Venison stew with orange, thyme and cheddar dumplings recipe

Details

• Cuisine: English
• Recipe Type: Main
• Difficulty: Medium
• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 115 mins
• Serves: 4

Step-by-step

1. Preheat oven to 160. Heat a heavy bottomed pan and season the venison on all sides with salt and pepper and dust the venison meat lightly with the flour.
2. Add the oil to the pan making sure its smoking hot. Add the venison and the butter (if it's too much, do it in two batches). Really allow the meat to colour all over as this will help keep the flavour.
3. Once coloured all over, strain the meat in a colander and discard the liquid fat. Keep the pan and return to the heat.
4. Add the oil and then add the celeriac, bacon lardons, garlic, carrots, onion and juniper and then sweat for 4-5 minutes stirring occasionally.
5. Add the boquet garni and the meat and sweat for 2-3 minutes. Add the orange juice and reduce by half. Cover the meat in red wine and bring to the boil and skim.
6. Add the chicken stock and boil again. Season, place into the oven and cook for 1.5 hours.
7. Whilst the stew is cooking, prepare the dumplings. In a small bowl mix together the flour and baking powder. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients.
8. Add the liquid to the flour with a couple of drops of water if needed. Roll into balls and place onto the stew, cooking for a further 15 minutes.
9. Top up with a little fluid if needed. The meat should flake when ready.