I’ve been dreaming of making Venison Ragù for a few years now. Ragù sauce refers to an Italian inspired meat sauce that slow cooks ground, chopped or pulled meat in a tomato mixture that is commonly made with beef, pork, or lamb. But, venison makes a delicious and flavorful alternative. The key to making a great ragù is to let the meat simmer slowly in the sauce until it’s tender and juicy.
Think crazy tender pulled venison in the best ever pasta sauce over pappardelle pasta. Enough said, right? Plus, it’s best made in the slow cooker.
I love meals like this for holiday gatherings because they have almost no active cooking time, they make the house smell INSANE, and they’re effortlessly fancy. Pair with a great bottle of Italian wine and you’re golden. I have made this recipe with both thawed and frozen deer roast and I’ve gotten great results both times. So, if you forget to thaw your meat, don’t fret. Use this recipe.
The Perfect Venison Ragù Recipe To Use Up Deer Roast
This venison ragù recipe is the perfect way to enjoy venison during the colder months. The rich, hearty sauce is perfect for spooning over pasta or polenta, and it can also be used as a filling for ravioli or lasagna. I like to make a double batch of this ragù and freeze half (it serves 6-8+) so that I always have some on hand for a quick and easy meal.
To make it, I like cooking up some bacon lardons and then cooking onions, celery, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, and spices in some of the bacon fat. I deglaze the pan with red wine and balsamic and pour it all over a venison roast in a crock pot with the bacon and crushed tomatoes. 8 hours later you have pure perfection.
Once the ragù is finished, you can either serve it immediately or freeze it for later. Enjoy!
Venison Ragù Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. thick cut bacon, cut into lardons (or ribbons)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine – a dry, Italian red like a Chianti or Super Tuscan are best but what you have on hand will do
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 (3lb – or about this size) venison roast – thawed OR frozen works
- 2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- pasta – I like pappardelle, linguini or any wide noodle
How To Prepare Venison Ragù
This venison ragù is the perfect winter comfort food. The key to a good ragù is to cook it low and slow so that the venison has time to break down and become super tender. The slow cooker is best for this. I like to serve mine over fresh pappardelle pasta, but any type of pasta will do. So gather up your ingredients and let’s get started!
First, you’ll need to sauté some bacon lardons. Pour some of the fat out of the pan and then cook onions, celery, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, and spices in some of the bacon fat. Then deglaze the pan with red wine and balsamic and pour it all over a venison roast in a crock pot with the bacon and crushed tomatoes. I have used thawed and frozen roasts, both work wonderfully.
8 hours later you have pure perfection. Serve over fresh pappardelle pasta and enjoy!
Serve Venison Ragù With Pasta
Once the venison is cooked in the sauce for 8 hours in your slow cooker, simply add the sauce to a pan with some pasta water and your favorite pasta and top with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Let it bubble a bit and serve. It’s that easy!
So if you’re looking for a delicious and comforting winter meal, give this venison ragù a try. I guarantee you’ll love it!
Variations on the Venison Ragù Recipe
The best part about this recipe is, it’s easy to make and can be tailored to your own preferences. I like to add a bit of red pepper flakes to mine, but you can omit that if you prefer. You can also swap out the venison for another type of meat, such as beef or pork. You can also serve this in polenta or as a filling for lasagna or ravioli!
No matter what ingredients you choose, this dish is guaranteed to be delicious. So go ahead and give it a try – you won’t be disappointed!
Other Recipe You’ll Love
The key to a good venison ragù is to cook it low and slow so that the venison has time to break down and become super tender. I like to serve mine over fresh pappardelle pasta, but any type of pasta will do. So gather up your ingredients and let’s get started!
Venison ragù can also be used as a filling for ravioli or lasagna. I like to make a double batch of this ragù and freeze half so that I always have some on hand for a quick and easy meal. Enjoy!
Print
Venison Ragù
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian American
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. thick cut bacon, cut into lardons (or ribbons)
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine – a dry, Italian red like a Chianti or Super Tuscan are best but what you have on hand will do
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 (3lb – or about this size) venison roast – thawed OR frozen works
- 2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- pasta – I like pappardelle, linguini or any wide noodle – this recipe serves 6-8 so if you’re serving it all at once you need 2lbs of pasta
Instructions
- Sauté the bacon lardons in a large pan over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set it aside on a paper towel lined plate.
- Pour all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat out of the pan and add the olive oil.
- Then cook onions, celery, carrots until they start to soften.
- Add the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, sugar and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Then deglaze the pan with red wine and balsamic.
- Add your venison roast to a slow cooker.
- Pour your veggie and wine mixture over the roast, sprinkle on all of the bacon and top with the crushed tomatoes.
- Set your slow cooker on low for 8 hours. It must be low for 8 hours.
- When the meat is tender, pull it apart and make your pasta according to the package directions.
- Top the pasta with the sauce and enjoy!
- I usually freeze half of the sauce in a zip top bag or airtight container if I’m just feeding my family. The sauce will keep for 6ish months frozen.
