Braised Venison with Bacon Mushrooms and Red Wine
Ingredients
3 lbs venison, cut into 1 and 1/2 inch chunks, any sinew removed | ||
1 bottle of Pinot Noir, or any light red wine | ||
1 large sprig fresh thyme | ||
1 large sprig fresh rosemary | ||
2 bay leaves | ||
1 tbs juniper berries, cracked | ||
1 tsp black peppercorns, cracked | ||
1 tbs brown sugar | ||
2 cups flour | ||
3 slices, thick cut bacon, cut into 1 inch dice | ||
1 cup pear onions, peeled (to peel blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, then peel) | ||
2 cups mixed wild mushrooms (shitake, morel, chanterelle, etc) | ||
2 small carrots, diced | ||
1 large stalk celery, diced | ||
2 cloves garlic, minced | ||
2 bay leaves | ||
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling | ||
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped | ||
kosher salt and black pepper to taste |
- In a large nonreactive bowl combine, half the bottle of wine, thyme, rosemary, 2 bay leaves, juniper berries, peppercorns and brown sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the venison, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or better yet, overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.Remove the venison from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade.
- Season the venison all over with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat, then add the bacon and cook until just crisp.
- Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Add the venison pieces, in batches if necessary and brown on all sides. About 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer to the plate with the bacon, then add the pearl onions to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, garlic and the remaining bay leaves.
- Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the other half bottle of wine and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits.
- Return the venison and bacon to the mixture and stir.
- Place the pot in the oven, covered for 1-1 and 1/2 hours until the venison is tender and sauce has reduced slightly.
- Serve in bowls, the garnish with parsley and drizzle with a little olive oil.
No Comments