Now I am worried!!

[shirlthegirl43]

As I have fond memories of roast venison for New Year dinner, I decided to price up a haunch. Just got a call back from the butcher and ordered the lump of deer!! He gave me an excellent deal!!

Now I am starting to worry, not having mum around to tell me how she used to cook it. I recall it being marinaded for a day or so then wrapped in a water-crust pastry to cook.

Any of you wonderful cooks out there got tips for me please?

[Nicos]

Sounds like a lovely idea!

Here are a few recipes I googled...

Roast haunch of venison | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Life and Health

UKTV Food: Recipes: Haunch of Venison with Red Wine, Black Pepper and Thyme

Whats the best way to cook a Haunch of Venison? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers


RAINING SIDEWAYS: Cooking Venison

Roasted Venison Haunch

Roast Haunch of Venison Stuffed with Wild Mushroom Deuxelle and Wild Rice Recipe | Venison Recipes @ CDKitchen.com :: it's what's cooking online!

Recipe - Haunch of venison-style leg of lamb - Recipe sofeminine

There are plenty of others , but I think the jist of it is that it can be dry and tough if not cooked with care.
It can also be juicy and utterly fantastic!!!

Slow/moist and covered/added fat are the things to be do think about ( as well as adding which flavours you enjoy)

It'll be lovely I'm sure

[shirlthegirl43]

Ooh, Nicos, thanks so very much. I will spend some time reading them through and see if any bells get rung.

[shirlthegirl43]

Have had a quick look at those recipes (they do sound good) and the memory has been jogged a bit. The main thing I notice is that none of the haunches they use are very big - the one I have ordered is about 14lb!! I think I will try marinating it in a similar concoction to that used for my rich venison casserole, then cover it in streaky bacon and water-crust pastry before slow roasting, cracking the pastry off towards the end of cooking to crisp up the outside. Looking forward to having a go anyway.

[Birdie Wife]

14lb??? That's huge! One question - do you know if it's from a stag or a hind? If it's a stag, then by all means soak it in winey marinade for a couple of days, the tannins will help to tenderise the meat and tone down the more 'gamey' taste. If it's a hind, then you can leave out the wine from the marinade. Tradionally, venison haunch is roasted to be quite pink in the middle but if you want it well done then your idea of pastry and bacon sounds like a fab way to keep the juices in so you can cook it for longer.

[HeyWayne]

As I have fond memories of roast venison for New Year dinner, I decided to price up a haunch. Just got a call back from the butcher and ordered the lump of deer!! He gave me an excellent deal!!

So, it wasn't two deer?