Braised Whole Venison Shoulder

So tender and fantastic

My very good hunter friend has had a good year.

Yes

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and awesome.

I love my freezer full of deer and duck.

Anyway this year I got my hands on the unbutchered whole venison shoulders. Normally these would be ground and turned to sausage due to the amount of silver skin needing to be removed and toughness of the muscle. Or maybe they could be something more.

Braised Venison Shoulder

• 1/2 venison shoulder cut at the joint, bone still in and outside silver skin stripped off
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups water
• 6-8 juniper berries roughly pressed
• 2 whole cloves
• 10-12 whole peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 star anise
• 3 tbsp salt
• 1/2 onion roughly chopped
• 2 carrots roughly chopped
• 2 ribs celery roughly chopped
• 4 anchovies
• 2 tbsp tomato paste mixed with 1/2 cup warm water
• 14 oz can beef broth or 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tbsp bacon grease

Mix wine, water, juniper berries, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf, salt and star anise together and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then cool to room temperature. Add venison to brine and refrigerate, turning every 8 hours for at least 24, and up to 36 hours. Bring oven to 320 degrees. In an 8 quart stock pot melt bacon grease and anchovies over medium heat. Once anchovies dissolve add onion and saute until translucent then add celery and carrot. Continue to saute until everything is softened. Add tomato paste and fry until almost dry. Add beef stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes then add venison shoulder and all brine. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Place pot in preheated oven and braise covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue to braise, turning meat every 15 minutes until done, about 1 hour more. Remove from oven and let meat rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile strain broth, pressing all liquid from the solids. In a 3 quart stock pot melt 2 tbsp butter and 3 tbsp flour. Cook roux until golden then add broth. Bring to a boil and reduce by 1/3. Slice meat and serve drizzled with pan gravy.