There is something about the first cold evenings of autumn that calls for a pot of something slow and rich bubbling away on the hob. This year, the wild venison season has opened, and it has given us the perfect excuse.
Our diced wild venison comes from wild deer hunted in the Pendle and North Lancashire area. This is not farmed venison. These deer have lived and foraged naturally across open countryside, and the meat is noticeably leaner, with a deeper, more complex flavour than anything reared indoors.
The Recipe
Lean wild meat needs a little patience, and this ragù rewards it. The venison is browned hard, then simmered gently with red wine, tomatoes, juniper berries and rosemary for a couple of hours until it falls apart into a thick, glossy sauce. Toss it through pappardelle, or spoon it over creamy polenta or mash. It is even better the next day, so make a double batch.
Slow-Cooked Wild Venison Ragù with Red Wine & Juniper
Equipment
- Large heavy-based casserole with a lid
Ingredients
- 800 g diced wild venison 2 x 400g packs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50 g butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 250 ml red wine
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml beef stock or beef bone broth
- 6 juniper berries lightly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400 g pappardelle to serve
- freshly grated Parmesan to serve
- fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the venison dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based casserole over a high heat and brown the meat in two batches until deeply golden on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the butter and soften the onion, carrots and celery for 10 minutes, stirring often, until sweet and golden. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes more.
- Pour in the red wine, scraping up all the sticky bits from the base of the pan, and let it bubble until reduced by half.
- Return the venison to the pan with the chopped tomatoes, stock, juniper, bay and rosemary. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook on the lowest heat on the hob (or in the oven at 150°C / 130°C fan) for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring now and then, until the meat is completely tender.
- Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stalks. Use two forks to break the venison into rough shreds, then simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Cook the pappardelle in well-salted boiling water until al dente, reserving a mug of the cooking water. Toss the pasta through the ragù, loosening with a splash of the reserved water if needed. Serve topped with Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Cook it yourself
Wild venison is a seasonal product and stock varies from week to week, so if you spot it in stock it is worth grabbing while you can. You will need two packs of Diced Wild Venison (400g) for this recipe. If you prefer a quicker ragù, our Wild Venison Mince (400g) works beautifully too.
Happy cooking,
Simon and the team at Green Pasture Farms