- 1125g wild venison haunch
- 4½ onions
- 3 chillies
- 3 tomatoes
- A handful of rosemary, leaves only
- 1½ tbsp Demerara sugar
- 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- 45ml cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 1.
Get started: Remove all of the packaging and string from the venison haunch and pop onto a roasting tray. Unroll the meat to flatten as much as possible, and set aside for 30 mins to come to room temp.
- 2.
Make the hot sauce. Peel and finely chop the onions. Halve the chillies, flicking out the seeds and membrane for less heat, and finely chop. Chop the tomatoes into small chunks. Finely chop the rosemary leaves.
- 3.
Pour 1 tbsp oil into a pan and bring to a medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 5-6 mins, till golden and soft. Stir in the chillies and rosemary and cook for a further 2 mins, then slide in the tomatoes, 1 tbsp each sugar and mustard, the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
- 4.
When the hot sauce has cooked, use a stick blender or food processor to blend till smooth. Stir in 2 tbsp cold water if the sauce is too thick. Pour into a bowl and set aside until the venison is ready.
- 5.
Cooking indoors: Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Rub the venison with 1 tbsp olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Slide into the oven for 35 mins for medium-rare, or an additional 10 mins for meat a little more well done.
- 6.
Pop the cooked venison onto a board and allow to rest for 20 mins before carving. Serve on a platter with generous dollops of the hot sauce.
- 7.
Cooking Outdoors: Light your barbecue and let cool to a medium heat. Place the joint on the hottest part of the barbecue and cook for 2-5 mins each side, till well coloured. Move to the coolest part and cover. Barbecue for 30-35 mins, for medium-rare meat turning occasionally.
- 8.
Pop the cooked venison onto a board and allow to rest for 20 mins before carving. Serve on a platter with generous dollops of the hot sauce.
- 9.
Know your grill: When lighting your barbecue, lay the bulk of your coals to one side, gently sloping 3/4 of the way to the other side. This helps to regulate the heat, giving you fierce 'direct' heat to brown your meat over, and gently 'indirect' heat to slowly finish it off.
- 10.
Hot sauce: A good homemade hot sauce is a wonderful condiment for a whole range of grilled meat, cold cuts, cheese and roasted vegetables, and well worth making a big batch. Pour any extra sauce into sterilised jars and keep in the fridge for up to a week.
- 11.
Next week in the Summer Roast Box: BBQ Satay Spatchcock Chicken. Plump spatchcock chicken straight from Chris's Devonshire farm, marinated in a spicy, nutty sauce and grilled till crispy and smoky.
- 12.
French beans are bang in season, and are a doddle to whip into a quick and delicious side for your spatchcock chicken. Simply scatter into a roasting dish and toss with oil and spice such as garam masala, cumin seeds or turmeric. Roast in a hot oven till they start to blacken and char, and finish with a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice.
