HELP with preparing a good meal...

In the same pan as the roast put in about 5 big carrots cut into 3 in pieces, about 10 red skin potatoes cut in half, thick wedges of about 3 large red onions.  Put them in the bottom of the pan and the drippings, etc. from the roast will season them, but you can also add a little salt and pepper. 

I don't know if I would also serve the chicken broccoli casserole..but that's just me...

I have never made Venison Roast but I have made beef roast a lot and I am sure it is about the same concept.  Not sure how much venison you have made or eaten but I know sometimes it can taste wild.  I have heard 2 things about taking the wild taste out.  My mother and father in law soak theirs in an ice cooler  with ice for days, changing out the ice every day until there isn't much blood left.  The other option, which is what I have done before, is to let it defrost in milk.  That is not as long of a process and they also told me that is another way to do it.

As far as cooking it in the crock pot, I basically put my roast in the crock pot on low in the morning sometime.....I think total cooking time is anywhere b/w 6-8 hours.  I sometimes brown it in the skillet then put it in the crock pot on low and just cover it with beef broth.  Sometime when I am lazy (usually) I skip browning it at all and just put it right into the crock pot.  I am sure you could use water as well as it will make it's own broth.  The other thing I add, which my friend that never cooks told me about but it is so good, is a package of brown gravy mix.  I usually add large pieces of onion, chopped garlic a TBSP or two and even carrots then too....just as many as I want.  At some point I turn it up to high to get it to a boil but then I turn it back down to low for the rest of the cooking time.  Then when there is about 2-3 hours left I will add potatoes if I am doing that but I typically make mashed potatoes on the side with roast and use the gravy from the roast on them b/c I have a hard time getting the potatoes right when I add them to the meat. 

What I learned, that is one of the keys to a good roast, is that you want your roast to be falling apart.  That is when it is the best and that happend from cooking it for a long time until it is at this point.  Also, something else I learned from all the cooking shows I have watched over the years is you always cut against the grain of the meat.  This makes a big difference in how chewy it is.  Sounds crazy, but those two last tid bits of info have made all the difference in my roast cooking skills.  Ever since I started doing those two things, it doesn't really matter how I prepared it, people LOVE my roast.  Remember though, I am talking beef....I would make sure from your family that it is basically the same with Venison.  I would also check with your family about what types of seasoning go best with Venison. 

I think the main difference is that it has less fat and is more wild tasting.  I know this is how I would probably prepare a Venison Roast since I don't really ever fry anything and that is the only other way I have ever had it besides grilled or ground in chili which is my absolute favorite!

I can't wait to hear how it turns out with whatever you do!

Edit:  Other sides I might add would be roasted asparagus or mashed potatoes or you can also skip the potatoes in the roast or mashed and just do a box or two of the scalloped potatoes (the fancy name for cheesy potatoes) from the store.  The directions are on the box.  Mashed potatoes are so easy though and so good with the roast gravy on them! 

Venison is very, very low in fat content.  You need to make sure that you put some liquid in with it.

When I cook a roast (in the crock pot or the oven) I use 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup and two packets of onion soup mix.  Mix it together in a bowl and add about a soup can of water.  Then pour it over the roast, carrots, and potatoes.  I would probably leave it in the crockpot on low for 5 or 6 hours.

If you really want to cook the roast in the oven, why not buy a $3.00 aluminum, disposable roasting pans from the grocery store.  When the roast is done, transfer it to a serving dish & you're set.

Thanks for the tips!

Sarah, I've probably eaten more venison in my life than all other meats combined, lol.  I love the wild taste. My dad said he would butcher me the best roast they have, and I think so far this season we have about 5 deer to choose from.

I wonder if I even have a knife for cutting a roast.... 

On another thread someone mentioned that they did chicken breasts in a slow cooker and they came out so dry they were almost inedible because chicken breasts have very little fat.  If venison is a very lean meat, you might want to talk to some people who cook it regularly to see if they have any tips for you. The idea of buying a cheap, disposable roasting pan is a good one.  After you use it, just toss  it. No scrubbing required.

Joyce

fuzzy_dogs_mom

The idea of buying a cheap, disposable roasting pan is a good one.  After you use it, just toss  it. No scrubbing required.

Joyce

Thank you for saying that, Joyce.  I felt like I might be the only person who uses disposable pans.  (I really hate the clean up.)

BEVOLASVEGAS

fuzzy_dogs_mom

The idea of buying a cheap, disposable roasting pan is a good one.  After you use it, just toss  it. No scrubbing required.

Joyce

Thank you for saying that, Joyce.  I felt like I might be the only person who uses disposable pans.  (I really hate the clean up.)

You aren't the only one at all...I use them anytime I have to take a dish somewhere.  It is so much easier than having to clean it!....or bring it home dirty and clean it.  At home I use the ones I own but they usually sit in the sink overnight soaking of they bad enough.

What temp does the oven need?  It's a gas oven, normal elevation. 

come on, dont we all have 350 dollar french copper roasting pans  

 If I were you, I'd go with the crockpot.  You will have a better chance of success because the timing isn't as critical.  There are also some seasoning packets in the spice aisle of the grocery store.  Some are made specially for crockpot roasts. 

Pork tenderloin is easy, and delicious! I always brown mine in oil, then put it in the oven...still in the skillet with a lid and some water for about 2 hours.

Liesje

Thanks for the tips!

Sarah, I've probably eaten more venison in my life than all other meats combined, lol.  I love the wild taste. My dad said he would butcher me the best roast they have, and I think so far this season we have about 5 deer to choose from.

I wonder if I even have a knife for cutting a roast.... 

I'm not trying to make it more complicated than necessary, but I can tell you that I've had coworkers who probably wouldn't have been comfortable with something like venison, especially if it had a wild/gamey taste. I know that some people would say "too bad, don't eat it" but if you don't have an alternative....they go hungry. Just something to consider . You could have a pan of Stouffers lasagna as a standby for those folks.

I've never cooked venison,but I'd definitely use a few cups of liquid (beef broth or red wine) whether you roast it in the crockpot or the oven. I'm a fan of spices, so I'd probably add some garlic cloves and spices also.

What I do when I'm unsure of a recipe is I google it, find the 3 or 4 that look tastiest and easiest, and then see if I can combine them or find what's common in all of them.

I agree that some folks might not be comfortable with the venison, so if I were you I'd just make sure I had plenty of other dishes available for dinner. Like potatoes, green beans, maybe a side of fettucine alfredo... if they can fill themselves up on the non-meat portions of the meal they should be fine!