RECIPE: Venison Shanks Provencial
Bursting with the bright, vibrant flavors of the southern French region of Provence. A long slow braise in the oven renders the meat ultra-tender and perfumes it with the aromatic ingredients typical of the Mediterranean area of France. Any brine-cured olives will do but try and seek out the French olives suggested in the recipe for the most authentic flavor – use whole olives with the pits for maximum flavor, just remind folks at the table when serving the dish. A nice salad and a crusty loaf of bread to mop up all the fragrant sauce are all that you need for a fabulous French feast.
Mark Cockcroft
Ingredients
- 2 pack (4 pieces) Maui Nui venison shanks
- 1 pack Maui Nui venison broth or 2 cups low sodium beef or chicken broth
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 large fennel bulb, diced (bulb only)
- 1 (15oz) can diced tomatoes, or 2 large ripe fresh tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup Niçoise and/or Picholine olives
- Herb & spice sachet: 1 rosemary sprig, 4 thyme sprigs, 4 sprigs flat leaf parsley, 1 bay leaf, 3”
- cinnamon stick and 4 whole cloves wrapped and tied up in cheesecloth
- 4 large strips orange zest
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Season the shanks all over generously with salt. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the shanks, in batches if necessary, and brown thoroughly on all sides; remove from the pot and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the onion, carrots, fennel, a good pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Stirring often, until vegetables have softened but not browned.
Next, add garlic, mix in, and cook for a few minutes. Then add the herb and spice sachet, zest, tomatoes, broth, wine, and olives; turn up the heat to high and bring to a simmer.
Nestle the shanks back in the pot (they should be about ¾ covered by the liquid, add a little water if necessary).
Cover and place in the middle of the oven. Cook for about 2 hours, turning the shanks every 30 minutes or so until the meat is fork-tender.
Discard the sachet and zest. Place each shank in a shallow bowl and spoon over some of the sauce and vegetables. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve.