2012 Ingredient of the Week 5: Venison

The Hill Billy

I forgot to post this earlier, but better late than never...

Deer all - This week we want you to share your venison recipes.

Seaneh

I have a really nice roast loin recipe with a red wine, chocolate and chilli sauce.


Serves 4-5 people.

You will need:

A 750g piece of venison loin, have it at room temp before cooking.
A red chilli seeded and very finely chopped (finger or birdseye work fine and are cheap)
100g dark chocolate, melted (the darker the better)
Some venison or beef stock
some red wine, something with lots of red berrys and a bit of spice in it.
A knob of cold butter.
Salt
Pepper


Preheat your oven and a small roasting dish to 180c.
Take a heavy pan and get it as hot as you possibly can on a good high heat.

Season your meat with a little salt and pepper and pour a little rapeseed or similar oil in your pan.
Add the meat and seal it on both sides, you want a really good seal here with lots of caramalisation, no nambypamby light grey looking crap here I tell's ya!

After you have it sealed bang it in the oven for 7 minutes (this will give med-rare, 10 will give medium, 12 will give mediummwell, might want to go to about 20 for well done), take it out and let it rest for AT LEAST 10 minutes, 15 if your are patient enough

While the meat is resting go back to your pan and throw in the chillis and cook them for 30-35 seconds or until softened.
deglaze with some wine and stock (gezlaze the roasting dish too and add that to the pan) and start to reduce.

When it's reduced by about half remove from the heat, add the chocolate whisk in then add your cold butter, this will give it even more body and a nice shine, and we all know shiney sauces taste better, it's science or something.

Now you are done.

Carve your meat, spoon over some of the yummy sauce and enjoy.


I like to serve mine with celeriac puree and roast root veggies.

Tis a very autumn/wintery affair altogether!



Just a note, the chilli isn't there to make the dish hot, it's just to help lift all the other flavours, there will be a little warming to it but it shouldn't be a distraction, think of the effect that say a little chilli powder has in a nice hot cocoa and you have the idea.

It's one of my favourite winter recipes.

LaChatteGitane

Is venison readily available in Ireland (except for driving through Killarney National Park and hitting a deer with your car - by accident ofcourse ) ?
It's been years and years since I cooked venison, just because I don't see it around much. And even if it's available I always doubt whether it's from sustainable or a reliable source.

Now wild boar is another story ! Whilst living in France there was always, come autumn, a steady supply of wild boar that the hunters would share with the villagers - for free ! I've slow roasted plenty of shoulder hams. *salivating mode*

Seaneh

LaChatteGitane wrote: »

Is venison readily available in Ireland (except for driving through Killarney National Park and hitting a deer with your car - by accident ofcourse ) ?
It's been years and years since I cooked venison, just because I don't see it around much. And even if it's available I always doubt whether it's from sustainable or a reliable source.

Now wild boar is another story ! Whilst living in France there was always, come autumn, a steady supply of wild boar that the hunters would share with the villagers - for free ! I've slow roasted plenty of shoulder hams. *salivating mode*

if you ask a good butcher they will get you some, no problem.

Or go to the hunting forum when the cull is on and get some for free

sdp

yes you can I get it here a few times a year www.belmontorganicvenison.ie
there starter box is around €29.90 plus €10 delivery i'll look at it later to be sure.

venison burgers
makes 6 or 4 large ones
450g venison mince
175g streaky rashers
25g shallots finely chopped
1tsp thyme
1tsp marjoram
1tblsp sweet chilli sauce
salt/freshly ground black pepper

fry of shallots gently in oil or butter till soft
chop or mince rashers in food processor
mix meat, cold shallots, herbs and chilli sauce together in bowl
season to taste.
divide mixture into burgers, chill for couple of hours
(sometimes i wrap the burgers in extra smoked streaky rashers/ two per burger)
heat pan add little oil, cook to your liking, we do 5 mins per side
serve on toasted bun filling of choice,

(Just had a look on site, and they still sell the starter box for that price, €9.95 delivery)

hdowney

What is in a starter box?

