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How to cook Venison?

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I've got 2 venison steaks I want to cook for my dad at the weekend. My mum suggested a rich onion, garlic or red wine gravy. I found a "rich onion gravy" in the supermarket, but it says it's ideal with sausages and pies . . . now I'm worried it's not posh enough for venison.

 

So, does anyone have any ideas on how to make a posh gravy with onions, garlic and/or red wine?

 

And, how should I cook the venison steaks?

 

I was gonna cook it with new potatoes, carrots and broccoli. Does that sound like a good combination?

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Venison is very healthy to eat because it has very little fat in it, unlike beef. That means that it can dry out if you don't keep it moist with oil brushed on it , or cooking it in a sauce.

We don't do gravy here, they both prefer their food types distinct and not touching on the plate, so I usually roast it covered and with a slosh of wine in stock, with juniper and rosemary or tarragon.

Your choice of veg sounds good, it's a very rich tasting meat so the veg need to be simple.

Says the vegetarian!

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Hi tally -

 

Some people go for slow braised venison, but personally i think rare/medium rare steaks are best... there's so little fat any overcooking and you end up with boot leather!

It's quite an intense meat, so it's a good idea to balance it with a sweet sauce of some sort - bramble/redcurrant/juniper (even cherry as per duck, or mint like lamb) but that needs to be 'cut' with something slightly citrus too for the best balance - lemon juice/balsmamic vinegar/ red wine...

 

quick and easy for two steaks... pan fry in butter with shallots (or onions & garlic) some mushrooms (porcini or cheapo chestnut work well) and when the steaks are cooked de-glaze the pan with a little red wine... add some soft, dark brown sugar to sweeten, lots of black pepper, pinch of salt and bobs yer uncle/fanny's yer aunt. Jacket spud or game chips (basically home-made crisps), glazed baby carrots and fine bean salad on the side and you can't lose!

If you really want to go fancy, bung on a garlic crostinni and then top the whole lot with some nice blue cheese or goats cheese... (I'd always go the former and serve with a fruity red... blue cheese and a cab sauv are nectar and ambrosia to one another!)

 

OR you could be really brave and make a dark chocolate sauce (honest - it'll work!) or even a very 'in at the mo' rhubarb or gooseberry :)

 

Gor, I'm hungry now..... :lol::lol:

 

L&P

 

BD :D

 

Oooh just seen your veg selection - yes, they'd all be great, but 'bruise' the new pots with a fork to break the skins and toss in butter and lemon juice :) You could also 'sprinkle' the brocolli with some toasted sesame seeds if you wanna be posh!

Edited by baddad

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WOW BD!!

 

Respect! I'll never think of you as a simple vindaloo man again.

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BD - I'm putting you on catering duties for the Greenwich Meet. :eat::eat1: You're definitely invited now, despite last year's tree thing! :lol: :lol:

 

game chips (basically home-made crisps)

Time for Mumble to own up - I've always thought game chips were chips made with strips of pheasant and partridge :rolleyes:

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Time for Mumble to own up - I've always thought game chips were chips made with strips of pheasant and partridge :rolleyes:

 

Dunno what they're called... I know strips of sewer rat dried in the sun after being nailed to a tree are called 'biltong', and that our very own kathryn has a bit of a thing for them :sick::lol::devil:

 

pheasant and partridge? well they could be 'phridge chips' or 'phart crisps'... but served with venison? :shame: Oh deer, oh deer :P

 

L&P

 

BD :D

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Guest Lya of the Nox

was about to say will ask chef boy when he gets back he just rode off into sunset

but then saw all chef BD recipies

and reminds me of trying hard to persuade hubs that i need 2 garjuss rabbits as pets

but he said no, cos they not big enough for a pie :tearful:

x

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Dunno what they're called... I know strips of sewer rat dried in the sun after being nailed to a tree are called 'biltong', and that our very own kathryn has a bit of a thing for them :sick::lol::devil:

 

Biltong...aaah, manna from heaven... an acquired taste though, not for the unsophisticated palate. :whistle:

 

Do try some, everybody - the sewer rat variety I haven't come across :lol: , but I bet bison biltong would be fantastic. :):dance:

 

Don't pay any attention to BD, he doesn't appreciate finer cuisine, despite knowing words like "de - glaze" :P

 

K x

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Biltong...aaah, manna from heaven... an acquired taste though, not for the unsophisticated palate. :whistle:

 

Do try some, everybody - the sewer rat variety I haven't come across :lol: , but I bet bison biltong would be fantastic. :):dance:

 

Don't pay any attention to BD, he doesn't appreciate finer cuisine, despite knowing words like "de - glaze" :P

 

K x

 

Thanks for reminding me Kathryn :thumbs: . I've got a stash of it hidden because our boys like it. If they know where it is it'll be gone in nano-seconds.

