Looking for an easy, tasty Instant Pot® stew recipe? You got it with this moose stew! It’s loaded with chunks of moose, lots of vegetables and it’s all bathed in a rich, savoury gravy. Served with a hunk of bread, it makes for one hearty, satisfying dinner.
I was lucky enough to get my little hands on a roast of moose meat from my parents so I figured what better way to use it than in a comforting stew. And it just so happened that hubby gave me an Instant Pot for Christmas so it was like the stars aligned!
Of course, you could totally make this moose stew in the oven or slow cooker, but it will take hours longer. Not a big deal, but if you are wanting to enjoy this sooner, the Instant Pot certainly helps.
You don’t see a whole lot of traditional Newfoundland recipes on here, but I do share the occasional one because they are super delicious! And moose stew is definitely popular around here. It’s not something that you would find in local restaurants or anything. It’s typically made at home when moose meat is accessible.
I didn’t grow up eating moose and, honestly, don’t eat it a lot now (because it’s not something that one could normally buy in the grocery alongside beef or pork).
As a child, I didn’t go for it because it was different. Ya know, kinda like a kid that won’t eat broccoli because it’s green or something. Funny how we get over that, isn’t it? When it’s available these days, it’s definitely a real treat.
This moose stew is one of those recipes that when you taste test it straight from the pot you end up doing a little kitchen dance.
Is that just me?
What Is Moose Meat? What Does Moose Meat Taste Like?
Moose is a large member of the deer family. Though moose can be found throughout Newfoundland & Labrador, moose aren’t native to this province. They were introduced here in the late 1800’s and now they run wild throughout the province.
The texture of moose meat is similar to that of beef, though it’s leaner. If you enjoy beef and other gamier meats like deer (venison), then you will probably enjoy moose meat as well.
Of course, moose meat was used in this Instant Pot stew, but you could easily substitute with beef if you can’t access moose meat where you are.
How To Make Stew Using Moose Meat
Making this Instant Pot moose stew is simple! It requires some pantry staples and some moose meat, of course.
This one is nice and rustic and is delicious for a weekend dinner or special enough for entertaining family and friends. Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics to make this stew:
- Brown the seasoned meat chunks in batches.
- Cook onion and garlic along with salt, pepper and herbs.
- Stir in tomato paste and deglaze with wine.
- Place the remainder of ingredients into the pot with stock (except balsamic vinegar, peas and cornstarch slurry) and cook.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and peas.
- Mix in the cornstarch slurry to thicken the stew.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Tips and Variations for Making This Moose Stew
- After trimming the moose roast, I had about 1.5 pounds of meat.
- Cut the veggies into large chunks. This works best for stew and for the Instant Pot. As everything is pressure cooked, you need larger chunks so your veggies don’t go to mush.
- I used red wine to deglaze, but if you’d rather just use stock, that’s okay too.
- Unsalted beef stock was used. If you use anything otherwise, you may have to use less salt than what’s suggested in the recipe.
- To thicken the stew, I used a cornstarch slurry at the end. I used 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of cold water. Use anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with equal parts cold water, depending on how thick you want the stew.
- Don’t have Herbes de Provence? Use an equal mixture of dried thyme and rosemary.
- Don’t have moose meat? No worries! Make this recipe using beef or venison.
What To Serve With Stew
Of course, this moose stew is a meal all in itself, but in my opinion you’ve got to serve with a big hunk of homemade bread for dunking. Soak up all that goodness, ya know?
If you want to make it an even more substantial meal, a side salad also works.
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Traditional Newfoundland Cod Au Gratin
- Newfoundland Salt Cod Fish Cakes
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham
If you try this easy moose stew recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Moose Stew With Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds moose roast (meat only), cut into 1.5 to 2-inch chunks (fat and silverskin removed)
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 1.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided (approximately). You can use canola oil instead of avocado oil if you wish.
