Venison ragout

Venison ragout

A slow-braised, lean yet luxurious ragout that elevates classic ingredients into something rather special. The venison becomes meltingly tender, the red wine reduces to a glossy richness, and the mushrooms bring an earthy depth that will make your kitchen smell like an Alpine chalet.

Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 2–2½ hours

Serves: 6 

Difficulty: easy 

Download recipe

Venison ragout

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2kg diced venison (shoulder)
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
  • 50ml Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 400ml full-bodied red wine
  • 300ml beef or game stock
  • A few sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt & black pepper, to taste

Recipe

  1. Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and brown the venison in batches, setting it aside as you go.
  2. Add the onions to the same pan and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
  3. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes.
  4. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, then mix in the tomato purée. Dissolve the cornflour in the wine, add both to the pan, and let it cook for a minute.
  5. Return the venison to the pan, and add the stock, thyme and bay leaves.
  6. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, reduce the heat to low, then cover and cook for 2–2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is beautifully tender.
  7. Remove the lid for the final 20 minutes to help thicken the sauce if needed. Don’t forget to fish out the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
  8. Check the seasoning and adjust as required; the sauce should be rich, silky and irresistible.

 

Serve with fresh pappardelle or tagliatelle.

 

 

If you’re in the mood for more slow-cooked comfort, try braised lamb shanks with red wine & herbs or beef osso buco.