Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes is full of sweet heat and chipotle flavors. A quick cook stew recipe with delicious and tender results! Sweet Potatoes and smoky chipotle venison flavors combine in this stew to make a hearty Paleo meal for your family in just 1 hour!
This venison recipe can be prepped in under 10 minutes and has a 20 minute cooking time. It is ready to eat in just an hour. The Instant Pot cooking method makes the venison stew meat super tender. So much so it practically falls apart.
My Inspiration for Chipotle Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes
When I was working outside of the home, I would sometimes buy frozen meals for my lunch. Because I was so much the cook and baker, my co-workers always would question why I was eating a frozen dinner!
The answer was simple. I don't cook every night and the one particular frozen dinner that I would buy was super tasty. So much so, I don't know I would have guessed it was from the freezer if someone made it and set it on a plate in front of me! I love that meal so much, I knew one day I would re-create it in my own home.
What you need to make this recipe
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Venison Stew Meat: Because this is a tough cut, the Instant Pot or slow cooker is the best way to cook it. I love both methods, but I admit, the Instant Pot has become my favorite overall.
Sweet Potatoes: This is the best potato to use for the flavor combination.
Chipotle Peppers with Adobo Sauce: The smoky flavor and heat from these smoked jalapenos are very unique and something you won't want to substitute. It is what makes this recipe so delicious.
Maple Syrup: You need a little bit of sweetener added to this recipe in order to counteract the heat. It is a really nice compliment.
Chili Powder: I like dark red chili powder. My favorite is this one.
Cumin: I am addicted to cumin. Did you know this was the ground seed of the cilantro plant? No wonder. I love cilantro also. Don't skip it, it adds a great level of flavor to this stew.
Equipment needed to make this recipe
Instant Pot: Also known as an electric pressure cooker. It is my choice of cooking method for this recipe. However, a slow cooker can be used also.
A good cutting knife: This knife will need to cut through the sweet potato (they can be difficult to cut!) as well as for trimming the silver skin from the venison.
Variations to this Instant Pot Venison Stew
- Most people like to put onions carrots and garlic in their stews. I omitted the carrot because of the sweet potato and didn't feel that garlic was necessary due to the chipotle flavors.
- Beef or vegetable broth can be subbed for the chicken broth. However, I don't recommend trying red wine. Although it goes great with venison, save it for the table here. Or make my Crockpot Venison Stew recipe instead.
- Use butternut squash in place of sweet potatoes.
- Out of venison stew meat? Try using ground venison burger instead!
Instant Pot Tips for this Venison Stew Recipe
Pressure Cooking meat can be the best thing that ever happened to it, and to your taste buds! For this recipe there a couple of things you should remember.
Saute Setting: The saute setting is used to soften and cook the onion. It is also used to brown the stew meat, not to fully cook it. You want to sear the outside of the meat, then fully cook it under pressure.
Release Valve: Once all of the ingredients are in the Instant Pot, make sure that the release valve is in the locked position. This is what traps the steam that will cook the stew to perfection.
Natural Release: Let the Instant Pot do a natural release. Since this is wild game meat, you want to be sure it is cooked to perfection and the locked-in steam will help the tenderness.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Venison Stew
Whenever you have a delicious stew, you always want something to soak up all the delicious broth that is left in the bowl.
For low carb dieters, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower is a great choice. Paleo dieters can follow the same recipe, except substitute ghee for the butter.
Those not on a low carb diet may like to enjoy a slice of this Homemade Soft Bread slathered with a little butter.
Other Venison Recipes you may like
If you like this Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potato recipe, you may also be interested in some other venison recipes we love!
Low Carb and Keto Friendly Venison Recipes
BBQ Cheddar Venison Meatloaves is one of our favorites and a go-to when I am having company for dinner. The cheesy meatloaf sweet barbecue sauce topping is a delicious combination.
My next choice is this easy to make and really delicious Venison Sloppy Joes recipe. Sweet and tangy, just like a Sloppy Joe should be!
Venison Meatball Alfredo is a creamy and delicious comfort food meal that also works in this Meatball Alfredo Pizza recipe!
Non-Keto Venison Recipes
Unique but delicious, this Spicy Asian Venison Bowl will impress anyone who fills their bowl with this meal.
Venison Pot Stickers are not only an Asian take on an appetizer that is made with venison, but is so easy to make and super yummy!
*If you made this Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes, please leave a star rating*
Instant Pot Venison Stew with Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1-½ lb venison stew meat Array
- 2 large sweet potatoes diced
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chili powder Array
- ½ tbsp ground cumin Array
- 1 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt Array
- 2 cups chicken broth Array
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes Array
- 2 tbsp chipotle with adobo sauce Array
- 1 tbsp maple syrup Array
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot onto the saute setting.
- Add onions and saute 2 minutes, or until they become translucent
- Toss the venison stew meat with the chili powder, ground cumin, and salt.
- Add the venison stew meat with seasonings to the instant pot and saute until stew is browned on all sides.
- Cancel the saute setting
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and maple syrup.
- Stir in the sweet potatoes.
- Seal the instant pot lid and make sure the release valve is in the locked position.
- Set the manual timer for 30 minutes.
- Let the Instant Pot slow release. After 30 minutes, the stew is ready to serve.
How many sweet potatoes do you recommend using? I don't see them listed in the ingredients....
Hi Jalena, it is two large sweet potatoes, diced. Enjoy!
Excellent alternative venison stew recipe! Sweet potatoes are a great stew alternative to white potatoes and carrots and celery. Meat was very tender and the adobo pepper sauce adds just the right amount of heat to warm you on a cold night!
Note:. Instructions omit adding the chicken stock at step 6 or 7.
Hi Ron, thanks, glad you enjoyed the recipe! Shelby
Recipe instructions don't include the chicken broth, I assume I just put that in at the end before turning on the Instant Pot?
Hi Jacci, the chicken broth is listed first in step 6. Thanks, and enjoy!
Shelby!
We love this recipe.
My only error was using the whole 7oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo lol. But we like spicy and it turned out fabulous.
Hi Tammy, thank you for letting me know! So glad you love the recipe! Shelby
Tried in pressure cooker and was great want to try w besr meat in slow cooker........how would you vary in slow cooker as far as adding chilis and syrup later in cooking process?
Hi Nathan, glad you enjoyed the recipe! As for a bear meat, I am not familiar with using it, however, I personally would follow the steps the same as instant pot (do the saute of veggies and sear meat first) and then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6.
Really enjoyed this. Excellent flavors. I made the mistake of chopping the sweet potatoes too small but will remember next time. I added a can of black beans once everything was cooked, which was a perfect compliment.
Hi Myrna, so glad you enjoyed he recipe! Shelby