The term venison is used to refer to any type of deer, elk, moose, or antelope. The annual culling of herds puts meat on the table for families around the world, and keeps deer populations — no longer kept at natural numbers as their predators have decreased — in check.
If you are not a hunter and want to cook with this ancient staple of American cuisine, look for farm-raised venison at farmers’ markets, order from your local meat markets or purchase online. Many farm-raised animals are free roaming and some are actually harvested in the field; for information on how a producer raises, feeds, and harvests its animals, simply ask the farmer or consult the ranch’s website. You might also want to ask about the flavor of the meat, which will vary according to the breed of animal, how it was raised, its diet, age, and how it was harvested.
Venison can be mild in flavor or gamey, and it is often best cooked slowly at a low temperature. The addition of wine or other alcohol, or apple cider, to a stew will tenderize the meat and add complexity of flavor. Root vegetables and fruits complement venison beautifully, as do grains of all kinds.
I have a couple of friends who are hunters and are generous enough to supply me with white-tailed deer meat, which I invariably cook into a savory stew fashioned after a traditional French bourguignon.
Venison Bourguignon
This recipe is easily doubled or even tripled. For the best flavor, make it a day ahead of time. Leftovers can be frozen for many months. Venison Bourguignon may be served as is, or accompanied by boiled baby potatoes in their skins, mashed potatoes, or wild rice.
Ingredients
- •1 kg (2 pounds) venison chuck, in 4 cm (1½ inch) cubes
- •Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- •104 ml (7 tablespoons) olive oil
- •8 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1.25 cm (½ inch) strips
- •2 onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
- •2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
- •60 grams (6 tablespoons) flour
- •100 grams (6 tablespoons) tomato paste
- •473 ml (2 cups) dry red wine
- •1 bay leaf
- •4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- •16 small (about 4 cm/1½ inch diameter) whole boiling onions, peeled
- •454 grams (16 ounces) white button mushrooms
- •4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Preparation
Season venison with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 59 ml (4 tablespoons) of the oil. Add the bacon and sauté until lightly browned. Add the venison and sauté until browned on all sides.
Transfer venison and bacon to a heavy Dutch oven, and set aside. Add chopped onions and carrots to the skillet and sauté until onions are softened and carrots are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add flour and stir well. Allow to cook 1 minute, then stir in tomato paste.
Add wine to the skillet along with 1 liter (4 cups) water. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan. Pour mixture into the Dutch oven. Add bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender, 3 to 4 hours.
Toward end of cooking time, heat remaining 44 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add small whole onions and sauté until tender and browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until mushrooms are barely tender, 2-3 minutes. Add mixture to pot of stew, and stir to combine. Serve immediately, or for best flavor allow to cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat gently over medium-low heat, and serve.
