game
serves 6
1 boned shoulder joint of venison, weighing about 900g / 2lb.
trimmed
30g / 1oz butter
15ml / 1 tbsp olive oil
salt
5ml / 1tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
300ml / 1/2 pint stout
30-45ml / 2-3 tbsp malt vinegar
5ml / 1tsp brown sugar Or 5ml / 1tsp redcurrent jelly
150ml / 1/4 pint chicken or beef
stock
2 onions, chopped
8 allspice berries
4 cloves
3-4 bay leaves
30ml / 2 tbsp double cream
a knob of buerre manie, if required
Heat the butter and oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the
joint on both sides. Season with 2.5ml /
1/2tsp salt and the crushed peppercorns. Add
the stout, vinegar, sugar or redcurrent jelly, stock, onions, allspice, cloves
and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer, covered for
11/2 hours or until the meat is tender.
Remove the venison from the casserole and keep it hot. Discard the
bay leaves.
Add the cream to the juices, which should be much reduced. Thicken
the sauce lightly with the beurre manie if it seems to thin.
Carve the shoulder into slices.
Serve the sauce separately.
Alternative :
Use moose instead of venison, and serve it with blackcurrent jelly instead of redcurrent.