Venison casserole

We get invaded by the family on Boxing Day so to avoid major stress most of the food is prepared in advance and frozen with just the reheat on the day. We always have one main dish as a casserole stew or tagine type and this year I have opted for venison, a real favourite and simple to make as you will see. Once the preparatory work is done the oven does the rest. I had hoped to get locally shot wild roe venison but too late as it was sold out so opted for Aldi venison which is good for store stuff. If you can get fresh do so.
There are plenty of things you can add but I have kept this traditional.
I have listed this for 10 servings but scale it down to suit. It is not baking so exact measurement not required. Worth making more as it freezes really well.

Ingredients:

• Plain flour.
• Olive oil.
• 1.4k diced venison. Shoulder good, haunch more expensive but stronger taste.
• Balsamic or red wine vinegar.
• Beef stock cube.
• 2 onions.
• 1/2 large turnip/swede.
• 3 large carrots.
• Redcurrant jelly.
• Worcester sauce.
• Tomato puree.
• Sprig rosemary, dried if no fresh.
• Salt & pepper.

Finely dice the turnip and carrots, quarter the onions and set aside.

In a large tupperware with lid (or plastic bag) put in flour and season with salt & pepper. Add some of the venison and put on the lid (unless you want your kitchen covered in flour), give it a good shake to coat the venison. I do this in small batches.

I use a Le Creuset solid oven pot. Add some oil to your hot pan and put in some of the venison to brown. Do this in small batches and do not crowd the pot or it will steam the meat instead of browning.

Remove when crusted on each side and repeat until all browned.

Add vinegar (or water) to deglaze the pan, scrape the crusty bits off the bottom but leave in pan (lots of flavour here).

Add some more oil, throw in the veg and stir for a couple of minutes. Toss in the venison.

Give a good mix and grate the stock cube over it all. Add salt & black pepper, worcester sauce, tomato paste, the jelly and the rosemary. Give it all a good stir to combine. Cover with water up to the level.

Cook at 150-180 for 2 hours but if you can give it a good stir every 40 minutes. The seasoned flour will create a good thick jus. At the end season again to taste if required. Then just eat with some mash and/or crusty bread to mop up the jus. Delicious. Or freeze.