SLOW COOKER RED CHILI VENISON NECK ROAST
Updated: May 4
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This easy venison neck roast recipe delivers incredible results with a minimal amount of effort by way of a crock pot. Deer necks are one of the ultimate cuts of meat for making a fork tender protein that's easily shredded apart. In the past, a lot of hunters would either leave this delicious meat in the field or just add it to the grind pile for making deer burger. If there is anyone still out there underestimating the possibilities of this cut, I hope that this venison recipe will change their mind or at least second guess themselves.
WHAT IS A NECK ROAST?
Contrary to belief, a venison neck roast isn't prepared in the fashion that many people would expect. When you think of the word "roast", especially when it pertains to a singular primal hunk of meat, one tends to imagine cooking the meat in the oven until a nice brown crust has formed and you reach that perfect internal temperature.
Well when it comes to deer necks, that method won't cut it. The neck contains lots of connective tissue and must be cooked with moist heat at some point during the cooking process, which also makes it perfect for venison stew. Think of how you would cook pot roast using beef, the method for deer isn't much different. So when we use the words "neck roast", we are referring to the neck being left whole, with the spinal cord still intact, not the actual cooking method itself.
HOW TO COOK A DEER NECK ROAST | TIPS AND TACTICS
Like cooking venison shanks, you have different options for attaining color and tenderness.
1. Cook Bone-In or Deboned?
You have two options for prepping deer neck roasts before cooking. You can either leave in the neck bone or remove/ debone it. I won't lie, if you're not too handy with a knife, removing the bone from a neck can be time-consuming if you're trying to use every single ounce of meat. I prefer to cook the whole venison neck with the bone in when I'm making simple roasts. I know that there is some concern with the passing of chronic wasting disease (CWD) on to humans, but as of today, there have been no proven cases of this happening. So ultimately the choice is up to you whether to remove the spine or not. Just be sure to do your research on the CWD subject matter. If you want to try a boneless version, check out my smoked venison neck.
2. To Sear First or To Sear Last?
There is no hard-set rule for when to add a crust to your meat. You can either do this before it is slow cooking or braised in liquid or after. If you plan on doing it before, my favorite way is to use a pan or pot on the stove top, that way I can deglaze if I'm feeling fancy.
If you just want to get the meat in the pot and worry about it later, I think the best way is charing the meat in the oven under the broiler on all sides. I choose the broiler after the meat has already been braised until tender because it is easier to handle. You can simply move the meat to a roasting pan or baking pan, drizzle with a little olive oil and your broiler does most of the work. If you try adding it to a hot pan on the stove, it has a tendency to stick and fall apart. If you plan on shredding the meat a part anyway, this pan method really isn't an issue.
3. Choose Your Cooking Vessel
While this is a slow cooker recipe, you also have the option of cooking the meat on your stovetop in a big pot or large Dutch oven fitted with a lid or braise it in your oven. Whichever route you decide to take, just remember that low and slow is your ticket to fork tender venison neck meat or any good pot roast for that matter.
4. Want a Juicier Neck?
One of the most overlooked ways to ensure that you end up with a juicy and delicious venison neck roast is to let it rest overnight in the braising liquid. The meat has a chance to relax and absorb more of the liquid and flavors by doing this. And as with most slow cooked dishes, the flavors greatly improve by letting them rest a day or two in the refrigerator. Just make sure that when you reheat, do so with a relatively low heat. Reheat on low in your crock pot or on your stovetop and if reheating in your oven, 325 degrees F is a good temperature.
HOW LONG TO SLOW COOK A WHOLE NECK ROAST?
This recipe is based on a typical whitetail deer, antelope, or mule deer neck. If you're using something much larger like an elk or moose neck, you're going to need to adjust the cooking time and use a large slow cooker. And as with most wild game meats, there are no "exact" cooking times due to the direct makeups of the animals. So use these times as a guideline and modify them if needed, but for the most part, these times are usually spot-on.
Cook a small to medium-sized roast on the low setting for 10 to 12 hours or on the high setting for 8 to 10 hours.
Cook large roasts on the low setting for 12 to 13 hours and on the high setting for 10 to 12 hours.
I recommend flipping the roast around the halfway point of cooking and adding liquid if needed in order to keep the liquid level to around the 3/4 mark of the meat. It's not a bad idea to ladle a little cooking liquid over the meat a few times during the cooking process if you're up for it. It helps with the juiciness but isn't necessary.
