Forest Smoked Summer Venison with Honeyed Shallots Recipe

Ingredients

75g wild venison haunch
1 garlic bulb
A handful of rosemary, leaves only
8 juniper berries
8 shallots
A handful of thyme
40g honey
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 40 mins + resting

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Method

1. Get started: Pull 1 clove from the garlic bulb. Peel and finely slice it. Pick the leaves from the rosemary sprigs. Tip 8 juniper berries into a mortar and crush with pestle, or use a small bowl and the bottom of a jam jar, or the end of a rolling pin, to crush them.

2. Cooking indoors: Preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Remove all packaging and string from the meat. Make 1½cm-deep incisions in it, about 12 in total, spaced out across the joint. Poke a sliver of garlic and a few rosemary leaves into each hole (keep a little rosemary for later). Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil, some salt, pepper and the crushed juniper. Let the joint sit for 30 mins to come to room temperature.

3. Pop the venison and the remaining garlic in a tin and slide into the oven. Roast for 40 mins for medium-rare, or add 10-15 mins for a more welldone haunch. Pop on a plate to rest for 30 mins.

4. While the venison roasts, peel and halve the shallots. Take a large square of kitchen foil and add the shallots, along with the remaining rosemary, the honey, thyme sprigs, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss everything together and fold the foil into a loose parcel. Slide into the oven and roast for 20-25 mins while the venison rests.

5. Slice the venison thinly and serve with the honeyed shallots and roast garlic cloves.

6. Cooking Outdoors: Light your barbecue and let cool to a medium heat. Unwrap the meat and unroll it to flatten out. Make 1½cm-deep incisions in the joint, about 12 in total, spaced out across the meat. Poke a sliver of garlic and a few rosemary leaves into each hole (keep a little rosemary for later). Rub with 1 tbsp olive oil, seasoning and the crushed juniper.

7. 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, then pop on a board. Rest for 20 mins.

8. Meanwhile, peel and halve the shallots. Take a large square of kitchen foil and add the shallots, remaining rosemary, the honey, thyme, 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of seasoning. Toss together and fold the foil into a loose parcel. While the meat rests, pop the parcel onto the coolest part of the grill. Cook for 25 mins, till the shallots are caramelised.

9. Slice the venison thinly and serve with the honeyed shallots and roasted garlic cloves.