Anyone got any really good Venison recipies?

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi all, I know its not really veg orientated, but we managed to get some Venison steaks today for a song, 2 days pre sell by date and reduced from £14 to £2!!

I'm doing one pack of it tonight for tea, grilled with a nice sauce and some roasted tatties, but that leaves 2 packs to be cooked tomorrow, and as I'm not sure whether they have been frozen or not I'd rather not just bung them in the freezer, hence I'm looking for something like a decent stew recipe that I can do tomorrow (and use it up, as once cooked it should be ok for the following night also) or a couple of recipies that I could do and freeze one.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[shirlthegirl43]

Rich Venison Casserole

1kg (2lb) stewing venison, trimmed and cut into cubes
150ml (1/4 pint) red wine
100ml (4 fl oz) vegetable oil
12 juniper berries, lightly crushed
4 cloves
8 black peppercorns
1 garlic clove, skinned and crushed
125g (4 oz) streaky bacon rashers, rinded
2 medium onions, skinned and sliced
30ml (2 level tbsp) lour
150ml (1/4 pint) beef stock
30ml (2 tbsp) redcurrant jelly
salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley to garnish

1. Place the venison in a bowl and add the wine, half the oil, the juniper berries, cloves, peppercorns and garlic. Stir well and leave to marinate for 24 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. Stretch each bacon rasher using a knife, cut in half and roll up. Heat the remaining oil in a flameproof casserole, add the bacon rolls and fry for about 3 minutes, until coloured. Remove from the casserole with a slotted spoon.

3. Remove the venison from the marinade and quickly fry the meat pieces in the casserole, in several batches, until coloured. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.

4. Remove casserole from heat and gradualy stir in the stock, redcurrant jelly and the marinade. Bring to the boil slowly and cook, stirring, unil thickened. Return venison to casserole. Season and place bacon rolls on top.

5. Cover and cook in the oven at 170C (325F) gas 3 for 3 hours, until the venison is tender. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 4

I haven't actually tried this recipe but everything else from the cook book is brilliant - have made a venison casserole which was very similar and was totally delicious. Don't be tempted to miss out the juniper berries as they give a wonderful flavour.

I would suggest serving with simple baked potatoes and steamed veg as you can then savour the flavour of the casserole.

Enjoy!!

[shirlthegirl43]

Another recipe - Venison escalopes with red wine

If your steaks are around 175g (6 oz each) then I have another recipe - will post it if you want - just give me the sayso!

[Mrs Dobby]

That sounds fab Shirl, thanks! Dont think I've got any juniper berries tho, hang on, we do have some small junipers in the garden, just off to have a wee look! Now, where's my torch?

Hmm, nope, they havent any on them, darn it! I have got some dried ones in a jar, that we use for making incense, but I'm not sure whether I could use them or not, do they have to be fresh junniper berries Shirl?

[shirlthegirl43]

I used dried ones - was surprised to find them in the supermarket actually!!

[Mrs Dobby]

Lol, our dried ones werent brought from a supermarket, but given by a friend who had loads, not sure if they are really culinary grade tho!

The venison is 5 steaks per pack, about 175g each, so any recipies would be appreciated!

[shirlthegirl43]

LOL - sure the juniper berries will be fine. This is my first year of gardening and I am learning lots - thought that juniper berries were maybe too exotic for UK growing! (shows I still have loads to learn!)

The other recipe is not suitable for freezing but here you are:

6 escalopes of venison cut from the haunch (leg) about 175g each
1 small onion, skinned and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
2 fresh parlsey sprigs
8 juniper berries
300ml (1/2 pint) dry red wine
15g (1/2 ox) butter
15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) redcurrant jelly
salt and pepper
game chips (recipe below) to serve

1. Put the venison escalopes ina large shallow dish and sprinkle with the onion, bay leaf, parsley and juniper berries. Pour on the wine, cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight, turning the escalopes occasionally.

2. Remove the escalopes from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan and fry the escalopes for 3-4 miutes on each side. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and keep warm while making the sauce.

3. Strain the reserved marinade into the frying pan and stir to loosen any sedimant. Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes, until reduced. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and season the mixture to taste. cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Pour over the escalopes.

4. Serve immediately with Game Chips, brussels sprouts and carrots

Serves 6


Game Chips

Peel and cut potatoes into very thin slices, deep fry until golden (sorry, you probably knew how to make them anyway)!

Wish I had found your bargain - I love venison. My dad used to bring a haunch or saddle down from Scotland at this time of year and mum always wrapped it in a water/flour pastry affair to keep it moist. Yummy - and the only red meat I ever eat!

Hope the recipes are okay and hope you enjoy your treat!

[shirlthegirl43]

Oops - make that a half ounce of butter - not a half ox!!! Wow, can you picture that much butter!!!!

[ugly gourd]

You beat me to it Mrs D my OH arrived home with a cool bag 7 pheasents 2 partridge and a lump of venison!! OK with the birds but the venison I keep seeing Bambi slipping on the ice!! What does it taste like?

