Crockpot Big Game Yellow Curry

Filled with mixed veggies, dainty fingerling potatoes, sweet coconut milk and spicy yellow curry, this wild game yellow curry is served over rice and oh so tasty!

Each year we are fortunate enough that at least one person in the whole family draws a big game tag, and usually is successful in filling it. This means that we almost always have game meat in our freezer. I learned a long time ago to treat wild game like beef. I grew up eating grass-fed beef that we raised so I am familiar to cooking with lean meat. Although you have to make some adjustments due to the low fat content of game, its similar enough that its practically interchangeable in most recipes.

When we process our wild game we typically leave all of our roasts whole and large. We cook roasts a couple of ways in our home: on the grill cooked till medium rare and then sliced thin like a steak, or slow cooked all day in the crockpot or instant pot. Big game roasts like venison and elk can be tricky to slow cook because they need to be cooked long but they tend to be over-dry.

I won’t lie when I say we get used to eating dry game roasts, we usually just add a lot of sauce or drippings to it to add back moisture. Plus, there’s only so many ways to eat a roast that you end up cooking the same three recipes that your family will eat and that can get old, fast! Hence the roasts being the last cut left in the freezer at the end of the year.

Are you a curry fan? I feel like its a very distinct flavor so you either love it or leave it. I don’t usually make curry. It’s not something I grew up eating because my dad wasn’t a big fan, so my mom never cooked it. I do like to eat curry though, yellow curry in particular, and I order it when we eat at a Thai restaurant. My brother and sister-in-law love Thai food and make curry often. She is who recommended this curry paste to me, and it is the best I have tried. I’ve learned to cook well with it and the flavor and spice combination suits my family’s taste buds.

My other sister-in-law is who made this yellow curry recipe for me recently, with venison. We went to visit her and she heated these leftovers up for dinner the first night we got their. My husband and I both looked at each other after a few bites and said “This is absolutely delicious!” She of course made it her own and did a modge podge of alterations to a few recipes and so I asked her if I could share it here. So that’s what I’m doing!

I have since made it a few times at home and have loved it even more every time. Once you try this for yourself, I think you’ll be as impressed as we were with it that you’ll want to make it for your friends when they come over for dinner next.

The best part about this recipe is that its simple and cooks in the crockpot. So you can set it and forget it until dinner time. The prep time takes roughly 45 minutes, with most of that time spent cutting the roast up into small bite sized chunks and then searing them before tossing them into the slow cooker. This is not a necessary step and won’t necessarily change the end result of this dish, so if you are trying to cut down on time then skip the searing. But sometimes it’s nice to spend the extra time and brown the meat. It adds so much depth to the flavor that I never regret doing it when I’m eating the meal.

Once that’s done, you place the meat inside the slow cooker. There is usually extra juice from searing the meat, and you can either choose to put it in the crockpot with the meat right away after cooking, or keep it in the skillet to add your onion and garlic to. To that same pan you seared the roast in, you add your diced onion and garlic and saute until the garlic is fragrant. Add one can of coconut milk to pan and mix in curry paste until combined. Pour that mixture into crockpot on top of meat, and then add the remaining ingredients: second can of coconut milk, bag of frozen mixed veggies, and fingerling potatoes. Cook on high for four hours or low for 8 and serve over rice.

Now, say you made this entire dish and realized you’re out of rice. There’s lots of other options, as long as your family likes them! My sister-in-law served it over cauliflower rice, and I’ve used couscous and quinoa. Or we’ve just eaten the dish without rice and made a side salad or had some sourdough bread with it. My other family members like to eat Naan with it too. Its more versatile than I thought it was so don’t let the rice hold you back from making this tasty dish!

Do you have a favorite curry recipe? If you tried this one, please let me know how it turned out for you. If you loved it, please rate it 5 stars, share with your friends, and let me know in the comments below! Best, Ana.

Ingredients:

How to Make Crockpot Yellow Curry:

FAQs

Can I use a different cut of meat?

Yes! You could substitute the roast for stew meat, or even thin steaks like eye of round or sirloin tips, using the same method of cutting them up into small bite-sized pieces. Using the slow cooker allows for the tougher cuts to cook and break down to where they are more tender.

Will any brand or color of curry paste work for this?

I believe so. I’ve used two different brands of yellow curry paste, and the one I have recommended on here is my favorite. If you’re wanting to substitute with green or red curry paste, just be mindful with the amounts you add. I personally have not used other colors of curry for this recipe.

Can I substitute a different type of potato?

Yes, I have used red and golden potatoes for this. I prefer the fingerling because they are small and creamy, but use what you have on hand!

Can I substitute coconut milk with coconut cream?

Yes you can. I treat it one for one. If I need two cans of coconut milk, I use one can of coconut cream and one can of water.