This is a very simple French recipe for cooking a piece of venison weighing around 1kg all in one piece. There is the small matter of remembering to marinade it for a day first, but there is remarkably little fuss.
INGREDIENTS:
- 900g venison for stewing, all in one piece and tied in an oval shape.
- 4 tbsp port
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp white flour
- 1 large onion, sliced finely
- pork or bacon rind, in one piece
- A little red wine if required, around 200ml
- salt and pepper
METHOD:
- Put the venison into a container with a lid, along with the port, vinegar and olive oil. The venison should just fit. Marinade for 24 hours.
- Take out the meat, pat it dry and coat it with white flour. Put it into a dish with a lit that is just the right size, and pour over the marinade and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a layer of sliced onions, and then the pork rind.
- Cover with a lid and cook in a slow oven, around 130 to 140C for 4 hours. You may need to check up on the venison during the cooking. If it is looking a little dry, add some red wine.
When it is cooked it will be very tender and shred easily. Serve on hot plates with celeriac mash, a green vegetable, and with red currant or rowan jelly on the side.