Lynn's Venison Stew

• 4 slices bacon
• 3 pounds venison cut into about 1-inch cubes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups thinly sliced onions
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1½ cups beef (or venison) broth
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can beer (your choice!)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. On the stovetop, in a large Dutch oven or braising pan, cook the bacon until crisp.

Remove bacon, leaving drippings in the pan -- let bacon dry on paper towel, then crumble it up. With heat at medium-high, add venison, salt and pepper to the pan and brown well on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, stir well and cook about half a minute more.

Remove the venison with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. After a minute the juices will start to release, then, while holding the meat in the bowl (with your hand, a spoon or a small plate), pour off as much liquid as you can back into the pan.

Lower the heat to medium, add the sliced onions to the pan, cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir the flour into the onions, continuing to stir for two minutes until well mixed.

Add the venison broth and stir well.

A add the thyme, the bay leaf and the beer, stir again and bring to a low boil.

Return the venison and crumbled bacon to the pan, stirring well to mix it all up.

Cover the pan and place in the oven.

Cook at 325 for 2 hours, stir well, then lower the heat and cook at 300 for about another hour and a half.

Thanks to Bob at the Beacon News