Hunter's Stew with Spring Greens
Made with Fallow Deer, Black Bear, Beaver and Canadian Geese
"This food is a gift of Earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much hard and loving work" - Thich Nhat Hanh, How To Eat
It's an absolute privilege to have access to various wild animals to cook; some I've hunted, and some gifted. There's nothing I would say no to, which often means I'm finding odd ends and bits in the freezer. The simple solution is to put everything into one pot and simmer to create a stew. The result is always better than expected.
I started cooking Hank Shaw's Venison Green Stew a few years ago. Greek flavours such as ouzo liquor and oregano influenced the recipe. Unfortunately, I lacked several components and subbed many of the ingredients, but the result was still a fantastic bright and lemony stew. Every few months, I made a variation of the recipe, always using what I had readily in the kitchen. It still embodies Hank's original concept of clearing out the fridge and garden of all your spring foliage. However, the addition of star anise and ginger gave the broth resemblances to phở bò. Except this was more straightforward. There's no fussing with giant bones and temperamental rice noodles.
Sharing this recipe is a personal milestone in cooking because this recipe is genuinely a Jenny Ly original. I hope you use this recipe as a guide and transform it into your own hunter's stew with spring greens. Below are a few thoughts on how you can make it work with whatever is in your fridge.
Hot, Hot Tips!
Cuts of Meat
Over the years, I've made this one-pot-wonder with every kind of meat imaginable: caribou, moose, deer, beaver, black bear, Canadian geese, fallow deer and beef shanks. I highly recommend serving the stew with a drizzle of good olive oil if you're using lean wild game.
For ease of cooking, cut all the proteins into equal 2-inch cubes. If you're using bone-in cuts, follow the same steps and remove the bone-in meat once it's tender, pull the meat off the bones, and put it back into the pot.
The Greens
Like the protein, anything goes! If you're reading this and it's spring, freshly picked nettle and lambs quarter is a great nutrient-dense option. However, kale, spinach, en choy and snow pea leaves are also exceptional choices.
Time-Saving Suggestions
To speed up the cooking time, season the meat, and chop all the veggies the night before.
You can also make the stew ahead of time and refrigerate it. The key is to hold off on adding the tender leafy greens, lemon zest and lemon juice until the next day. When you reheat the pot, add in all the delicate parts that cook fast to give the final result a nice bright green colour and punchy lemony flavour.
The stew also freezes well and is a fantastic hearty meal for those lazy or strained days.
A Random Thought…
A note about the lime in the photo, because it drives my foodie friend and former roommate, Eric Ly, wild. The lime is a garnish, yes, there’s lemon juice in the recipe but no lime is mentioned. Before serving often I set the table with lime wedges, siracha, and extra herbs. All those garnishes are a way to clear the fridge of any sad-looking cilantro and squishy citrus.
Hunter's Stew with Spring Greens
Ingredients
Instructions
- Get a large dutch pot hot with enough oil to coat the bottom. Season meat with salt and pepper and sear in small batches. Rest seared meat on a plate.
- In the same pot, add the yellow onion. If things are too dry, add a few water drops to prevent burning and loosen up the bottom—Cook the onions until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add in garlic, fennel (only the tough bulb and stems), white parts of the green onion, and parsley stems. Season with fish sauce and chicken stock powder. Let it cook down until the veggies soften, about 20 minutes.
- Add back in the seared meat and all its juices. Add water until everything is submerged in 2 inches of liquid. Using a tea strainer put the star anise and ginger into your device and into the pot. If you don't have a strainer, toss the star anise and ginger directly into the pot. Bring contents to a boil, then turn the heat down to a low simmer. Keep the lid partially on while it gently cooks for 3 to 4 hours. The goal is to get each cut of meat tender. Depending on your proteins, it could take less or more time.
- Once the meat is tender scoop out stair anise and ginger. Then add leafy greens, parsley leaves, green onion, and fennel greens. Let it come to boil again, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add the zest and juice of one whole lemon and give it a stir. Do a final tasting and adjust with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls and serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. It will add a gorgeous depth. Serve with crusty bread. Tuck in and enjoy!
