Venison Recipes

Roast Haunch of Venison with Bacon, Cabbage & Prunes

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A haunch of venison makes a good Sunday roast, especially with celeriac, smoked bacon and cabbage alongside. The prunes are soaked in brandy and spices, adding sweetness to the vegetables and meat.

I’d make time for the sauce here. Roasted bones, red wine and stock take a little work, but give you something worth pouring generously over each serving. A bottle of red and a warm pudding with custard would finish lunch off nicely.

Serves: 5-6

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus overnight soaking for the prunes.

Cook time: 4 hours, includes making the sauce from scratch and at least 40 minutes’ resting for the venison.

Ingredients

Prunes

Sauce

Method

For the Prunes

  1. Tip the water, sugar, brandy, star anise and bay leaves into a pan and bring to a boil.
  2. Remove from the heat and add the prunes. Set aside and leave the prunes to soak up all that lovely flavour overnight.

For the Sauce

  1. The sauce is the first place to start, as it will take a while to reduce to its glossy, rich finish.
  2. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  3. Place your bones on a roasting tray and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until lovely and browned.
  4. Meanwhile, take a large pan and set it on a high heat, with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the carrots, garlic, and onions. Season with salt and begin to sweat off the vegetables. Keep on a medium heat and stir regularly, allowing the vegetables to colour a bit as they soften. Keeping a lid on the pan will help to speed up this process – about 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the bones from the oven and when the vegetables are soft and coloured, add the bones to the pan, followed by the red wine. Bring to a boil and simmer for a minute, then add the rosemary, thyme, juniper, and the stock.
  6. Bring this up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let it bubble away for an hour.
  7. Remove from the heat and leave aside to rest for 20 minutes; so that the bones can release any last remnants of flavour into the sauce.
  8. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and discard the vegetables.
  9. In the same pan, return the sauce to the stove and reduce on a medium heat until the desired consistency and flavour are reached (probably about another hour). The sauce should have body and a deep beef flavour, ever so slightly offset by the wine. Taste for seasoning — I like to add a couple of drops of sherry vinegar (or your vinegar preference of choice).

To Cook the Venison

  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  2. Keep the venison refrigerated while you prepare the sauce. When you’re ready to roast it, remove it from its packaging and pat dry with kitchen paper. Allow at least 40 minutes for resting after cooking.
  3. Rub the joint with olive oil and then season well with salt, then place on a roasting tray ready for the oven. Cook at 200°C for 12 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 150°C and cook for a further 40 minutes.
  4. Remove the joint from the oven and leave somewhere to rest for at least 40 minutes.
  5. While the venison is resting find a large, heavy bottomed pan for the celeriac and place it over a high heat. Add the lardons and let caramelise and release all their fat, which is essential to this dish. Stir them regularly.
  6. Once the lardons are a beautiful rich brown and swimming in their own fat, carefully add the celeriac and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook them together, stirring regularly, for about 10-12 minutes. You want the celeriac to be pretty much fully cooked, but definitely not mushy.
  7. At this point, add the savoy cabbage and a splash of stock or water. Stir everything together and fit the lid on the pan. Cook for about 4 minutes like this, then remove the lid and continue cooking until the cabbage is wilting.
  8. Remove the prunes from their liquid and fold them through the cabbage and celeriac.
  9. Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
  10. Carve the joint and ensure each plate receives a good lick of that wonderful sauce.

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For 15 years, George worked in some of London’s most loved restaurants, including Padella and Primeur, and spent five years as Head Chef at the Garden Museum Café. He earned praise for his simple, thoughtful cooking, with dishes rooted in the classics and always respectful of the ingredients.

In 2021, George realised a long-held ambition with the release of his first cookbook, A Year in the Kitchen. It celebrates the annual cookery cycle, guiding readers through the British seasons, showcasing native produce and encouraging creativity year-round.

In 2022, George left London and returned to his native Yorkshire. His passion for seasonal cooking and respect for quality British ingredients have remained central to his work. Like his food, George is led by the seasons, open to new opportunities and always following his heart.