Crockpot Venison Stew

Prep Meat: Place cut-up venison meat in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat (feel free to use more or less salt according to preference). Set aside.
Sear Meat: Bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon butter and let melt; swirl to coat. Add venison to the hot skillet and sear pieces on all sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from skillet and transfer to the slow cooker.
Saute Veggies: Add remaining tablespoon of butter to the skillet (scrape up any bits of venison stuck to the pan) and add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Move around pan until garlic is fragrant onion has softened a bit - approx. 2-3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Broth: Add beef broth, 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, & 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar to a slow cooker along with the russet potato. (Note: the liquid probably won't cover everything completely - that's okay!).
Crock Pot: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
Thicken + Veggies: Scoop out approximately 1 cup of broth in a glass measuring cup. Add the cornstarch to that cup of broth and whisk to combine. Pour back into the slow cooker, stir to combine. Add in the peas and mushrooms (if using), stir and cover again. Let cook another 10-15 minutes on HIGH as it thickens.
Serve: Taste and add additional salt or pepper, as desired. Serve and enjoy!