Description
Hearty “Venison Casserole” brings rustic mountain flavors straight from Alpine kitchens, blending wild game with rich seasonal herbs. Wild herbs and tender meat create a comforting winter meal you’ll savor with each warming spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2.5 kilograms (5.5 pounds) diced venison
- 4 rashers smoked bacon
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 2 onions, diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) chestnut mushrooms
Liquids, Seasonings, and Thickeners:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 25 grams (0.88 ounces) butter
- 1/2 bottle red wine
- 400 milliliters (13.5 fluid ounces) water
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 3 tablespoons redcurrant jelly
- 50 grams (1.76 ounces) cornflour
- Salt and pepper
Optional Garnish:
- Redcurrants
- Thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Sauté diced onions in a blend of oil and butter until translucent and fragrant, releasing their sweet aroma.
- Introduce minced garlic, crispy bacon pieces, and sliced mushrooms to the pan, allowing them to caramelize and develop deep, rich flavors.
- Methodically brown venison chunks in multiple batches, ensuring each piece develops a golden-brown crust that seals in moisture and enhances the meat’s natural taste.
- Transfer the beautifully seared meat into a heavy casserole dish, creating layers of robust ingredients.
- Pour in red wine, water, crumbled stock cubes, and game jelly, seasoning generously with salt and pepper to create a complex, savory liquid base.
- Cover the casserole and slow-roast in a preheated oven at 150°C for approximately 90 minutes, allowing the venison to become tender and infused with the surrounding flavors.
- Once meat reaches optimal tenderness, prepare a cornflour slurry to gently thicken the sauce, stirring carefully to achieve a luxurious, glossy consistency.
- Plate the succulent venison casserole alongside creamy mashed potatoes, optionally garnishing with fresh herbs for a final touch of elegance.
Notes
- Prevent gamey flavor by marinating venison in red wine or buttermilk overnight before cooking.
- Choose leaner cuts of venison like loin or shoulder for more tender and less tough meat texture.
- Balance rich game meat with acidic ingredients like wine or tomatoes to enhance overall flavor profile.
- Use low and slow cooking method to break down tough muscle fibers and create melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 95 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 341 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg