Nichola Fletcher's festive suggestions for roast haunch of venison

As we say in our products list, a haunch of venison is the traditional festive roasting joint, enjoyed long before and long after turkeys came on the scene! Quite apart from Christmas, it is worth remembering that the Pilgrim Fathers had venison at their very first Thanksgiving celebrations in 1661, given to them by the Native Americans who, in the words of Mayflower veteran Edward Winslow, "went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others." It's possible they had turkey as well but nobody recorded the fact.

For a large gathering, there is no question that a venison haunch joint served on the bone is an impressive festive sight. However some prefer a boned and rolled joint for speed of carving and also for small gatherings. Remember that we tie our rolled joints with twine in the traditional way so that they cook and carve better. None of that horrible elastic mesh from Fletchers!

Detailed instructions for roasting your venison the way you like it will come with your order but if you want to remind yourself of them, click here.

If you have your venison on Christmas Day, you may like the traditional accompaniments of crispy roast potatoes, braised celery, glazed carrots and chestnut purée, (remember to start cooking these well in advance so they are ready with the meat; pink venison cooks quickly), served with a rich clear gravy. A delicious creamy bread sauce is not a traditional accompaniment to venison but everyone in our household loves it, so we serve that as well. And don't forget the rowan jelly! 

If you would like to try something less traditional, choose one of the following suggestions, any of which work just as well with venison steaks:

Have ready some really good meaty stock and reduce this till it is strong and syrupy. Add equal quantities of 'Brammle' blackberry coulis (or to taste). Add any juices from the meat as it rested and season before serving. You can also successfully serve this with venison steaks. Quickly cooked dark green cabbage or spinach goes well with this rich fruity sauce.

Make a spice mix of one teaspoon each of ground ginger, nutmeg, and cumin. Pat this mixture all over the joint before roasting as usual, reserving half a teaspoon. Fry the reserved spices with some sliced almonds and offer these with the venison. Serve with a cooling sauce made of unsweetened yoghurt with mint leaves stirred in; heated through very gently so that the yoghurt doesn't curdle. Serve with steamed cous cous and a salad of rocket leaves and pomegranate seeds drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Awfully healthy; awfully good too!

Using a rolled joint, cook medium rare. Cut it into thick rounds and serve each with a paper thin oven-dried pineapple wafer* on top. Underneath drizzle a zesty sauce made from equal quantities of blackberry coulis, orange or lime juice and reduced venison stock. Season this to taste, using a little sugar or honey if wished, and some grated root ginger if you like its fieriness . Serve roasted root vegetables and potatoes mashed together with celeriac.

* To make the pineapple wafers, cut the skin off a fresh pineapple then slice it into paper thin rounds. You may find this easier if you cut the pineapple in half lengthways which gives half-round slices. Heat the oven to 100º C. Place the slices onto baking parchment and bake till dried and golden brown. Turn them carefully onto a rack to cool. They may be a little bendy as they come out of the oven but will crisp as they cool.

Savoyard potatoes go well with venison and can be made in advance: Slice your potatoes and rinse excess starch off them. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish and crush some garlic over the base. Put in layer of potatoes on top, sprinkle Emmental or Gruyere cheese over them and season with salt and pepper. Make another similar layer on top, and if necessary a third. Add stock up to one third of the depth, sprinkle with more cheese and bake in a moderate oven for 1½ hours. This dish will keep warm happily while last minute preparations are completed.

Venison suggestions © Nichola Fletcher 2001