Ingredients
- 2.5-3kg haunch of Chatsworth venison – well trimmed of all gristle
- 2 onions – thinly sliced
- 2 carrots – sliced
- 4 celery sticks – sliced
- 300ml red wine
- 425ml brown beef stock
- 60g butter
- 1tsp rapeseed oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1tbs chopped fresh thyme
- 1tsp chopped fresh sage
- 30g plain flour
- 1tbs Chatsworth cranberry sauce
- Salt and ground black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 150C/300F/G2.
- Prepare the venison by trimming away any tough membranes, sinews and gristle. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil and half the butter in a large, flameproof casserole dish and brown the venison well on all sides. Remove from the casserole.
- Add vegetables and fry until lightly brown.
- Stir in the herbs and lay the venison on top of the vegetables. Add the wine and enough stock to come about a quarter of the way up the venison.
- Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tightly fitting lid and cook in the oven for one and a half hours, or until tender. Check the meat after an hour to ensure there is still liquid in the casserole. If not, add 300ml of hot water.
- When cooked, lift out the meat, carve it neatly and place on a warmed serving dish. Cover with foil and keep warm.
- Strain the liquid from the vegetables into a saucepan.
- Mix the flour with the remaining butter to make a smooth paste and add this to the liquid in small pieces. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Simmer until the sauce is syrupy.
- Stir in the cranberry sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- To serve, spoon a thin layer of the sauce over the venison to make it look shiny and appetising. Serve the remaining sauce separately.
Serve with creamed potatoes, braised red cabbage, buttered Brussels sprouts and Chatsworth quince jelly.
Recommended wines: Duke & Duchess of Devonshire Claret, The Earl of Burlington Rouge, red Rioja, or Chianti Classico.
