Venison Shank with Juniper

Name: Venison Shank with Juniper
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 Venison Shanks; 8g Fine Sea Salt; 2g Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 15g Plain Flour; 20g Animal Fat; 25g Unsalted Butter; 2 Onions, diced; 2 Carrots, diced; 2 stalks of Celery, diced; 3 cloves of Garlic, sliced; 4g Juniper Berry, lightly crushed; 20g Tomato Purée; 1/2 bottle of Dry Red Wine; 1/2 bottle of Port; 1 kg Stock, game or beef; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 4g Thyme, fresh, sprigs; 1 strip of Orange Zest; 30g Redcurrant Jelly; 30g Dark Chocolate, 100%; 5g Fine Sea Salt; 10g Unsalted Butter, cold

This rich, slow‑braised Venison Shank with Juniper transforms hearty game meat into a silky, deeply flavored feast. The shanks are browned, then cooked low and slow with aromatics, juniper berries and red wine until the meat is meltingly tender. A glossy reduction finished with redcurrant jelly and butter makes a bright, savory sauce that complements the gamey richness. Serve with creamy mash or root vegetables to soak up the intense jus.

This rich, slow‑braised Venison Shank with Juniper transforms hearty game meat into a silky, deeply flavored feast. The shanks are... Show more

By Aaron Middleton · Original recipe

Health Grade

A- · Excellent

Time

4 hrs

Price

13,20 €

Calories

1818 kcal

nutritious

high protein

low carb

keto

Method

Heat the oven

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 160° C. Set out a large heavy ovenproof pot with a lid so you can move easily from stovetop to oven later.

Wash the produce

Rinse the carrots, celery, and the orange you’ll use for the orange zest, then dry them well. Clean, dry vegetables will brown better and keep the braising base from getting watery.

Prep the aromatics

Peel the onion and cut it into small dice. Peel the carrots and dice them to roughly the same size, then trim and dice the celery. Slice the garlic thinly, lightly crush the juniper berries with the side of a knife or in a mortar, and use a peeler to remove 1 wide strip of orange zest, avoiding as much white pith as you can.

Season the shanks

Pat the venison shanks very dry with paper towels. Mix 8 g of fine sea salt, the freshly ground black pepper, and the plain flour, then dust the shanks all over with the mixture, shaking off any excess so they are lightly coated rather than caked.

Heat the pot

Set the pot over medium-high heat and let it get properly hot for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the animal fat and swirl to coat the base.

Brown the venison

Lay in the shanks without crowding and sear them well on all sides, turning with tongs, until they develop a deep brown crust, about 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer them to a plate and keep all the browned bits in the pot.

Soften the vegetables

Lower the heat to medium and add the unsalted butter. When it has melted, stir in the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables are softened and just starting to color, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Build the base

Stir in the sliced garlic and crushed juniper berries and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant. Add the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than raw.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in the dry red wine and the port. Let the liquid bubble briskly while you scrape the bottom of the pot clean with a wooden spoon so every flavorful browned bit dissolves into the sauce.

Reduce the liquid

Keep the pot at a lively simmer until the wine mixture has reduced by about half, about 12 to 15 minutes. By the end, the smell should be mellow rather than boozy, and the bubbles will look slightly thicker and glossier.

Set up the braise

Stir in the game or beef stock, the bay leaves, the fresh thyme sprigs, and the strip of orange zest. Return the browned shanks and any juices from the plate to the pot. Bring everything just to a gentle simmer; the liquid should come most of the way up the meat.

Braise until tender

Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Braise for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender and nearly slipping from the bone. Turn the shanks once or twice during cooking if convenient so they braise evenly.

Finish the sauce

Lift the shanks out carefully and keep them warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves, thyme stems, and orange zest, then simmer the sauce on the stovetop until it has the body of light cream, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and the dark chocolate until melted, then taste and add some or all of the remaining 5 g salt as needed. Whisk in the cold butter a little at a time for a glossy finish.

Serve the shanks

Return the shanks to the sauce to coat them, or set them on warm plates and spoon the sauce generously over the top. Serve each portion with plenty of the vegetables and that rich juniper-red wine gravy.