Braised Venison and Root Vegetables

SOUTHERN HUNTERS HAVE BEEN STALKING THE whitetail deer for centuries. I can still remember my uncle Robert showing up periodically at the house with a side of dressed venison, which Mother would cut into steaks or roasts or use to make various stews and braised dishes. Mature fresh venison must be marinated to tenderize the meat and tame the gamey flavor, but since the frozen venison available in most markets today is much younger, it really needs no initial marination. And, besides, just the long, slow simmering in this recipe is enough almost to guarantee succulent, tender meat. When there’s an option on cuts, I always choose shoulder of venison over round or rump, since the proportion of fat in the former produces both ideal flavor and texture.

MAKES: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 2 pounds boneless venison shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 11⁄2-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) butter
• 1 cup sweet vermouth
• 2 tablespoons red currant jelly
• 2 ribs celery (leaves included), chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves
• 2 cups beef broth
• 12 tiny new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
• 6 small white onions, peeled and scored on the root ends
• 3 medium carrots, scraped and cut into rounds
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.
2. Dredge the venison pieces in the flour mixture, tapping off the excess flour.
3. In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over moderately high heat.
4. Add the floured venison to the pot and brown it on all sides.
5. Add the sweet vermouth and red currant jelly to the pot. Stir well to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the chopped celery, dried thyme, dried rosemary, bay leaf, cloves, and beef broth to the pot.
7. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 1 hour.
8. Add the tiny new potatoes, peeled onions, carrots, parsnips, and salt and pepper to taste.
9. Return the pot to a simmer, cover it again, and cook until the venison is very tender, which usually takes about another hour. Add more beef broth if necessary to maintain the desired consistency.