Braised venison shoulder

[hendersons]

This one seemed to be quite popular with those that have eaten it. I should say all amounts are pretty approximate and you will need to change them if you have shot something different in size to what I managed ( roe pricket). And feel free to change port and wine for beer or Guinness or something similar.

If you don't like or have any allergies then leave the bits out, which is what I did for the Cotswold meet.All veg are roughly chopped and left quite chunky as they are just there to give body and flavour to the sauce.

Ingredients:

 

1 venison shoulder whole if you have a big enough casserole dish if nit then cut it into prices you can get in your dish

1 pigs trotter back leg if possible or 2 from the front legs

1/4 bottle port

1/2 bottle red wine

2 large onions

4 carrots

2 celery sticks

Sprig each of thyme, rosemary and sage

Juniper berries

6 tomatoes

Some stock preferably home made you can use either game or chicken, if you don't have any then just use water, it will be nearly as good anyway. This recipe will not work if you use stock from cubes.

 

Sear the shoulder in a large pan with some oil. Try to get plenty of caramelisation on there but be careful not to burn it or your sauce will taste bitter. When it is nicely coloured remove the shoulder and set to one side. Now throw a good **** of butter into your pan and turn it down to a medium heat, give it a few seconds for the butter to melt. When you see the butter start to foam a little throw in your chopped veg and leave it there stirring very rarely until it goes a lovely dark brown colour. Now is the time to add your poison whatever that may be.Now reduce this liquid down still over a medium heat until it has nearly all gone.Throw in a good glug of stock or water to release the flavours and then remove from the heat. Now throw everything into a large casserole dish with a little salt and pepper. Cover the whole lot with your stock or water and then put a lid on top. Put it into a low oven about 110c and leave it in there until the meat is tender and easy to separate. You have to cook it long and slow otherwise the meat will go dry or stringy. When the meat is cooked fish it out of the stock and quite quickly while it is still warm pull off all the meat. You really need no neatness here and the more rough smallish chunks you have the better. Now this is going to get quite difficult to describe so bear with me and if you need it to be a bit clearer let me know and I will try and get some pictures up. Unroll a good length of cling film on your work surface but don't cut it, with the roll opposite you and the end on the side closest to you. Now get your meat and lay it on to your cling film leaving a couple of inches spare at each end. Using the loose end of the cling film lift it up and over your meat. Now start rolling the meat in the clingfilm to make a sausage shape try to keep it tight or the meat will fall apart when you warm it. Keep rolling until you have a good few layers around the meat. Now tie one of the ends into a knot. Grab hold of the other end that is loose and squeeze thd cling film down to the meat so the end looks a bit like a Christmas cracker. Grab hold of the cracker end and start to twist it until it is really tight then tie it in a knot. Put this in the fridge over night to set. Sieve the stock out of your casserole and reduce it until thick and sauce like, if you would like a richer sauce whisk a **** of butter into it. If the sauce is a little sweet for your taste then put in a little bit of wine vinegar. If the sauce tastes bitter then you burnt something along the way try stirring in some red currant jelly if that doesn't work then start again. Save the sauce in the fridge overnight.

 

Cut the meat bit into pieces using a sharp knife then fry on either end in a very hot non stick pan. Use only a little oil to do this or it will start to break up. When all your pieces are fried put them in a casserole and into a medium oven until it is hot. Now warm your sauce up and then pour over the top of the meat.

If you have any questions then ask away as this was one of the more complicated recipes to describe. When you have tried it though you will see it is harder to describe than it is tod do

Thanks Nick

[hendersons]

It would appear butter has to come in willys rather than ***** round here

[camokid]

im not throwing that in me pan. lol. i was waiting for this ihave just adked malk for it . well done very nice thanks

[Thunderbird]

Cock of butter?

 

Last Tango in Paris anyone?

[hendersons]

Just thought if you haven't seen it before. The pictures of what you end up with in the Cotswold meet section may make what I have tried to describe a little clearer

Nick

[activeviii]

thanks for posting this one up nick.

 

I take it you cut though the film to keep the shape and then remove film just before before you put in hot pan.

 

Phil.

[hendersons]

thanks for posting this one up nick.

 

I take it you cut though the film to keep the shape and then remove film just before before you put in hot pan.

 

Phil.

 

Absolutely spot on Phil.