venison

Roast Shoulder of Venison with Miso Butter

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I’m lucky enough to have a friend who’s husband culls local deer.  She recently turned with a big of venison including a shoulder of venison (thank you Dermot and Bronagh). Apologies that the photos don’t do this justice, but we fell on this like a pack of animals and were too interested in feeding our faces with delicious roast meat to take decent photos.

This was a bit of an experiment (I’ve never cooked with this cut before, but as its from a really muscular part of the animal so I knew to cook it long and slow, at least 4 hours, plus resting time). Because venison is so lean I wanted to keep it from drying out.  I did this by slathering it in miso butter (which tasted yummy but didn’t overwhelm the taste of the meat).

I served this as part of an Easter dinner with roast potatoes and vegetables, but you’ll have plenty of meat left over and it’s great in sandwiches, wraps etc.

Ingredients

2.5 Kg Shoulder of venison (including the bone

125 Grams Butter (softened)

1.5 Tbsp Miso paste

Carrots/celery/parsnips

1 Glass White wine (optional)

Method

  • Remove the venison from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature
  • Preheat your oven to 200 degrees (Celsius)
  • In a large roasting pan, cover the base with celery stalks, halved carrots or parsnips (this will act as a bed for meat to stop it sticking to bottom and will help flavour the meat juices.  I use old wonky vegetables that have hanging around the fridge, these won’t be eaten but are just to add flavour)
  • Mix the butter and miso paste together and rub all over the venison, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies.
  • Set the venison on top of the bed of vegetables and add a class of white and a glass of water to the pan (or 2 glasses of water if you’re not using wine)
  • Cover the roasting dish tightly with aluminium foil and place in the oven
  • Cook at 200 degrees (Celsius) for 30 minutes before turning the heat down to 150 degrees for at 3.5 hours
  • After 2 hours remove the pan from the oven. Turn the meat over and baste with juices in the pan.  Cover again with foil and return to the oven
  • After 4 hours check on the meat, if it still feels a little tough, cook for another 20-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and keep covered while the meat rests for at least 30-45 minutes (it’s important not to rush this part as it will help the meat stay tender).  Drain of the meat juices and use to make really delicious gravy, or spoon over any left over meat to help keep it moist

Daub of Venison with Red Wine

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I was lucky enough to be given some venison by a friend who’s husband enjoys hunting.

I know looking at this, the meat might be a bit too rare for some people. Venison is super healthy and very low in fat. Due to this it can dry out very quickly and become tough if it’s over cooked. If you enjoy your meat well done you can make this dish with beef which had a higher fat content.

Opaque layer needs to be removed to prevent it toughening while cooking
Film is easily removed with a sharp knife

Sometimes you’ll see a filmy layer on the meat, it’s really important to remove this as it will toughen up when you cook it. The good news is that it’s easy to remove, just slip a sharp knife behind it, it should pull away without too much hassle.

Ingredients

0.75 Kg Daub of venison (allow to come to room temperature before cooking)

1 Large carrot (chopped finely)

1 Large Onion (chopped finely)

Half bottle of red wine (I recommend drinking the rest)

1 Tbsp Olive oil

25 Grams Butter

1 Tbsp Dried thyme

1 Bay Leaf

Method

  1. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large oven proof dish (one that has a lid)
  2. Add the meat and seal on all sides over a high heat
  3. Turn down to a medium heat and add the herbs, vegetables and wine and allow to come to a simmer
  4. Cover with a lid and put in a pre heated oven for 20 minutes
  5. Take the dish from the oven and remove the venison and allow the meat to rest for 10-15 minutes
  6. Over a medium heat the wine and vegetable mix and allow to reduce. Add the remaining butter and stir in until melted and the sauce is glossy
  7. Slice the venison and serve on top of the sauce and vegetables

Slow Cooked Ragu

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Rich and unctuous with pasta.

I’m not vegetarian, but I do think if you’re going to kill animal you should make use of all of it, (I still have trouble with some offal, but I try). I have used shin for this recipe. Usually I would use beef shin, but I was lucky enough to be given some venison shin by friends who hunt (just in case you think the shin the photo looks different from what you’re using). Beef shin is relatively inexpensive compared to other cuts of meat, and benefits from long slow cooking when it literally just falls of the bone.

The meat should be easy to shred with a fork

If you haven’t had it before, it reminds me of oxtail. Its unctuous and tasty and makes great stews and casseroles. This version is fantastic with pasta, but is equally great with mashed potatoes or as a pie filling.

