I'm sensing a under(red)current.

VENISON, HAUNCH OF, ROAST

INGREDIENTS. - A haunch of venison
flour
brown sauce or gravy
red-currant jelly

METHOD. - The haunch is the prime part of venison, and its excellence depends greatly on the relative proportions of fat and lean. An abundance of clear creamy-white fat of close texture may be generally accepted as an indication of the good quality of the meat. Venison, like mutton, should be well hung before cooking. The flavour is much improved if the meat is marinaded before cooking. In cold weather venison should be allowed to hang for about 14 days in a cool, dry place, but it must be carefully examined every day. The meat round the haunch bone first becomes tainted; it is therefore advisable to run a small sharp knife into the flesh; on being withdrawn, if it has an unpleasant smell,m the affected parts must at once be washed with warm milk and water, dried thoroughly, and covered thickly with ground ginger and pepper, which must, however, be washed off before cooking. If a little of these condiments be sprinkled on the venison in the first instance, and the meat wiped dry every day, decomposition may be considerably retarded.

When ready for use, saw off the knuckle-bone, rub well all over with clarified fat or dripping, and enfold in a well-greased paper. Make a stiff paste of common flour and water, put it over the joint, and tie securely with string. Roast in a moderate oven from 3 to 4 hours, according to size, and baste frequently. Within 1/2 an hour of serving remove the paper and paste, dredge lightly with flour, and baste well until the joint acquires a good brown colour. Serve as hot as possible, as the fat quickly cools and hardens, and send the brown sauce or gravy and the red-currant jelly to table seperately. The best end of the neck of venison, boned and rolled, makes an excellent dish, but other parts are not often roasted, the neck and shoulder being considered better adapted for stews, pies, etc.

TIME. - Allow roughly 25 minutes to each lb. SUFFICIENT for 12 or more persons.

OR

ROAST VENISON (as told to me by the venison guy)

Preheat the oven to 220oC. Heat a frying-pan, with some oil in it, and when very hot, seal the sides of the venison roast (a couple of minutes per side). Then roast on a rack over a tray of water, no more than 30 minutes per kilo.

Serve with gravy or sauce of your choosing.


This was a very yummy dinner. I also made some

RED-CURRANT SAUCE. (For Puddings, Venison, Hare, etc.)

INGREDIENTS. - A small jar of red-currant jelly
1 small glass of port

METHOD. - Out the wine and jelly into a small saucepan, let them slowly come to the boil, and serve when the jelly is dissolved.

TIME. - About 5 minutes.

This sauce is excellent. Very, very tasty on everything, including some pieces of bread after the roast was all gone. I only wish I had made more...
Oh well, next time.