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By Root 489 0

haunch of venison is a classic dish. If you plan to cook the whole leg, have the pelvic bone removed by the butcher to make carving easier. If the shank is still attached, make sure the meat is cut around the bone to free the tendons (it’s easy to do if the butcher has not done this). Haifa leg is often more practical than a whole one. Whichever half you choose (see page 201), the roast needs a good coating of fat to keep it from drying out in the oven. Vintage cookbooks often show beautifully larded haunches of venison. Larding is done with a special needle that allows you to stitch pieces of pork fat into the meat. I own a larding needle, but I have used it only twice; I find it much simpler to wrap the leg in caul fat.

Caul fat is the net that holds the animal’s internal organs in place. Although sometimes hard to find, it freezes well. Most caul fat sold is pork and comes in large rectangles, either fresh or salted. The fresh needs only a rinse, while the salted must be soaked in warm water for 30 minutes; pat it dry before using. The advantage of caul fat is that it sticks to itself, making it easy to wrap around the meat. You can substitute thin slices of pork fat, but you will have to tie them in place with string. You could ask your friendly butcher to help.

Roasted venison is best served rare. You can cook it to medium-rare, but no more, or it will be dried out.

½ leg of venison, about 5 pounds (2.25 kg)

1 piece fresh or salted caul fat, rinsed, or thin slices pork fat

Olive Oil Marinade (page 212)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Poivrade Sauce (page 211)

1. The day before roasting the venison, pat the leg dry and wrap it in the caul fat (or pork fat). Place in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade, rubbing it into the leg. Cover and refrigerate.

2. One hour before cooking, remove the leg from the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

3. Season the leg with salt and pepper, and put it in a large roasting pan along with the marinade. Roast for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (175°C), and baste the leg with the pan juices. Continue to roast, basting every 15 minutes, for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature registers 125°F (52°C) for rare, or 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, on an instant-read thermometer. (Estimate about 12 to 13 minutes per each pound [450 g].) Transfer the meat to a warmed serving platter; if you used pork fat remove it from the roast. Let the leg rest, loosely covered with aluminum foil, for 15 minutes. As the roast rests, its temperature will rise by 5°F (2°C).

4. Discard the fat from the roasting pan. Add the poivrade sauce and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add any juices from the meat and the arrowroot Cognac mixture and return to a boil, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat, strain through a sieve, and stir in red currant jelly.

5. Carve the leg and serve with the sauce.

Variation

ο You could also serve the leg with the Cape Gooseberry Sauce (page 224).

Venison Shank in Rosemary-Wine Sauce

Lean and sinewy venison shank, especially from elk, benefits from a day or two of marinating. Braising the shank produces tender, succulent meat, coated with a rich satisfying sauce. (You can also use 2 or smaller deer shanks instead and adjust the cooking time.) The red wine and the rosemary here hold their own with strongly flavored meat.

This recipe reheats well, so make it a couple of days in advance if you like.

1 large venison shank, about 3 pounds (1.35 kg)

Red Wine Marinade (page 212)

1 large rosemary branch, plus 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves

4 ounces (115 g) slab (side) bacon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon red currant jelly

1. Ask your butcher to make a cut (or do it yourself) around the thinner end of the shank, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the end, cutting right through the meat to the bone; this will release the tendons from the bone. Pat the shank dry and place