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 teaspoons Herbes de Provence
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 4 cups unsalted beef stock/broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 ribs celery, cut into large chunks
- 1.5 cups baby potatoes, halved (about ¾ pound)
- 1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup frozen peas, optional
- 2 to 4 tablespoons cornstarch, depending on how thick you want your stew
- 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water, depending on how thick you want your stew
- Chopped fresh parsley, garnish to taste (optional)
- Chopped fresh thyme leaves, garnish to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Pat moose chunks dry of any excess moisture with paper towels (this will make for better browning). Season the moose with ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
- Turn Instant Pot to "Sauté." (I used an 8-quart Instant Pot.)Note: Settings may vary on your Instant Pot, depending on the model. Please refer to the manufacturer's guide on how to use your Instant Pot.
- Adjust the [+] or [-] button to set the timer to 25 minutes (adjust if you need less or more time to brown the chunks of moose meat). Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil to Instant Pot.
- Once the avocado oil is hot, add moose chunks and brown in batches (don't overcrowd the pot). Brown about 5 to 6 minutes per batch, adding 1 tablespoon of avocado oil (roughly) per batch (I had 3 batches, transferring the browned chunks to a plate while continuing batches). Note: Moose is not cooked at this point, we're just adding a little colour to the outside of the meat.
- Return all moose chunks to pot, along with any reserved juices. Add onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper and Herbes de Provence. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add tomato paste, stir, and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze with wine, getting all those yummy bits on the bottom of your pot. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add beef stock, bay leaves, carrots, celery, potatoes and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Stir. If there is any time left on the timer, press "Cancel."
- Close and lock lid. Set the vent on the lid to "Sealing" (steam valve in closed position). Ensure you follow the manufacturer's guide for closing and locking the lid.
- Next, select the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" (high setting) button (depending on which model you have). Adjust the [+] or [-] button to set the timer to 35 minutes (it may take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes or so to come to pressure before the 35 minutes starts to count down).
- After the pressure cook cycle is up, use the Instant Pot Natural Release method to release steam before unlocking and removing the lid (refer to the manufacturer's guide, if necessary). When it's ready, unlock and remove lid, being careful of any remaining steam (ensure you follow the manufacturer's guide for unlocking and removing the lid).
- Stir in balsamic vinegar and peas.
- Turn Instant Pot to "Sauté" and adjust the [+] or [-] button to set the timer to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a cup mix together an equal amount of cornstarch and cold water and stir into stew (I mixed 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of water). Bring to a simmer a cook until the stew has thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves.
- To serve, divide the stew into bowls and garnish (if desired) with parsley and thyme. Enjoy!
Notes
- After trimming the moose roast, I had about 1.5 pounds of meat.
- Cut moose meat into large-ish chunks, about 1.5 to 2 inch chunks. Cut against the grain. Trim any silver skin or fat.
- Pat moose meat chunks dry with paper towels.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot when browning the meat or the meat will sweat and not get that nice brown exterior. Work in batches and add avocado oil as necessary between batches.
- Those crispy bits on the bottom of the pan after browning? Deglaze with wine or stock (scraping them up with appropriate utensil for the pot you are using) and use those bits in your stew or sauce.
- Don’t have Herbes de Provence? Use an equal mixture of dried thyme and rosemary.
- To thicken, I used a cornstarch slurry at the end. I used 4 tablespoons of cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of cold water. Use anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with equal parts cold water, depending on how thick you want the stew.
- Ensure you are familiar with the manufacturer recommended operating instructions and know how to properly/safely use your Instant Pot (or any kitchen appliance/device/tool you are using).
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Peter says
Great recipe! I cook moose meat a lot and this is one of the best recipes I have ever used. Thanks for sharing it!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Wow, thank you kindly, Peter! That’s so wonderful to hear!
Kim Thompson says
Delicious! Tender and tasty, just like stew that takes hours to make!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Thank you very much, Kim! That’s lovely to hear!
Janice Chilcoat says
I exclusively cook with game meat and this is THE BEST stew recipe I have ever found. It is perfectly savory and rich and just the right amount of seasoning. I appreciate a recipe with salt and pepper measurements instead of “season to taste” at the end ! Thanks so much.
Dawn | Girl Heart Food says
Oh my goodness, thank you very much for the kind words, Janice! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!