venison recipes
Here's a collection of venison recipes from our weekly newsletters, and some lovely ones you've sent in. If you'd like more please have a look at our recipe index! To find out about our venison supplier and order yours click here.
Venison Stew
Wild Venison Stir-fry
Slow-cooked Wild Venison Stew
Venison Chilli
Spiced Rubbed Venison Steaks with Wild Cranberry, Pear and Stilton Salad
Venison Chocolate Chilli
Simple Venison Curry
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Serve with crusty bread, for 4
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 250g streaky bacon, pancetta or chorizo, chopped
- 750g-1kg venison meat, cut into large cubes
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 large carrots, scrubbed, cut into large chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 200ml red wine
- 600ml (plus extra if needed) beef or chicken stockv
Preheat the oven to 160°C/315°F/Gas Mark 2-3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy frying pan over a gentle medium heat. Add the bacon and fry gently until it starts to brown and the fat renders out. with a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to an oven-safe casserole dish (with a lid). Reserve the bacon fat in the frying pan and place back on the heat. Place the venison in a bowl, add the flour, and toss lightly to coat. Add the venison to the frying pan and brown the outside, transferring it to the casserole when it is lightly coloured. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft, 5-10 minutes (do not brown them). Transfer to the casserole. Add the garlic, carrots, herbs, and wine to the pan, and let the wine bubble for 1 minute. Pour into the casserole, and add the stock. The meat should just be covered in liquid. Cover and place in the oven, cooking until the venison is lovely and tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours (or longer, depending on your preferences and the meat). Season to taste.
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Stir-frying is an Asian technique, but you don't have to use Asian-style ingredients. This one captures the spirit of a British (bar the balsamic!) late autumn/early winter. Serves 4
- 500g wild venison haunch steaks, sliced into 1cm-thick slivers
- 2 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 150g fresh chestnuts or 100g vacuum packed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 100g smoked bacon, snipped into 1cm lardoons
- 2 handfuls mushrooms, thinly sliced
- Half a whole green cabbage, cut into 1-cm thick ribbons
- 10g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Marinade the sliced venison in the balsamic and garlic for 30 minutes or over night.
If you’re using fresh chestnuts, preheat your oven to 200°C/ 390°F/ Gas Mark 6. Score the chestnuts and roast for 20-25 minutes, until they can be squeezed and peeled out of their shells. Set aside.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large frying pan or wok. Once sizzling, add bacon and stir-fry until is golden. Remove from pan with as slotted spoon, keeping the butter and bacon fat in the pan. Add the venison and sizzle until it starts to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Remove them from the pan, give the pan a wipe clean and add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and stir-fry the cabbage until tender. Add the bacon and chestnuts to the cabbage, cook to warm through and then arrange on plates. Rewarm the venison and mushrooms in the pan until hot and top the cabbage with this. Top with the parsley and serve immediately. If you’re really hungry, you could pair this with some creamy mash or dauphinoise potatoes.
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This is soul-warming at its finest. Pair with Dauphinoise potatoes some hearty greens. Serves 4.
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 500g diced venison
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1cm dice
- 1 rib of celery, cut into 1cm dice
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1cm-thick slices
- Leaves of 1 large rosemary sprig, finely chopped
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 500ml of a good Rioja
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based, flameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Season the meat and fry half of it in the dish for 5 minutes, turning once or twice until the meat is well browned. Transfer to a plate then repeat with the remaining meat. Set the venison to one side.
Place the carrot, onion and celery in the pan and cook for 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Add the rosemary and tinned tomatoes, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Return the meat to the pan, add the wine and then bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, throw the mushrooms in, then cover and cook for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 30 minutes until the sauce is reduced, stirring as necessary.
Using the back of a spoon, roughly break up the diced venison. Check the seasoning and serve with Dauphinoise potatoes and some hearty greens.
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A robust blend of herbs, spices and a touch of cocoa give this chilli extra oomph! Serves 6.
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp Hispaniola cocoa powder
- 250g streaky smoked bacon, snipped into 1cm lardons
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 green pepper
- 1 medium-sized onion
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500gm venison mince
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 500ml water
- 400g tin of kidney beans
To serve:
- Fresh coriander
- Crème fraiche
Cut your onion and green pepper (use a red, orange or even a yellow pepper if you don't have a green one) into a 1cm dice. Finely chop your three garlic cloves. Melt 1 tsp butter in a large frying pan and sauté the bacon lardoons until just golden. Tip into a bowl and set aside. In the same pan – don't clean it as you want the lovely bacon flavours to remain - add the onion, pepper, garlic and the crushed coriander and cumin seeds.