CAN I USE DIFFERENT CUTS OF DEER MEAT?
You can absolutely use different cuts of venison for this recipe. You're basically looking for a less-popular cut that has a fair amount of connective tissue like silver skin and tendons. These connective tissues break down and help aid in yielding tender meat that is to be shredded. They also melt down in the cooking liquid offering great flavor and body to broths.
Other cuts to use are the venison shank, shoulders, or deer ribs that have been cut in half horizontally.
TIPS FOR MAXIMIZING FLAVOR
Use whole dried chilis and then toast them to release their natural flavors.
Add fresh herbs at the end of cooking to add some brightness to the dish. I like to stir in chopped cilantro and oregano a few minutes before serving.
When cooking with dishes that contain dried chilis, you can add a little sugar, honey, or agave syrup at the end of cooking to help mellow out any bitterness that has developed.
For a thicker sauce instead of a broth, try adding a little masa harina. Make a masa slurry by adding 1/4 cup of masa harina mixed with just enough water to have a thin paste. After the roast has finished cooking, remove it from the slow cooker and pour the masa paste into your cooking liquid, and stir until it has dissolved. You can repeat this process until you reach the consistency that you're looking for. I like to add enough masa paste until I have the thickness of a delicious gravy. And don't worry if you accidentally make it too thick, you can always add in a little water or stock to thin it back out.
Looking for other venison recipes? These are a few of my favorites:
Lastly, if you make this venison neck roast recipe, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you've made.
Slow Cooker Red Chili Venison Neck Roast
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 8 to 12 Hours
Servings: 3 to 4
Author: Larry White
INGREDIENTS
For the Chili Base
4 guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and roughly torn (or 4 tablespoons chili powder)
2 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and roughly torn (or 2 tablespoons chili powder)
6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
For the Deer Roast
1 whole venison neck
1 onion, sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 to 10 small Yukon gold potatoes, left whole
1 cup of canned chickpeas (optional)
1 1/2 to 2 quarts stock (venison, chicken or beef broth)
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil for searing the meat
INSTRUCTIONS
Dry the venison neck with paper towels.
Heat a large deep skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add in the olive oil. Once the oil starts to lightly smoke, add in the neck. Sear on all sides of the roast, until the surface of the roast is nicely browned. Remove from the heat and set to the side.
Toast the chiles. In a large dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the chilies until they are fragrant and have lightly darkened. About 5 minutes. If you opt for using chili powder, you can skip this step along with steps 4 and 5.
Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak them for around 15 minutes or until soft.
Drain the chiles and reserve the soaking liquid.
Add the chilies or chili powder along with all the other chili base ingredients to a blender. Add enough of the soaking liquid to make a thick sauce. If using chili powder, simply use hot water to make the paste. You can also use a dark Mexican beer in place of the soaking liquid for pureeing the base.
Place the onions, carrots, and potatoes in the slow cooker. Place the deer neck on top of the vegetables.
Pour the pureed chili base over the deer meat and vegetables.
Pour in enough stock to cover the meat around 3/4 of the way. If you run out of stock, you can use water or a dark Mexican beer such as Negro Modelo.
Cover with the lid and cook on the high setting between 8 and 10 hours or cook on the low setting between 10 and 12 hours. Add water or stock if the liquid level falls below the 3/4 mark on the meat. If you have the time, flip the meat over halfway during the cooking process. After the recommended cooking times are over and the meat isn't quite fork-tender, let it cook for another hour and repeat if needed.
Check for seasoning. Season with salt, pepper or sugar as needed. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve immediately or let rest overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
COOK NOTES + TIPS
To Make a Gravy
In a bowl combine a 1/4 cup of masa harina and enough water or cooking liquid to make a thin paste.
Remove the venison and vegetables from the crock pot.
Place the slow cooker on the high setting.
Whisk in the masa slurry into the cooking liquid until it has dissolved. Cover with the lid and let cook for 15 minutes. Repeat the slurry process if you'd like a thicker gravy. If you make it too thick, you can thin it out with water or stock.
Taste for any seasoning adjustments, Add salt and pepper if needed. If you think the gravy is bitter, you can add in a little sugar or honey.
Alternatively, you can pour the cooking liquid into a pot to make the gravy instead of using your slow cooker.