Browned before cooking within the sauce

I’ve used red wine in this sauce because I had some left, but if you don’t have any or prefer not to use alcohol you can swap this for beef or vegetable stock.

Thick and packed full of flavour.

This is what I used to call a “weekend recipe” or slow food meaning its not a quick recipe, but it is fairly simple (since many of us are working from home at the minute, you can make recipes like this, cooking away while you work). I used an oven to cook this, but if you have a slow cooker this recipe is perfect.

Ingredients

1Kg Beef Shin

2 Large carrots (Cut into 1cm chunks)

2 Stalks of celery (Cut into 1cm chunks)

1 Large onion (Cut into 1cm chunks)

2 Bay leaves (Optional)

1/2 Bottle of red wine or 750 ml beef or vegetable stock

2 Tbsp Tomato puree

400ml Can of Passata or chopped tomatoes

1 Tbsp Oil

1 Large knob of butter

Salt and Pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oil and put in a large oven proof pan (with a lid), and brown the shin on all sides, before setting to one side
  2. In the same pan, add the chopped vegetables cook until soft, add the tomato puree and bay leaves and cook for a further 5 minutes before adding the wine
  3. Allow the wine to cook until the alcohol has burned off (basically so it doesn’t sting your nose when you breath it in is the best way I can describe it). Preheat your oven to 160 degrees (celsius)
  4. Add the passata, and place the meat back in the pan. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 .5 hours
  5. After 2.5 hours remove the dish from the over and lift the shin meat out. On a separate plate you should be able to shred the meat from the bone with a fork
  6. Add the shredded meat back into the sauce and stir well. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste
  7. Serve with pasta, or mashed potatoes

Venison Casserole

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Venison Casserole

I’m lucky enough to have a very kind friend Bronagh, who’s husband enjoys hunting.  She never arrives empty handed and on a recent visit brought me some delicious venison.

Venison is one of the healthiest meats you can eat.  This recipe uses meat that requires long slow cooking.  Other cuts of venison like the loin need to be served rare or else they’ll become tough.

The meat should be tossed in seasoned flour

When you have a really great ingredient like venison you don’t need to do a lot to it.  About 10 minutes prep at the start and the oven does all the work for you.   I love this served with greens, and velvety butter bean mash.    It’s also fantastic with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to mop up all the delicious gravy.

Seal the flour coated meat to add flavour and colour, the flour will also help thicken the sauce

1kg Venison (cut into 3-4cm chunks)

1 Large Onion (peeled and roughly chopped)

2 Carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)

2 Parsnips (peeled and roughly chopped)

2 Stalks of celery (cut into chunks)

250ml Red wine (optional, but replace with the same amount of stock if not using wine)

750ml Beef stock

3 Tbsps Plain flour

25 Grams Butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Tomato purée

1 Tbsp Dried thyme

Salt and pepper

Cook vegetables and tomato puree before adding red wine

Method

  1. Add the flour, salt and pepper to a plate and mix. Toss the chunks of venison in the seasoned flour
  2. In an oven proof dish heat the oil and butter. Cook small batches of the venison chunks being careful not to overcrowd the pan so that the are sealed
  3. Remove the venison and set to one side. Add all the vegetables (I like to keep them chunky) and tomato puree for 5 minutes stirring occasionally
  4. Add the wine and cook for a further 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off. Stir well to deglaze the pan, then add the thyme and beef stock cover with a lid and move to oven (this can be cook stove top, but I think then gives a more even heat)
  5. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, and cook for one and a half to two hours until the meat and vegetables are tender

Game Night at The Academy

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Belfast is also home to two Universities. Ulster University has a campus right in the centre of the fashionable Cathedral Quarter. It also produces graduates from their hospitality and tourism degrees, who work in world class restaurants and resorts across the globe.

As part of student’s training, the University has their own restaurant (The Academy), which gives students experience of working in a fine dining establishment. The restaurant produces some of the best food I’ve eaten and is priced reasonably to cover running costs. Student are also trained to deliver Michelin star service.

The night I visited was a theme night based around game. The set menu included wood pigeon and venison with a quirky blackberry and lavender sorbet served in between as a palette cleanser. It took every ounce of reserve I had not to lick the plates.As part of student’s training, the University has their own restaurant (The Academy), which gives students experience of working in a fine dining establishment.

The restaurant produces some of the best food I’ve eaten and is priced reasonably to cover running costs. Student are also trained to deliver Michelin star service.

If you live in a city that has a hospitably/catering or culinary arts school, check out if they offer similar training facilities. You’ll eat extremely well for a reasonable price and provide students with a chance to gain experience with paying customers