Venison, Smoked Sausage and Apricot Stew

Name: Venison, Smoked Sausage and Apricot Stew
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 3 - 4
Ingredients: 500g diced venison haunch; 500ml beef stock; 150g smoked Morteau sausage; 100g dried apricots; 1 onion, peeled and finely diced; 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced; 1 stick celery, finely diced; 150ml white wine; Spring thyme; 2 bay leaves

Drogo

Servings

3 - 4

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

90 minutes

It’s hard to beat a venison stew when the weather turns cold. The sausage/bacon adds a lot of depth of flavour and fat that will help to keep the venison tender and the whole dish glossy and satisfying.

Ingredients

Venison, Smoked Sausage and Apricot Stew

500g diced venison haunch
500ml beef stock
150g smoked Morteau sausage
100g dried apricots
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 stick celery, finely diced
150ml white wine
Spring thyme
2 bay leaves

Directions

Method

Step 1, Preheat the oven to 180C.
Step 2, Heat a splash of oil in a lidded casserole and fry the smoked sausage or bacon until the fat is released.
Step 3, Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until starting to soften - around 10 minutes. Set aside.
Step 4, Add the venison and cook until browned, then set aside.
Step 5, Deglaze the pan with the white wine, by adding it and letting it bubble down, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Add back the meat, vegetables, stock and the thyme, bay leaves, apricots and some seasoning.
Step 6, Put a lid on and transfer to the oven for 1.5 hours, or until the venison is very tender.