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Skillet Slow Cooker Bison and Wild Rice Stew, Easy High Protein Fall Dinners the Whole Family Will Actually Eat
Brittany Stage

Slow Cooker Bison and Wild Rice Stew

Ground bison and wild rice simmer low and slow with onion, celery, and a savory broth seasoned with Worcestershire and garlic for a hearty fall stew with real staying power. Frozen peas stirred in at the end finish the pot with a little color and sweetness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs ground bison
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend rinsed under cold water
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 stalks celery sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas stirred in during the last 20 minutes
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped, for serving

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • 6-quart slow cooker
  • wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground bison and break it up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully browned and no pink remains. Bison is very lean, so there will be minimal fat to drain. Pour off any excess liquid if needed.
  2. Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet with the browned bison. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the onion begins to look translucent around the edges. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute until the tomato paste smells slightly sweet and caramelized.
  3. Transfer the bison and vegetable mixture to the slow cooker. Add the rinsed wild rice blend, diced carrots, beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together until the tomato paste is evenly distributed through the broth.
  4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The stew is ready when the wild rice is fully cooked through and tender but still has a slight chew to it, and the broth has thickened a bit from the starches in the rice. If the stew looks too thick, stir in an extra splash of broth or water.
  5. About 20 minutes before serving, stir in the frozen peas. Replace the lid and let them warm through. They do not need long, just enough time to heat up and turn a bright, vivid green.
  6. Taste the stew and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into deep bowls, scatter a little fresh parsley over the top, and serve with thick slices of crusty bread for soaking up the broth.

Notes

Wild rice takes longer to cook than white or brown rice, so make sure you are using a true wild rice or wild rice blend and giving the slow cooker the full cook time. If you only have quick-cooking wild rice, reduce the cook time by about 1 hour and check for doneness early.