Maui Nui Wild Harvested VenisonMaui Nui Wild Harvested Venison
Feb 16, 2022

Venison Shanks Provencial

Recipe by Mark Cockcroft

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.

PREP TIME:

25 min.

COOK TIME:

5 min.

SERVES:

4 - 6

Ingredients

Clear Checklist

  • 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
Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Step 2

Season the shanks all over generously with salt. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

Step 3

Add the shanks, in batches if necessary, and brown thoroughly on all sides; remove from the pot and set aside.

Step 4

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.

Step 5

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.

Step 6

Nestle the shanks back in the pot (they should be about ¾ covered by the liquid, add a little water if necessary).

Step 7

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.

Step 8

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.