Stewed venison
Description
The dish is prepared without unnecessary complications. I found this recipe for stewed venison in a book by an Irish chef. The Irish eat venison much more often than we do, so they truly know how to prepare it properly. Here, with enough effort, you can also find good venison, but it's not popular—people simply don't know how to cook it. If prepared incorrectly, the meat turns out as tough as a tractor tire. However, this recipe will teach you how to make stewed venison fantastically tender, soft, and juicy. Yes, it takes a long time to cook, but there's nothing you can do about it—such is the nature of this meat. Not easy to prepare, but extremely delicious. The finished dish can be served at the table.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
You'll need quite a few ingredients. This isn't an everyday dish, so it's worth the effort to gather everything necessary.
- 2
Step 2
Cut the fat into small slices.
- 3
Step 3
Take a deep, heavy-bottomed pot in which you will cook the dish. Place the fat (you can also use the rinds) into the dry pot and fry until crispy. A lot of fat will render out in the pot.
- 4
Step 4
Add the venison (I used shanks) to the pot, lightly sprinkle with flour, and fry until browned.
- 5
Step 5
When the venison is browned, remove it from the pot. Add the chopped vegetables—onion, carrot, celery, and garlic—to the pot. The vegetables should be cut into larger pieces.
- 6
Step 6
When the vegetables soften (4-5 minutes over medium heat), return the venison to the pot. Add the juniper berries immediately.
- 7
Step 7
Next, add the broth, wine, bay leaf, and thyme to the pot. Warm for a couple of minutes (do not bring to a boil).
- 8
Step 8
Cover the pot with a lid and place it in an oven preheated to 130 degrees. Braise the venison for 6 hours. Yes, exactly 6 hours. It's a long time—long enough to fly from Moscow to India. But the reward for your patience will be incredibly tender, juicy venison on the bone.
- 9
Step 9
But that's not all. One hour before the cooking is finished (that is, when the venison has already been stewing for 5 hours), add sliced mushrooms to the pot. Return the pot to the oven and continue stewing for the remaining hour as required.
- 10
Step 10
Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and celery root.
- 11
Step 11
We will make a purée from celery and potatoes. To do this, place the peeled and chopped celery into boiling salted water, then add the chopped potatoes after 15 minutes. Cook until tender, drain the water, add a little milk, and blend into a purée. Meanwhile, the venison will finish cooking (after 6 hours), and you will need to do the following: remove the venison from the pot and keep it warm in the oven, then place the remaining contents of the pot (essentially a vegetable sauce) over medium heat and simmer until reduced by about half in volume.
- 12
Step 12
That's it, the stewed venison is ready. It can be served with mashed potatoes and a vegetable sauce, as well as with dry red wine. Yes, this dish is not easy to prepare, but it's worth it. A million-dollar dish, as they say.