Mountain Delicacy Recipe: Slow-Cooked Venison with Creamy Polenta

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This slow-cooked venison stew with yellow polenta is a perfect dish to warm up during the cold winter days. I tasted it during my recent Christmas holidays in the snow in Trentino Alto Adige region, in a cozy hut amidst our wonderful Dolomites. Being a a rich and healthy dish made with deer meat, and usually served with polenta or mashed potatoes, it gives you the right energy to enjoy the endless ski slopes of our Italian Alps.

If you want to try making it at home, follow our recipe, but make sure you have some time available…it’s certainly not a quick recipe!

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RECIPE:

Venison with Polenta

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INGREDIENTS

For the venison:

• 1kg of venison meat, diced in medium size pieces
• 1 large carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks of celery
• nutmeg, 3-4 cloves
• a few juniper berries
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2-3 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• 1 bottle of red wine
• 4 or 5 tablespoon of EVO oil
• a knob of butter

For the polenta:

• 2 liters of water
• 500g of cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon of coarse salt

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METHOD

• In a large bowl, place the diced venison meat and add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cloves, nutmeg, juniper berries. Season with salt and pepper. Add red wine to completely cover the meat. Choose a velvety, full-bodied wine that pairs perfectly with meat dishes.
• Cover with plastic wrap or a lid ,and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• The next day, after 24 hours have passed, drain the meat from the marinade, which will be preserved with all the vegetables.

• Place a large pan over medium heat, add 5 or 6 tablespoons of EVO oil and a knob of butter.
• Once the butter has melted, add the venison meat and sear it well on all sides until evenly browned.
• Mix and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Once it’s well browned, add the vegetables and a generous ladle of the filtered marinade liquid, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for 2 hours. Be careful not to let the cooking liquid dry out too much. During cooking, occasionally check, stir the meat and if necessary, add a little more of the marinade liquid.
• Once the venison is cooked, transfer the meat to a plate and use an immersion blender to blend the sauce and vegetables thoroughly. Return the meat to the sauce and mix well.
• In the meantime, prepare the polenta. Boil the two liters of salted water; ideally, use a copper pot. Once boiling, gradually pour in the yellow cornmeal while stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps until the mixture thickens. Continue cooking for about 40 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. The polenta is ready when it comes away from the sides of the pot, leaving a delicious crust that’s great as a snack.

• Pour the polenta into a bowl moistened with water (this helps the polenta slide onto the cutting board or plate when you flip it). Wait a few seconds, then flip it onto a cutting board or serving plate.
• Plate and serve hot, also accompanied by a spoonful of red currant jam.