

Instructions

• Prepare neck roast in advance. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub roast liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in a lightly greased roasting pan, and roast in the preheated oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours, turning occasionally to brown all sides. Add beer to pan, scraping bottom to dislodge bits, and leaving about 1/2-inch of beer in the pan.
• Reduce heat to 325, cover with lid or foil. Check after 3 hours to make sure that there is still at least ½ inch of liquid in the bottom of the pan. If not, add more beer. The liquid is essential to breaking down the meat within the roast.
• Keep checking every hour or so to make sure that there is enough liquid in the pan and to monitor the doneness of the meat. When meat pulls away from the bone very easily, usually after 7 to 8 hours in the oven, remove from the oven and cool to the touch.
• When cooled, strip meat from the roast and reserve.
• Cook bacon about halfway in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, garlic and rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add butter and heat until melted. Sprinkle flour over, stir to coat vegetables with flour and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally, to cook the flour taste out. The flour will help to thicken the finished stew.
• Add 12-ounce beer and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Add mushrooms, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and reserved cooked neck meat. Simmer until mushrooms are tender.
• Serve in bowls with warm bread on the side.