Pot-roasted Venison with Shrewsbury Sauce

As the title suggests, this is a warming, fragrant and very inviting supper dish that will do wonders to cheer up the long winter nights. Serve it with clouds of fluffy mashed potato which will absorb the sublimely good sauce. You can, if you wish, use beef instead of venison, in which case I would choose brisket or silverside.

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Ingredients
2 lb (900 g) boneless, tied venison joint
1 tablespoon groundnut oil
1/2 oz (10 g) butter
1 small carrot, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
a few thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1/2 bottle (37.5 cl) red wine, something light like Beaujolais
a grating of nutmeg
salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the sauce:
4 level tablespoons good-quality redcurrant jelly
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 oz (10 g) soft butter
1/2 oz (10 g) plain flour
1 rounded teaspoon mustard powder
salt and freshly milled black pepper

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Equipment
You will also need a flameproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid, which will hold the meat comfortably.

Method

First of all wipe the venison joint with kitchen paper and season the surface with salt and freshly milled pepper. Now heat up the oil and butter together in the casserole and when it is foaming hot add the meat to brown on all sides with the carrot and onion alongside it to brown as well.

When everything is browned, add the thyme and bay leaf, wine, nutmeg and seasoning. Bring this up to a very gentle simmer, cover with a lid (if the lid is not really tight, place a sheet of foil under it and press down firmly to seal it). Give the meat an initial cooking time of 30 minutes. Then turn it over in the liquid, so that it will cook to an even colour, and give it a further 30 minutes.

After that remove the meat to a warm plate, cover it with foil and keep warm. Now to make the sauce. Place a sieve over a bowl and strain the liquid through it, pressing the vegetables to extract their juices, then discard them. Next pour the liquid back into the casserole, boil it up and let it reduce slightly. Then add the redcurrant jelly and Worcestershire sauce and whisk it very thoroughly to dissolve the jelly.

Now mix the softened butter, flour and mustard powder together to a paste then whisk this, in small pieces, into the sauce so that it thickens slightly and takes on a glossy appearance. Now add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, adding more if needed, taste and check the seasoning. Simmer the sauce gently for 3-4 minutes, then carve the venison and serve with the sauce spooned over.

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