I love my Venison, must hunt out some recipes, although I just decide as I go along what I think is nice and throw it in

superblu

I've had venison bourguignon in a restaurant in town before. It was delicious. I've never actually bought it but would love to try cooking it.

sdp

hdowney wrote: »

What is in a starter box?

I love my Venison, must hunt out some recipes, although I just decide as I go along what I think is nice and throw it in

Hi Hdowney,
you get:
1 x 1kg Diced Venison
1 x 1kg Mince Venison
very good quality, bit pricey for every week, but a lovely treat few times a year, they have some larger boxes, which would be better value if you have a large freezer,

CJhaughey

LaChatteGitane wrote: »

Is venison readily available in Ireland (except for driving through Killarney National Park and hitting a deer with your car - by accident ofcourse ) ?
It's been years and years since I cooked venison, just because I don't see it around much. And even if it's available I always doubt whether it's from sustainable or a reliable source.

There is no problem with the sustainability of deer in Ireland, there are far too many in most areas with perhaps the exception of Kerry where the native herd has shrunk in recent years.
Venison is probably the most environmentally friendly meat, no fertilisers dips, or other chemicals are used in its production.
Low fat and cholesterol and tastes great...

LaChatteGitane

CJhaughey wrote: »

There is no problem with the sustainability of deer in Ireland, there are far too many in most areas with perhaps the exception of Kerry where the native herd has shrunk in recent years.
Venison is probably the most environmentally friendly meat, no fertilisers dips, or other chemicals are used in its production.
Low fat and cholesterol and tastes great...

That is good to know. I am a Belgian living in Belgium atm but soon to move to Kerry (again and forever :cool:)
Around this time of year we can buy venison in the supermarket, hence my questioning the quality, sustainability, blah deblahblah
But then, I am questioning all meats here in La Belgique. Have you ever seen the Belgian monster cows that are for meat production ? :eek: They look horrendous, poor beggars. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Blue

Sorry for going OT

Back to venison. Yes, I'd love to get my teeth into a nice venison steak, but I'll wait till I move back to Ireland.:pac:

EZ24GET

Around here (mid west USA) we have plenty of deer. Too many,( they not only eat crops they jump in front of cars - it is reported that deer account for more deaths per year than any other animal) there are various hunting seasons and a license gives you a specific quantity that you can shoot. There is a bow season, a black powder season and starting just after Thanksgiving a rifle season. Men sit in tree stands scented with fox urine (ugh) waiting for the big one to wander by.
So here is a Roast recipe using the slow cooker for tenderness and to speed things along..

1 large venison roast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 stick butter
pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Bay leaves optional
1 stalk celery
2 large potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Put roast in slow cooker with water to cover the top of roast.
Add onion, garlic, butter, peppers and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Add bay leaves if desired. Cook on low overnight. Remove and place in large baking dish. Be sure to remove all the bay leaves if you are using them.
Add all the vegetables a small amount of juices from roast and salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 325*F. until vegetables are tender ( about 50 minutes). Uncover and brown slightly.

EZ24GET

This recipe was in a recipe booklet published 1973 and bought at a national park. It is supposed to be an Native American Indian recipe, I have never made this but it sounds interesting.

Venison Roast

Seet boneless roast (4-6 pounds), Slit sides and top at 3 inch intervals and stuff with pieces of chopped onion, bay leaf; salt and pepper' ground cloves and all spice, Pour vinegar enough to cover meat, leave in a covered dish
12 hours or more. To cook, lift out meat, coat with lard and flour and brown on both sides quickly. Pour on the same vinegar, cover and cook 20 minutes per pound. Slice and serve hot or cold.

It doesn't say not to but I think you should be careful not to eat the bay leaf. Anyone brave enough to prepare this let me know how it went. This same little booklet explains how to prepare locust and yellow jacket soup. It doesn't say how not to get stung by the yellow jackets.

Melendez

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