| When cooking meats of any kind, there is no sauce | | | | loosen any browned bits. In my kitchen, I use to tell my |
| like a sauce made from the meat trimmings and bones | | | | chefs the pan should look, on the bottom, as if it had |
| of the animal itself. Here's one suggestion for a great | | | | been washed. Add a little more water and allow to |
| venison sauce; use it with any roast or pan-roasted | | | | work - listen for the crackle to die down to a gentle |
| venison, such as leg, rack or loin - the black pepper | | | | bubbling, then, as the water evaporates, the gelatin will |
| and juniper lends itself well to the caramelized flavor of | | | | extract from the bones and it will begin to crackle |
| the roasted meat. | | | | again. Add ¾ cups of the light chicken stock |
| Yield: 1 cup | | | | and deglaze/reglaze as before. Add vegetables and |
| ½ cup canola oil | | | | stir to deglaze/reglaze. Add remaining water, chicken |
| 2 ¼ lbs. venison bones, chopped into 1" pieces | | | | stock, and veal stock. Deglaze fully and transfer to |
| (or, 2 lbs bones, ¼ pound meat trimmings) | | | | stock pot. |
| 1 quarts water | | | | Bring to a simmer over medium heat, with pot offset |
| 1 quarts light chicken stock | | | | to one side to set up a convection for skimming - |
| 2 quarts veal demi-glace (best: make it yourself; more | | | | throughout the process, you don't want to allow |
| than gourmet's ready made is not bad) | | | | accumulated scum and impurities to be reincorporated |
| ½ lbs. carrots, cut into ½" pieces | | | | into the sauce, so skim the surface regularly. Skim and |
| ½ lbs. onions, ½" | | | | simmer for 30-45 minutes or until stock is at level of |
| 5 ounces celery, cut into ½" | | | | bones. If you have a fine mesh sieve, first strain the |
| 3 peppercorns, crushed | | | | sauce through a coarse strainer then through the fine |
| 2 juniper berries, crushed | | | | mesh sieve. If not, a coarse sieve with a layer of |
| Heat canola oil over high heat in a heavy pan large | | | | cheesecloth will do. The important thing is to strain with |
| enough to hold bones in one layer, until just before | | | | the coarse strainer first, then pass through the fine |
| smoking. Add bones and cook until well-browned and | | | | strainer. Pour strained stock into pot. Simmer until |
| caramelized - do not turn before a good crust | | | | reduced to sauce consistency. Last ten minutes of |
| develops, and once turning, do not stir bones. You | | | | reduction, add your crushed peppercorns and juniper |
| want a good, deep, rich caramelizing layer. The last | | | | berries, and reduce to 1 cups. Double strain again and |
| few minutes, add the meat trimming, if you are using it. | | | | serve. |
| You want a good russet color to the bones, not black | | | | Hunting can bring good food to the table. As a chef, I |
| - watch for this and discard any blackened bones. | | | | always sought to marry what I knew with what |
| Pour off fat from pan. | | | | hunters and farmers always knew - the best food |
| Add a little of your water, enough to deglaze the pan, | | | | comes from the season and the land one knows. I |
| reserving the rest for later. Using a wooden (ideally, | | | | hope you enjoy this recipe. |
| flat) spoon, scrape the bones free and scrape up and | | | | |