Venison Stew

Serves four 

Ingredients:

500g venison and wild boar cut into 4cm chunks
2 tbsp flour
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 stick of celery roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbl spoon of tomato concentrate
I tin of Italian peeled tomatoes
85g pancetta, cubed
8 peeled shallots
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
25ml of scotch or brandy
750ml red wine
200ml venison or beef stock
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
Small bunch of parsley
50gms butter

Method:

1. Whilst pre-heating the oven put the flour on a baking tray and brown until golden brown.  This gives a nutty flavour to the stew.   
2. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and fry the onions gently for 5 mins or until they start softening then add celery followed by the carrots.  Finely add the garlic.
3. Stir in the tomato concentrate and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring from time to time.  
4. Add the meat and flour and mix well before adding the whisky/brandy and setting light to ‘flambé’ the stew.  
5. Add the wine and let simmer for a few minutes before adding the hot stock.  
6. Deseed the tomatoes and chop roughly and add to stew, together with the herbs and seasoning.  
7. Place a lid on the casserole and place in oven for about an hour or until the meat is tender.
8. Whilst the stew is in the oven sauté quickly the mushrooms in a little olive until nicely coloured and when cooked put to one side.  Fry the pancetta until it is a little crunchy adding to the mushrooms. Place the butter in a small frying pan and then add the shallots and cook until they have taken on some colour.  Then sprinkle on the sugar and add the water.  Swirling around the pan until the water has evaporated and the shallots are a lovely golden colour.  Add these to the mushrooms and pancetta.  
9. Take out the casserole from the oven and place on a heat proof surface.  With a fork remove the meat and place into a bowl.  Pass the remaining sauce through a sieve over the meat pressing the vegetables to extract all their flavour.  This extra step will result in a wonderful tasting velvety sauce.
10. Return the meat and sauce to the casserole adding the mushrooms, shallots and pancetta and place back in the oven for about another 15 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper
    Ladle the stew into large bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley
    Serve with new potatoes and French beans that have been tossed in a little butter.

Did you know

Venison: How does it compare nutritionally to beef and pork?

Answer:

Like all meat, venison is a good source of protein. It’s also a good source of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6 and B-12, iron, zinc and copper. Venison is higher in vitamin B-12 and iron than pork and beef.

Game meat generally has less fat than meat from domesticated animals, such as beef and pork. This is because game animals are typically more active than domesticated animals.

Our butcher says beef is roughly £8 per kilo and venison £10. Not that much more considering the health benefits and the taste.