Try this tender venison roast recipe featuring tender meat seasoned with thyme, allspice, and rosemary, served with rich and delicious gravy. Perfect for a flavorful holiday meal.
Cooking venison is easier than you might think, and itโs perfect for the winter or holiday season. This venison roast is slow-cooked in the oven, making it super tender and juicy. You can adjust the level of doneness to your liking. Serve it with a rich gravy and Air Fryer Potato Wedges or Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, for instance.
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What is a venison roast?
A venison roast is a cut of deer meat typically cooked by roasting. It is usually a larger cut, such as a loin, shoulder, or haunch, and can be prepared as a whole roast or as smaller pieces.
The meat has a rich flavor and is leaner than beef, making it ideal for slow roasting or cooking methods that help tenderize it, such as braising.
Venison roasts are often seasoned with a mix of herbs and spices like rosemary, thyme, garlic, and allspice, which complement the rich flavor of the meat. These roasts pair well with various sides, from roasted vegetables to creamy mashed potatoes or a fresh salad.
Recipe ingredients
Venison: I always buy fresh venison directly from local hunters and freeze the cuts for later use. If your meat is frozen, make sure to let it thaw completely and come to room temperature before cooking.
- I used the upper part of the leg - a lean cut for today's recipe. Cooking time will vary depending on the cut and size, so using a meat thermometer is essential to ensure you reach the desired doneness.
- Avoid tough cuts of meat like the shoulder or neck for this recipe, as their high connective tissue content makes them better suited for slow-cooking methods where the meat can cook until it falls apart.
Vegetables: One onion, one carrot, and a small piece of celeriac or 2 celery stalks or a small parsley root. You will also need a few fresh rosemary sprigs or fresh thyme.
Stock: I use Venison Broth when I have it in the freezer. Otherwise, store-bought or homemade Beef Broth or chicken stock works well, too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Try more roasts with gravy, such as Balsamic Beef Roast or Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut. Or more game recipes like this Rabbit Stew.
How to make venison roast?
Step #1: Dry the venison meat with paper towels, remove the silver skin if itโs still on, and rub the meat with the mixed spices.
Step #2: Sear the meat on all sides on medium-high heat.
Tip: Remove silverskin if necessary. Place the venison roast on a cutting board with the silverskin side up. Use a sharp knife to slide under one edge of the silverskin, lifting it slightly to create a flap. Hold the flap, angle the knife upward, and gently cut between the silverskin and the meat. Work slowly in small sections, rotating the meat as needed until all the silverskin is removed.
Step #3: Add the chopped vegetables and let them get a bit of color.
Step #4: Add stock, cover, and cook in the oven at low temperature for 15 minutes, basting halfway through.
Step #5: Reduce the oven temperature, baste, cover, and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the roast and cook to your preferred doneness. Transfer to a platter and let it rest.
Step #6: Strain the gravy and pass the cooked vegetables through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry.
Cooking times for venison roast
This recipe allows you to decide your roastโs level of doneness, but youโll need an instant-read thermometer for accuracy (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). Start checking the meat after 30 minutes if you like it rare. We prefer it medium.
- Rare: 120โ125ยฐF (49โ52ยฐC)
- Medium-rare: 130โ135ยฐF (54โ57ยฐC)
- Medium: 140โ145ยฐF (60โ63ยฐC)
- Well-done: 160ยฐF (71ยฐC) and above
Good to know!
Cooking Pot: I use a large Dutch oven, which is perfect for searing the meat on the stovetop and transferring it straight to the oven. If you donโt have one, sear the meat in a heavy-bottomed pan, then move it to a roasting pan. As roasting tins usually donโt come with lids, cover the tin tightly with aluminum foil before placing it in the oven.
Cooking liquid: You can also use red wine or dark beer instead of stock. The gravy will have a different flavor but be equally delicious. If you use wine, you will not need the vinegar to lift up the flavor.
What to serve with it?
I served the roast with German potato dumplings and German Brussels Sprouts.
Roasted vegetables: Carrots, parsnips, potatoes, or Roasted Black Salsify make a flavorful and hearty complement.
Mashed potatoes: Creamy rosemary mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower and potatoes for a lighter option.
Greens: Steamed Swiss chard, kale, or spinach.