Cook for two minutes or so, just until the vegetables start to soften up and you start to get a gorgeous aroma wafting from the pan. Add the olive oil, let it sizzle a bit, then tip in your venison mince, the salt and the pepper. Saute until the meat has just started to brown.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes, cooked bacon, the oregano, chilli, cayenne, cinnamon and bay leaf. Add 500ml water. Cook over a medium heat until the tomatoey juices start to bubble up, then turn the heat right down and simmer for 1 hour. Check after 30 minutes and add more water if needed.
Sprinkle the cocoa powder over; stir until well mixed. Drain the kidney beans and add. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Then, taste the chilli. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. and more chilli or cayenne if you think it needs a bigger kick. If it's too spicy, stir in a few tablespoons of tomato paste and maybe a little pinch of caster sugar – this will sweeten it up and temper the heat. You can also stir in some finely ground bread crumbs to take the edge off.
Once cooked, ladle into bowls and serve with fresh coriander leaves and a dollop of crème fraiche.
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This is a quick, light and super-easy last autumn or early winter supper. Serves 2.
- 2 wild venison haunch steaks
- 6 juniper berries, crushed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp wild cranberry sauce
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 large handfuls of fresh rocket
- 100g Stilton or any other blue cheese
- 1 ripe pear
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Combine the juniper berries, the fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub into the meat with the spices and place it on a plate. Set aside at room temperature
Heat the butter in a frying pan over high heat. Sear the fillets for 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and let rest for 4 to 5 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, until medium-rare. Let rest for 5 minutes.
Whisk the cranberry sauce with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with a pinch of salt and some pepper - not too much as the rocket leaves are quite peppery. Place the dressing in a bowl, add the leaves and give a good toss to coat. Set aside for a moment.
Thinly slice the venison. Arrange on the plates and pile the dressed leaves on the sides. Then, crumble over some Stilton over each rocket mound. Gently lift the leaves and let it fall through them. Quarter, core and slice the pear. Fold it through the leaves and serve.
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Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 1hr 20 mins
Serves 4-6
- A glug of olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 bell peppers in 2cm chunks
- 250g minced venison
- 1 tbsp each: ground cinnamon, paprika and cumin
- Chilli (fresh, dried, ground or sauce)
- 2 tins tomatoes
- 50g Green & Black's Maya Gold Dark Chocolate broken into pieces
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tin black beans, drained
- 1 tin kidney beans, drained
To serve:
- 50g natural yogurt, crème fraîche or sour cream
- Handful of fresh coriander
- Rice and a squeeze of lime
Place a pot over a medium heat. Add a splash of oil. Sizzle onion, peppers and garlic till they soften. Add meat. Cook
for a couple of mins. Add spices.
Cook for a few mins. Add tomatoes. Let it bubble up for a bit. Stir in chocolate, brown sugar and tomato puree. Taste. Add a dash of chilli, if you like. Stir in the beans. Turn heat right down; simmer for an hour or so, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
Serve with yogurt, coriander and lime, on rice or potatoes. Goes seriously well with our organic Rioja.
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Serves 4
- 200g venison haunch steak
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion, finey chopped
- 1 red or green chilli, deseeded and sliced (use more or less, depending on how hot you like it)
- 4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 mugs sweet potatoes or seasonal squash, peeled and cubed
- a good pinch of sea salt
- 1 mug cherry or small plum tomatoes, halved
- 200ml coconut milk
- 2 mugs spinach or seasonal greens, roughly chopped
- Juice of ½ lemon
- olive oil
Rub a pinch of garlic into the venison steak. Season and set aside. Heat a lidded pan over medium-high heat. Add a glug of oil. When warm, tumble in the onion and garlic and cook until softened but not coloured, about 5 minutes. Add fresh chilli and cook for a further 2 minutes. Fold in the spices and cook for a minute or two. Add coconut milk and give it a stir. Then add the sweet potatoes or squash. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes or squash are tender. While it cooks, pan-fry the steak in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until nicely coloured. Remove from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice and fold into the curry. Then add the tomatoes and spinach, cover and cook a further 5 minutes. Finish with the lemon juice. Simmer uncovered to thicken up the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Serve with rice and a cold beer.
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