Venison Shoulder Ragu – Barley – Celeriac Crumble

Recipe by Darren Seggie.

Shoulder Ragu

Ingredients

1 Venison Shoulder – deboned

300g Sofrito – Fine diced celery, carrot, onion, garlic

2 Beef Tomatoes

Olive Oil

300ml Red Wine

300ml Venison Stock

Thyme

Pink Peppercorns

Black Peppercorns

Method

Separate the shoulder into separate muscle pieces and remove the sinew. Cut into chunks.

Fry the pieces in a cast iron dish then remove. Turn the temperature down, add oil and gently saute the sofrito until sweet.

Add the tomatoes, chopped up, then the venison.

Add red wine, reduce by two thirds, then the rest and the stock.

Add the thyme and peppercorns then cover with a cartouche.

Braise in the oven for 1 ½ hours at 140c, then turn down to 80c for 8 hours.

Allow to cool, before shredding into smaller chunks.

Reduce the liquor to a coating consistency and add the shoulder back in.

Barley

Ingredients

100g Pearl Barley

Salt

20g Diced Butter

100ml Venison Stock

Method

Toast the barley until nutty and brown all over, then soak in cold water for 1 hour.

Strain then place into a vacuum with the stock, butter and salt. Seal then cook in a water bath at 80c for 1 hour.

Once cooked, removed from the bag and add a little of the liquid from the ragu to bind.

Use to top the ragu.

Celeriac Crumble

Ingredients

Celeriac trimmings

Oil

Salt

Method

Blend the trimmings in a robot coupe with a little water until a cous cous sized grain is achieved.

Strain all the water out using a dish cloth, squeeze as much out as possible.

Place into a pot and cover with cold oil. Put onto a high heat and whisk until rapid bubbles start to appear.

Allow to cook on high heat until the bubbles stop and watch for the colour change.

Once a toasty brown colour appears, strain through a muslin and season straight away.

Lay out on a cloth and allow to cool. Store somewhere dry.