Cranberry sauce is great if you serve the roast for Thanksgiving.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate: Let the roast cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze: For longer storage, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the roast in an oven preheated to 300ยฐ/150ยฐC until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size. You can also slice it and reheat the pieces in a pan with a little broth or oil to prevent it from drying out.
Venison Roast
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven Note 1
- Fine mesh sieve
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 lbs bone-in venison roast 1.8 kg Notes 2, 3
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ยพ teaspoon allspice
- 1 small piece of celeriac chopped, 2.5 oz/ 75 g, Note 4
- 1 medium carrot chopped, 3.5 oz/100 g
- 1 small onion chopped, 3.5 oz/100 g
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3-4 rosemary sprigs
- 2 cups wild stock or beef stock, 500 ml
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC.
- Preparations: Pat the roast dry with paper towels. If the silver skin is still on the roast, make sure you remove it entirely (Note 2).4 lbs bone-in venison roast / 1.8 kg
- Season the roast: In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, thyme, and allspice. Rub this mixture over the roast. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables.2 teaspoons fine sea salt + 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + 1 teaspoon thyme + ยพ teaspoon allspice + 1 small piece of celeriac + 1 medium carrot + 1 small onion
- Brown the roast: Heat oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the roast on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the vegetables: Add the chopped vegetables around the roast and let them brown slightly, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- Roast at a higher temperature: Pour the stock around the meat and add the rosemary sprigs. Cover the pot, place it in the preheated oven, and roast for 15 minutes, basting halfway through.2 cups wild stock / 500 ml + 3-4 rosemary sprigs
- Roast at a lower temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 320ยฐF (160ยฐC). Baste the roast again, cover, and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the roast in the pot, cover again, and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your preferred doneness (Note 5).
- Doneness: For medium, the internal temperature should reach 140โ145ยฐF (60โ63ยฐC). If it's not there yet or you prefer it well-done, continue roasting for another 5 to 10 minutes and check again.
- Rest the roast: Transfer the roast to a serving platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest while you prepare the gravy.
- Strain the contents of the pot into a saucepan through a fine-mesh strainer. Use the back of a spoon to press the vegetables, helping them pass through the sieve and release their juices. Add the balsamic vinegar.1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Make the gravy: In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water to form a thick yet pourable slurry. Bring the gravy to a simmer, then slowly add the slurry while whisking constantly. Let the gravy bubble for a moment until slightly thickened. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper if needed, though it's likely unnecessary.2 tablespoons cornstarch + 3 tablespoons cold water
- Serve the venison roast: Slice the roast and serve immediately with the hot gravy.
Notes
- Cooking Pot: I use a large Dutch oven, which is great for searing the meat on the stovetop and then transferring it directly to the oven. If you donโt have one, sear the meat in a heavy-bottomed pan and transfer it to a roasting pan. Since roasting pans typically donโt have lids, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil before placing it in the oven.
- Cut of meat: I used the upper part of the leg, which is a lean cut with little connective tissue. Other similar cuts that are also lean and tender would work, too. However, cuts like the shoulder or neck arenโt ideal for this recipe due to their higher connective tissue content; theyโre better suited for slow cooking until the meat becomes fall-apart tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the cut and its size, so using a meat thermometer is essential to ensure you reach the desired doneness.
- Remove silverskin: Place the meat on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to slide under one edge of the silverskin, lifting it slightly to create a flap. Hold the flap, angle the knife upward, and gently cut between the silverskin and the meat. Work slowly in small sections, rotating the meat as needed until all the silverskin is removed.
- Substitute celeriac with the same amount of parsley root or 2 celery sticks.
- Doneness: The recommended internal temperature for a venison roast depends on your preferred level of doneness. Venison is lean, so cooking it to medium-rare or medium is often recommended to keep it tender and juicy. The best way to ensure that the roast is cooked to your liking is to use an instant-read thermometerย (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
โข Medium-rare: 130โ135ยฐF (54โ57ยฐC)
โข Medium: 140โ145ยฐF (60โ63ยฐC)
โข Well-done: 160ยฐF (71ยฐC) and above
Kate says
Turned out great! Used the leftovers to make your shepherds pie. A double win!
Adina says
That sounds amazing, Kate. I am so happy you tried not one, but two of the recipes on the blog.