How to Cook Venison Using a Pressure Cooker

Whether you bagged it yourself or got it from a hunter friend, a hunk of venison is a cook's treasure. You won't see it in the butcher shop or on the supermarket shelf, but it's definitely a treat on your table. Using a pressure cooker ensures a tender and tasty roast. As an added bonus, you can make chili or a stew in a fraction of the time for traditional cooking methods.

• One 4- to 6-pound venison roast
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or bacon grease
  
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  
• 2 medium white onions, chopped
  
• 8 medium red potatoes, halved, but not peeled
• 2 cups beer
  
• 1 cup beef or venison broth
• 1 tablespoon flour
  
• 1 tablespoon butter

Trim the roast of all fat to reduce the gamey flavor and then rub all sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, sear the roast in oil or bacon fat; transfer to a platter. Add garlic and onion to the skillet, and sauté only until softened.

Place the roast in the pan and add the onions, potatoes, beer and broth.

Place the lid on the pressure cooker set to high pressure. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes.

When the roast is finished, allow it to cool in the pressure cooker before opening. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for how long to wait before opening the pot.

Remove the roast from the pot and place it on a platter; tent it with foil.

In a skillet, make a roux by mixing the flour and butter together and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Ladle in juices from the cooker, still stirring, until you have created a gravy that coats the backside of a spoon. Reduce heat to low simmer and stir occasionally while you slice the roast.

• For stew, cut the meat in 1-inch cubes and sear. Along with the roast ingredients, add two peeled and sliced carrots and one large stalk of celery, diagonally sliced. You may find that red wine will add a robust dimension to the stew. If the stew is not thick enough for your taste, use the roux method to add some body.
  
• For chili, use dried beans as canned beans will turn to mush in a pressure cooker. First, soak a bag of white beans either overnight or by the quick method. . Cut the meat into thin 1-inch long strips; season and sear. Use the basic veggies in the recipe, omitting the potatoes, but add three sliced jalapenos and substitute 2 cups canned stewed tomatoes for the broth. Add 2 tablespoons each chili powder and ground cumin. Stick with the beer for this recipe as well.