Ingredients
- 1 kg shoulder venison, shoulder is the best, cut into 2
- 1 tbsp veg oil or beef dripping
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small cubes
- 400 g belly pork
- 10 cloves
- 10 juniper berries, lightly crushed
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 3 bay leaves
- 2.5 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 254 dry full bodied red wine
- 500 strong venison or game stock
- 2 tbsp clear honey
- 12 semi dried apricots, chopped into quarters
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to Gas 3, 160C.
- Season the venison well with salt and pepper and brown well in the vegetable oil or dripping.
- I use a cast-iron casserole to brown and cook this dish in. Then all the goodness stays in the pan.
- When browned, remove the meat from the pan.
- Add the onions and diced carrot and cook until they have a nice brown and caramelized colour. When cooked, remove them also.
- Sauté the bacon or pork with the cloves, juniper, rosemary and bay together in the pan to release their flavours, but do not let them burn.
- Once browned, add the flour and tomato paste and stir well. It's quite good to let the flour catch a little. I think it adds flavour and colour to the whole stew.
- Stir in the red wine and the beef stock and bring to a boil slowly.
- When just simmering, add the honey and apricots and season well with salt and pepper.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid, place in the preheated oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The stew must cook very slowly in the oven, or it will dry out and toughen. It's a very important point.
- Once the venison has been cooking for 1 hour 45 minutes, remove very carefully from the oven and remove the lid. The aroma is fantastic.
- Check the meat is soft and juicy. It will fall apart when gently squeezed when ready. If it is still a little tough, then pop back into the oven for a further 20-30 minutes.
- When the stew is finally cooked, cover and leave to cool for a good half an hour covered. If the stew is too hot, you really cannot eat or enjoy it.
- The best way to serve this dish is to pop the whole thing in the middle of the table and let people help themselves.
- Venison is vibrant meat, and a little goes a long way, so don't be surprised if you feed six people from this.
- A large bowl of lightly cooked broccoli tossed in a little unsalted butter and a bowl of the mash is all you need with this, and of course, a large glass of Shiraz.
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Nutrition Facts
Rich Venison Stew with Apricots & Juniper
Amount per Serving
Calories
1196
% Daily Value*
Fat
67
g
103
%
Saturated Fat
27
g
169
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Cholesterol
355
mg
118
%
Sodium
689
mg
30
%
Potassium
1307
mg
37
%
Carbohydrates
29
g
10
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
16
g
18
%
Protein
102
g
204
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