 

Going off to find it now :eat1: .

 

I know how much you love it BD, shall I send you some? maybe some houmous as well :lol:

 

Annie

xx

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How do you cook Kangaroo BD I noticed you mentioned this at Christmas.

 

Its funny everyone but Aussie's eat Kangaroo I have never tried it.

 

Hard to get Venison in Aussie but had it in New Zealand.

 

:)

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How do you cook Kangaroo BD I noticed you mentioned this at Christmas.

 

Its funny everyone but Aussie's eat Kangaroo I have never tried it.

 

Hard to get Venison in Aussie but had it in New Zealand.

 

:)

 

Actually, skippy and bambi are very similar in flavour/texture, so 'as above'

Basically, anything 'steak like' from roo through to gnu works well for medium-rare griddlin' :lol:

 

We also had some wild boar in our 'xmas hamper' last year but I didn't bother this year as it's nice but fiddly... like pork it needs to be cooked thoroughly, so worth it for a big 'lump' but not very effective steaks and stuff unless you really like chewing!

 

we're planning on eating our way through the alphabet - Antelope to Zebra :o

 

apologies to any 'reggie the veggie's' reading :oops:

 

 

L&P

 

BD (and ben) :eat::eat:

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Thanks for reminding me Kathryn :thumbs: . I've got a stash of it hidden because our boys like it. If they know where it is it'll be gone in nano-seconds.

 

The words "stash" and "biltong" wouldn't figure together in our house - it would barely make it through the door before being eaten. :lol: We've found an excellent new source by the way, a South African butcher has recently opened near to us. He does excellent boerewors too. :):dance:

 

BD I'd love to see what you and Ben do when you get to "X". :P

 

K x

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Quail, with a quince and quantro quolis (and yes, I know that's not how you spell either of the latter but don't be so ###### pedantic!)... Oh, and before you ask - Yak!

 

:devil:

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Quail :lol:

 

I was so worried I was going to come back to Bambi jokes :o

 

when the steaks are cooked de-glaze the pan with a little red wine... add some soft, dark brown sugar to sweeten, lots of black pepper, pinch of salt

Does that mean, pour in some red wine? And do I take the steaks out of the pan first or leave them in?

 

The whole thing is waaaay beyond my culinary expertise, but I think I will cook the meat like you said. Best to stick with something safe and easy ad get it right, me thinks! I wouldn't normally eat this kind of thing, let alone cook it. I have some burgers and chips in the freezer, just in case :lol:

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Does that mean, pour in some red wine? And do I take the steaks out of the pan first or leave them in?

 

Deglaze... take the steaks out and let them 'rest' (helps to keep them moist/tender) add a small amount of red wine and scrape all the 'sticky' bits off the bottom of the pan to mix in... then you can add a bit more red wine and the sugar, then cook rapidly to reduce and thicken (you could add another nob of butter too if you don't mind the cholesterol! Go on, it is a special occassion!) the other thing you could do, rather than sweetening wine, is try tawny port if you have some, or even go with a brandy and cream sauce... or whisky... or....

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Bambi's mammy, and ickle sister, and Bambi's daddy wander past our garden every afternoon (presumably to get a pint a' milk, or paper, or similar.. :huh: ).

 

They sooooo preddy - you can't eat 'em! :shame:

 

*I now have visions of half you lot camped out in my back garden, gun at the ready :tearful: , licking your lips :crying: pooooooooooooor bambi :crying: .*

 

:lol:

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So it was a success :thumbs:

Great - I should update the Greenwich meet list. So, that's BD and Tally responsible for (strange) culinary stuff :eat::eat1: with Bard providing stuffed rolled-up slugs vegetarian alternatives for people not into eating Bambi and Thumper. :lol:

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I think Greenwich have their own deer park...

They do, but I've been there several times and have yet to spot a single deer. I think it's actually called a deer enclosure. Not very enclosed if they've all escaped :unsure:

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