Halal-conscious recipe
Venison stew without wine
A slow-cooked stew of Halal venison with shallots, carrots, celery, juniper and thyme, made with extra stock instead of red wine.
Each method follows published technique for the dish, and every Halal substitution is checked against the ingredient pages we cite. Photographs come from our ingredient library rather than the finished dish.
Photo: Key West Wedding Photography · CC BY 2.0
Why Halal checks matter here
Deer is a permitted animal, so the question is how it was killed, which scholars differ on for hunted deer; the stew is also made with red wine and beef stock.
Venison comes from deer, a permitted animal, so the Halal question is how it was killed. Scholars differ on a deer shot by a hunter: Darul Iftaa Chicago permits it when Allah's name is said at the time of shooting, while most Deobandi scholars require the throat to be cut properly afterwards. Halal-certified venison avoids the question.
This version follows Samuel Goldsmith's easy venison stew for BBC Good Food. The source adds 250 ml of red wine and simmers it to cook off the alcohol; this site does not treat cooked-off wine as Halal, so the stew uses the same amount of extra stock or water. Use a Halal beef stock or a vegetable stock (see stock cubes).
The stew simmers for about 2 hours until the venison falls apart, and freezes for up to three months.
Halal-critical ingredients
- Venison Deer is a permitted animal, so the question is the killing. Darul Iftaa Chicago permits a deer shot with Allah's name said at the time of shooting even if it dies before the hunter reaches it; most Deobandi scholars, as MuftiSays reports, require the throat to be cut properly after a rifle kill. Buy venison from a Halal butcher or with Halal certification, or ask how a hunted deer was killed and follow your school. See Venison.
- Red wine The published recipe adds 250 ml of red wine and simmers it 'to cook off the alcohol'. This site does not treat cooked-off wine as Halal. Use the same amount of extra stock or water, as here. See Wine.
- Beef stock Beef stock cubes and pots contain beef fat or extract that is not shown to be Halal. Use a Halal-certified beef stock or a vegetable stock labelled vegan or vegetarian. See Stock cubes.
Safe substitutes
- 250 ml red wine → 250 ml extra stock or water
- Beef stock of unknown source → Halal-certified beef stock or a vegetable stock
Allergens
gluten (flour), celery
Ingredients
Stew
- 800 g diced Halal venison (shoulder or leg)
- 2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
- 12 shallots, peeled
- 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 250 ml extra Halal beef or vegetable stock, or water (instead of red wine)
- 500 ml Halal beef stock or vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- a few thyme sprigs
- to taste chopped parsley, to serve (optional)
Method
- Brown the venison. Season the venison. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and brown the meat all over in batches. Set aside.
- Soften the vegetables. Add the rest of the oil, then the shallots, carrots and celery, and cook over a medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes until softened.
- Add the flour and liquid. Stir the venison back in, sprinkle over the flour and stir to coat everything. Cook for a couple of minutes, then pour in the extra stock or water and the 500 ml stock, topping up with 100 to 200 ml water if needed to cover.
- Simmer. Add the tomato purée, juniper, bay and thyme and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down so it is just bubbling and cook for about 2 hours, until the meat falls apart easily.
- Serve. Scatter with parsley if you like. The stew keeps frozen for up to three months; defrost fully before reheating.
How this recipe was researched
Method adapted from BBC Good Food's 'Easy venison stew' by Samuel Goldsmith (serves 6: 800 g diced venison browned in oil in batches; 12 shallots, 3 carrots and 2 celery sticks softened 10 to 12 minutes; 3 tbsp flour stirred in; 250 ml red wine simmered 'to cook off the alcohol'; 500 ml beef stock, topped up with 100 to 200 ml water if needed, tomato purée, juniper, bay and thyme; simmered about 2 hours until the meat falls apart). We specified Halal venison, replaced the wine with the same amount of extra stock or water, and asked for a Halal beef or vegetable stock. Timings follow the published technique rather than a kitchen test.
Technique and ingredient sources
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Easy venison stew — BBC Good Food
Retrieved:
By Samuel Goldsmith. Serves 6, prep 25 minutes, cook 2 hours 30 minutes: 800 g diced venison, shallots, carrots and celery, flour, 250 ml red wine, 500 ml beef stock, tomato purée, juniper, bay and thyme, simmered about 2 hours. We replaced the wine with extra stock or water.
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Venison analysis — isithalal.food
Retrieved:
Hunted and farmed deer, and what the schools say about a rifle kill.