Slow-cooked venison in a rich, dark sauce

Name: Slow-cooked venison in a rich, dark sauce
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 800g venison shoulder; 500ml hearty red wine; 2 fresh bay leaves; 1 tsp juniper berries (optional); 1 tsp peppercorns; 3 pieces orange rind; flour for dusting; 4 tbsp olive oil; salt and pepper; 2 rashers bacon, chopped; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 carrots, thickly sliced; 1 stick celery, chopped; 1 clove garlic, sliced; 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley to garnish (optional)

Brigitte Hafner

October 19, 2011

Venison has a rich yet delicate flavour that works well with sweet flavours.Marina Oliphant

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

Venison is a beautifully dark-red meat, delicate and rich with flavours of earth and subtle spice. Mmm ... For slow cooking, I recommend the shoulder, with a little bacon added, as in the slow-cooked recipe below, to help moisten the dish. You'll need to marinate the meat before cooking this dish.

Ingredients

800g venison shoulder
500ml hearty red wine
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp juniper berries (optional)
1 tsp peppercorns
3 pieces orange rind
flour for dusting
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
2 rashers bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1 stick celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley to garnish (optional)

Method

Cut the venison into 5cm pieces and marinate overnight (or at least 4 hours) in the red wine, bay leaves, crushed juniper berries, peppercorns and orange rind.
Pre-heat oven to 170C.
Drain the venison and reserve the marinade. Pat the venison dry and dust lightly in flour.
Heat a frying pan, add half the olive oil and brown the meat all over in batches. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat a casserole pot large enough to fit the all the ingredients. Add the rest of the oil followed by the bacon and onion. Cook until golden brown and the onions have softened. Now add the carrots, celery and garlic and cook a few more minutes before adding the venison and the reserved marinade. Season with salt and pepper, add half a cup of water and cover.
Bake 1½ hours or until the venison is quite tender. You will need to check the venison every half hour, turning the pieces and adding a little water if it looks dry.
Serve on wet polenta, mashed potato or sweet potato puree, with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley.

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