I don’t have to tell you that the cost of beef has gone ‘through the roof’ recently, I’m hoping that the farmers are benefiting from the extra premium. A juicy steak or roast rib of dry aged beef with three sauces – maybe horseradish, béarnaise and aioli is irresistible. Lots and lots of roasties cooked in sizzling beef tallow, delicious but super expensive.
So, how about seeking out some venison? It’s got the advantage of being both plentiful and sustainable, it’s a fraction of the price, bursting with gamey flavour and so satisfying on chilly winter days or at any time of the year for that matter.
As ever, there’s venison and venison. Here in Ireland, there are several breeds, native red deer, Sika, Fallow, and more recently introduced Muntjac. I enjoy them all but I’m particularly fond of the noble Irish red deer, our native and largest species, culled in the field by a crack marksman with a licence rather than roadkill! In the wild, their numbers are increasing rapidly. According to Alan Krauss of Killua Castle in Co. Meath, in red deer, eighteen months seems to be the optimum age for flavour and tenderness.
Deer need to be gralloched (eviscerated) immediately in the field, then hung for one to two weeks at two to five degrees depending on the process.
The meat of wild deer is dark, rich, virtually fat-free and totally free-range, one of the healthiest meats one can choose – no antibiotics, hormones or growth promoters…
They live a happy life, ranging freely in the woods and forests, multiplying freely. Deer, sometimes wild and other escapees from deer parks, are rapidly spreading across the countryside, often causing damage to farmers’ crops and young tree plantations. Here in Ireland, they have no predators so need to be culled which is carefully regulated, hence venison has the advantage of being both plentiful and sustainable.
Not every butcher sells venison but register your interest or contact several producers around the country directly – Killua Castle, Co. Meath immediately springs to mind, although they can scarcely keep up with the demand for their prime cuts and juicy venison burgers enhanced by fat from the wild boar also on the estate.
The prime cuts, loin and haunch can of course be roasted, the shoulder meat is perfect for stews, casseroles and venison or game pies and venison burgers. The lap and indeed the shoulder can be made into venison chilli con carne or venison sausages or indeed venison burgers. You will need to mix the fresh mince with some good fatty streaky pork otherwise it will be dry and crumbly.
Cook the haunch rare or medium rare so it’s still tender and juicy. Well done venison can be dry and dull and is certainly not a gastronomic experience and unlikely to garner new fans. Use any leftovers to make a gamekeeper’s pie.
Other cooks and chefs have fun making venison sausages and salami. The bones make a delicious broth for a game consommé.
The loin may be roasted or cut into chops or steaks to be pan-grilled or fried. Better still just use the eye of the loin, cut into medallions and quickly pan-fried. Add the scraps to the mince – don’t waste a scrap.
Lots of champ is a must with venison stew or casserole. Chips or roast potatoes are great with roasts or burgers.
For those of you who are fortunate enough to get your hands on really fresh venison liver, slice it thinly, toss in seasoned flour and cook on the pan in sizzling butter for a minute or two on each side. Serve with hot toast and a freshly tossed salad of Autumn leaves.
One could add some crushed juniper berries and a little paprika or chilli flakes to the flour for extra oomph.
Freshness is everything here, so delicious and a rare treat.
Invite some friends around, crack open a bottle of full bodied red and enjoy. Lot’s more recipes for venison in my Forgotten Skills book and in One Pot Feeds All published by Kyle Books.
Venison Liver
If ever you have the chance to taste fresh venison liver, do so. It’s a revelation, but it must be super fresh. It is best eaten on the same day but would still be worth trying the following day.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
fresh venison liver (about 450g) cut into 1cm slices
flour seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground pepper
50g clarified butter, more if you need it (see recipe)
extra virgin olive oil
To Serve
bubble and squeak or champ or colcannon
watercress or flat parsley
Method
Dip the slices of liver in the seasoned flour. Heat some clarified butter or extra virgin olive oil in the pan over a high heat. Cook the liver for 30 seconds on each side. Serve immediately on hot plates with freshly cooked bubble and squeak and some watercress or sprigs of flat parsley – divine.
Venison liver is also delicious with champ or colcannon.
Clarified Butter
Melt 225g butter gently in a saucepan or in a Pyrex measure in a low oven 150°C/Gas Mark 2. Allow it to stand for a few minutes, then spoon the crusty white layer of salt particles off the top of the melted butter. Underneath this crust there is clear liquid butter which is called clarified butter. The milky liquid at the bottom can be discarded or used in a white sauce.
Clarified butter is excellent for cooking because it can
withstand a higher temperature when the salt and milk particles are removed. It
will keep covered in a refrigerator for several weeks.
Venison and Parsnip Stew
The flavour of this stew really improves if you cook it the day before and reheat it the next day – as well as improving the flavour, cooking the venison in advance ensures that it is meltingly tender. If ‘needs must’ and you are racing against the clock, just mix all the ingredients in the casserole, bring to the boil and simmer gently until cooked. Baked potatoes work brilliantly with venison stew, but a layer of potatoes on top provides a wonderfully comforting meal in one pot. Scatter lots of fresh parsley over the potatoes before tucking in.
