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Venison Shank with Red Wine

Venison Shanks Slow-Cooked in Red Wine, Italian Style

Slow-Cooked Venison Shank with red wine, juniper and herb sauce

Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Keyword bay, juniper, Red Wine, rosemary, venison
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Resting Time 1 day
Servings 2
Calories 480 kcal
Author Fiona Maclean

Ingredients

  • 1 medium Onion preferably red or white, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 small Venison shanks if you are using larger shanks, you may only need one and you may need to slow-cook for longer
  • 50 g Chopped pancetta
  • 1 stick Celery trimmed and finely chopped
  • 1 large Carrot trimmed peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 Bayleaf
  • 2 sprigs Rosemary
  • 1 handful Fresh Thyme
  • 1 tsp Juniper Berries crushed
  • 2 cloves Garlic crushed
  • 500 ml Red wine
  • 250 ml Stock
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Butter

Instructions

  1. Take the venison out of the fridge and bring to room temperature

  2. Pre heat the oven to 140c (130 c fan and around 280f)

  3. Add the pancetta to a large heavy casserole and sweat over a medium heat till the fat is running

  4. Remove and put to one side

  5. Add the olive oil to the casserole and heat through till just below smoking point

  6. Add the venison shanks and brown on all sides

  7. Remove the venison shanks

  8. Tie the herbs into a bouquet garni

  9. Add the onions to the casserole and sweat over a low heat for 5 minutes

  10. Add the remaining vegetables together with the garlic and juniper. Cook for a further 5 minutes

  11. Return the venison shanks and the pancetta to the pan, add the wine and stock and season well with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on the hob, then cover and transfer to the oven where you can leave it to cook for 3-4 hours

  12. Check the venison occasionally and top up with more water or stock as necessary

  13. Once the meat is fork-tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool

  14. Take each venison shank out and wrap in foil before refrigerating overnight

  15. Transfer the cooking liquid and vegetables to a large jug and chill so any fat solidifies and can be removed

  16. Strain the liquid through a metal sieve, pushing through as much of the vegetable mixture as possible

  17. 40 minutes before you are ready to eat, reheat the venison with the cooking liquid in a casserole with a lid. I do this by bringing to a simmer on the hob then putting the casserole in the oven at 140C

  18. After 30 minutes the shanks should be warmed through. Remove them and keep warm.

  19. Reduce the liquid down by bringing to a brisk boil on the hob. Add a tablespoon of butter and whisk through. Check and adjust the seasoning before serving

  20. Serve the venison shanks on polenta with the sauce poured over

Nutrition Facts
Venison Shanks Slow-Cooked in Red Wine, Italian Style
Amount Per Serving
Calories 480
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.