How to cook Venison Haunch
1. Bring to room temperature by leaving out of the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Preheat your oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas mark 8.
3. Season the joint with Dorset Sea Salt Natural Salt before cooking.
4. Place the onion, carrot and celery in a deep baking tray (you can use this for gravy later on).
5. Place the joint on top of your sliced vegetables and put the tray in the centre of the oven, then roast for 25 minutes.
6. Reduce your oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and roast for a further 55-60 minutes.
7. Remove the joint from the oven and transfer to a carving board. We recommend removing the joint when the centre has reached 53°C. After a long rest the temperature will reach 58°C.
8. Cover with foil and leave to rest for at least 20 minutes.
A nice way to cook Venison Haunch
Ingredients
1 Wild and Game 1kg rolled venison haunch joint
3 large potatoes, cut into chunks
3 carrots, cut into chunks
300g butternut squash, cut into chunks
3 beetroots, cut into chunks
4 shallots, peeled
Salt and pepper
A handful of fresh thyme
Olive oil
For the gravy
250ml red wine
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
2 tbsp bramble jelly (seedless bramble preserve)
500 ml beef stock
2 tsp honey
2 tsp mushroom ketchup
1 generous tbsp cornflour
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C, gas mark 6.
2. Bubble the potatoes in boiling salted water for a few minutes until you can easily insert a fork a couple of millimetres into them.
3. Meanwhile, oil a roasting tin with olive oil and place it in the oven for a few minutes.
4. Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pan with the other vegetables. Season and pour on enough olive oil to coat them. Pop the lid on the pan and shake until all vegetables are coated in oil.
5. Tip the vegetables into the roasting tin, add the thyme and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, pour some olive oil into a large frying or sauté pan and brown the venison.
7. When the vegetables have been cooking for 10 minutes, place the venison on top of them and pour over any oil and juices from the pan in which you browned the meat.
8. Roast for 20 minutes.
9. Turn heat down to 140C, gas 3 and cook for 20-30 minutes depending on how well done you want the meat. 20 minutes will be rare.
10. When the meat is ready, remove it and turn the oven up to 225C, gas mark 7. Roast the vegetables for 5-10 minutes more until nicely browned.
11. Remove from the oven, place the vegetables in a bowl and keep warm.
12. Put the roasting tin on the hob, add the red wine and redcurrant and bramble jellies and heat until the jellies are starting to disintegrate. Add the stock and cook for a few minutes more, then add the honey and mushroom ketchup.
13. Add a little water to the cornflour, mix until smooth and then pour into the tin, stirring until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning if required. Strain through a sieve into a jug.
14. Serve the venison with roasted vegetables, the gravy, and other vegetable accompaniments of your choice.