[shirlthegirl43]

It has a texture like very lean beef. It is more flavourful though but not over 'gamey' if you know what I mean. If you like pheasant and such you will love venison. Just be careful how you cook it as if it dries out it is stringy and unpleasant.

[Alice]

Hello Mrs D. I think you would have been safe enough to freeze your venison, even if it had been frozen before. I think all the guidelines on freezing things have been dramatically updated in line with improvements in equipment and scientific knowledge.
As for recipes for venison, well , I came from an area where.......... better not talk about that, but the folklore on venison was
it was no use for stew
not very good fried or grilled
made a decent roast if you were very careful ie covered with a good piece of fat while roasting
only worth having if you could have it for free
I love it myself but confess to a reluctance to buy ( still have that memory which says it should be free, not the astronomical price charged.)
When I do buy it, it tends to be for a mixed game pie,
venison, pigeon, pheasant,rabbit - all braised in red wine sauce and topped with flaky pastry (courtesy of Jus Roll - they do it so much better than I do )
A treat only for Christmas or New year.
If you saw my posts last year you would know I was plagued with Roe Deer in the garden, eating everything they could get their lovely lips on. I couldn't bring myself to have the ****** ******* killed. I spent a fortune fencing the blighters out. Seems to have worked.

Anyway, whatever you do with your venison, hope it is delicious.

[Mrs Dobby]

Mmmmmmmmmmmm! Full now! Burp! 'Scuse moi!

Venison was excellent, Mr D is sat on the couch looking well stuffed, I dont think he can move now! lol!

I seared the outside of the steaks in the frying pan (in a little olive oil) to seal them, then transferred them to the grill, rubbing in a little black pepper, garlic salt and some mixed herbs, then popped them into the oven on a medium heat for 8 mins a side! Meanwhile we did some very french fries and I did a mushroom and garlic sauce, a slice of crusty bread and culinary heaven!

Very nice if I say so myself, and by sealing them first they didnt dry out too much, very moist and tender! Lovely!

I think I'm going to do the Venison Casserole that Shirl posted with the other packs tomorrow, should be enough for tomorrow night and some left overs to have the following night (perhaps even a bit to freeze, or maybe Bella the Dog will get lucky! lol!)

Thanks all for the info and advice!

[Mrs Dobby]

You beat me to it Mrs D my OH arrived home with a cool bag 7 pheasents 2 partridge and a lump of venison!! OK with the birds but the venison I keep seeing Bambi slipping on the ice!! What does it taste like?

Absolutely fantastic UG, very like a very lean beef but with a much stronger / nicer more gamey flavour, but can dry out easily if you're not careful with the cooking!

It has a texture like very lean beef. It is more flavourful though but not over 'gamey' if you know what I mean. If you like pheasant and such you will love venison. Just be careful how you cook it as if it dries out it is stringy and unpleasant.

Spot on Shirl

Hello Mrs D. I think you would have been safe enough to freeze your venison, even if it had been frozen before. I think all the guidelines on freezing things have been dramatically updated in line with improvements in equipment and scientific knowledge.
As for recipes for venison, well , I came from an area where.......... better not talk about that, but the folklore on venison was
it was no use for stew
not very good fried or grilled
made a decent roast if you were very careful ie covered with a good piece of fat while roasting
only worth having if you could have it for free
I love it myself but confess to a reluctance to buy ( still have that memory which says it should be free, not the astronomical price charged.)
When I do buy it, it tends to be for a mixed game pie,
venison, pigeon, pheasant,rabbit - all braised in red wine sauce and topped with flaky pastry (courtesy of Jus Roll - they do it so much better than I do )
A treat only for Christmas or New year.
If you saw my posts last year you would know I was plagued with Roe Deer in the garden, eating everything they could get their lovely lips on. I couldn't bring myself to have the ****** ******* killed. I spent a fortune fencing the blighters out. Seems to have worked.

Anyway, whatever you do with your venison, hope it is delicious.

It was, thanks Alice!

I'm very careful with freezing things, if there's even a chance its been frozen before my gut instinct is not to freeze again until its been cooked, thats what my Mum taught me and what I follow now, better safe than sorry! If technology has moved on and it is now safe to refreeze, then I'd love to find out a bit more about it, have you any info or links you could share?

Have to admit I hadnt ever tried it until 4 years ago when we were doing a Barbecue for friends, and one of them brought a full haunch with him (he was a forrester at the time), which was steaked and done on the barbie wrapped in foil, absolutely delish!

Your game pie sounds fab, I love game pie as does Mr D! I did one last year with rabbit and a few other bits we'd picked up from a Farmers Market, but with port and beer in it, very rich and very tasty!

I hadnt seen the posts about your troubles with wild deer eating your veg, must have been before I joined, but I am glad to hear that its no longer a problem for you!

[Alison]

Cooked venison for the first time the other week - cooked it in red wine in the oven with some onions and breakfast mushrooms. Was really good served up with mash and root veg and have some more in the freezer to make into a pie when I get the time.

[Earthbabe]

You lucky thing Mrs D. Enjoy it like an MOM should. Dried juniper berries will be fine although if you have a myrtle you can apparently substitute these berries for a less "ginny" more rounded flavour.