Serves 8-12
Ingredients
1.3kg shoulder of venison, trimmed and cut into 4cm cubes
50g plain flour, for dusting
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g piece of fatty salted pork or green streaky bacon, cut into 4cm cubes
2 large onions, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 large parsnips, diced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
450ml homemade beef stock
bouquet garni
8-12 medium potatoes, peeled (optional)
a squeeze of organic lemon juice
flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Marinade
300-350ml gutsy red wine
1 medium onion, sliced
3 tbsp brandy
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
bouquet garni
Horseradish Sauce (optional)
To Serve
lots of chopped flat-leaf parsley
green vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, calabrese or cabbage
Method
First marinate the meat.
Season the cubes of venison with salt and pepper. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl, add the venison and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour, or better still overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.
Drain the meat, reserving the marinade, and pat dry with kitchen paper. Tip the flour onto a plate and season well. Turn the cubes of venison in the seasoned flour to coat on all sides.
Heat the oil in a 25cm (3.2-litre) casserole pan over a low heat, add the salted pork or bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until it starts to release its fat. Increase the heat to medium and fry the salted pork or bacon until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the venison to the casserole in batches and fry over a medium heat until nicely coloured on all sides. Avoid the temptation to increase the temperature or the fat will burn. Remove and set the batch aside while you colour the rest.
Toss the vegetables in the casserole, stir in the garlic and then add the pork or bacon and venison.
Pour off any surplus fat from the casserole and remove the meat and veg and set aside. Deglaze the casserole by pouring in the strained marinade. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the crusty bits on the base, add the pork or bacon and vegetables back in.
Pour over enough stock to cover the meat and vegetables and put in the bouquet garni. Bring the casserole to a gentle simmer on the hob, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1 ½ hours.
Remove the casserole from the oven and cover the surface of the stew with the peeled whole medium potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the potatoes with a circle of greaseproof paper, and then the lid of the saucepan. Return the casserole to the oven and cook for a further 1 hour or until both the venison and potatoes are cooked.
Season to taste. As well as adding salt and pepper, I find it often needs a bit of acidity in the form of lemon juice or crab apple jelly, if available.
Scatter with lots of freshly chopped parsley and serve with a nice big dish of Brussels sprouts, calabrese or cabbage and some homemade horseradish sauce.
Variation
Venison and Parsnip Pie
This makes a delicious pie. Fill the cooked stew into one or two pie dishes. Cover with a generous layer of mashed potato or puff pastry.
Roast Haunch of Venison with Plum Sauce
A haunch of venison makes a splendid party dish.
Serves 20 people approx.
Ingredients
1 haunch of venison – approx. 2.7-3.2kg in weight
To lard venison
225g back fat or very fat streaky pork or pork caul fat
Marinade
1 dsp mixed fresh herbs, thyme, savoury, marjoram and sage
4 tbsp olive oil
110ml dry white wine
Gravy
600ml beef or venison stock
roux (optional – made from equal quantities of flour and butter cooked on a low heat for two minutes stirring occasionally)
To Serve
plum sauce (see recipe)
Method
First lard the venison.
Cut the pork back fat into wide strips. Insert a strip into a larding needle, draw a lardon through the meat to make a stitch; trim the end. Repeat the stitches at 2.5cm intervals to make horizontal rows, positioning each row about 1cm away from the previous row, repeat with the remainder of the fat. Put the haunch into a shallow dish, stainless steel or cast iron, not tin or aluminium. Sprinkle it with the freshly chopped herbs. Pour the olive oil and wine over the meat. Cover the dish or tray and marinate the meat for about 4 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight, turning the meat occasionally. The liquid from this marinade will be used to baste the meat during cooking.
To Cook.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Remove the cover, weigh the venison and calculate 10 minutes to every 450g. After 20 minutes reduce the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and cook for the remaining time at this temperature. We like our venison slightly pink and still very juicy, so I usually turn off the oven then and leave the meat relax for 20-30 minutes. During the cooking time, baste every 10 minutes with the oil and wine marinade and turn the joint over halfway through. When the venison is cooked, remove to a serving dish while you make the gravy.
Degrease the roasting pan, add about 600ml homemade beef or venison stock and perhaps a dash of wine. Bring to the boil, scraping and dissolving the sediment and crusty bits from the pan. Thicken slightly with a little roux if desired, taste and correct the seasoning, pour into a warm gravy boat.
To serve the haunch of venison.
Serve the haunch of venison on a large serving dish surrounded by roast potatoes, red cabbage, celeriac purée or Brussels sprouts would be a delicious accompaniment. Carve on to very hot plates. Serve with plum sauce.
Note: It is very easy to overcook venison mainly because it goes on cooking after the oven has been turned off.
Plum Sauce
This is also delicious with duck breast or wild duck.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
450g blood plums or damsons
225g sugar
2 cloves
2.5cm piece cinnamon stick
25g butter
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
110ml port
Method
Put the plums into a stainless-steel saucepan with the sugar, cloves, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon water and the butter. Cook slowly until reduced to a pulp. Push the fruit through a fine sieve and return the purée to a clean saucepan. Add the redcurrant jelly and port, bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes. The sauce may be served either hot or cold. It keeps well.