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Serves 6 to 8.
Ingredients
For the stew
• 600 g venison, cut into 6cm cubes
• plain flour, for dredging
• 60 ml olive oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 carrots, 1cm dice
• 1 leek, 1cm slices
• 2 sticks celery, 1cm slices
• 2 bottles dark beer
• 250 ml stock
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly, or brown sugar
• 4 tsp cider or red wine vinegar
For the dumplings (makes 16)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3-4 rashers bacon, finely diced
• 230g stale bread, cut into 1.25cm cubes
• 60 ml milk
• 3 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 15 g parsley, finely chopped
• 1 litre beef stock
• 60 g flour
• 1 egg
Method
1. For the stew: season the venison cubes with salt and pepper and dredge with the flour. Shake off any excess.
2. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil to a large frying pan over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the meat and sauté until nicely browned on all sides.
3. Work in batches so as not to crowd the venison cubes, or they will steam instead of sauté. Remove and set aside.
4. In a pot over a medium heat, add remaining olive oil and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions start to soften. Stir in the butter, carrots, leek and celery. Once butter has melted, add browned meat to the pot.
5. Pour the beer and stock over the meat. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Deglaze the skillet with the beer, scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits, pour remnants into pot.
6. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the meat is very tender, 1.5 to 2 hours. Before serving, stir in the redcurrant jelly and vinegar; simmer for 5 minutes. While stew is cooking, prepare dumplings.
7. For the dumplings: in a frying pan, over a medium heat, cook the onion, garlic and bacon for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
8. Add remaining ingredients apart from the stock with a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl along with cooked bacon and onions.
9. Mix until well combined. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes or until the croutons are thoroughly moistened.
10. Meanwhile, bring the beef stock to the boil. Dampen hands and form mixture into balls about 4cm in diameter.
11. Drop the dumplings into the broth one by one, turn the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 12 to 14 minutes or until they are firm to touch.
Ingredients
For the stew
• 600 g venison, cut into 6cm cubes
• plain flour, for dredging
• 60 ml olive oil
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 carrots, 1cm dice
• 1 leek, 1cm slices
• 2 sticks celery, 1cm slices
• 2 bottles dark beer
• 250 ml stock
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly, or brown sugar
• 4 tsp cider or red wine vinegar
For the dumplings (makes 16)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3-4 rashers bacon, finely diced
• 230g stale bread, cut into 1.25cm cubes
• 60 ml milk
• 3 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 15 g parsley, finely chopped
• 1 litre beef stock
• 60 g flour
• 1 egg
Method
1. For the stew: season the venison cubes with salt and pepper and dredge with the flour. Shake off any excess.
2. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil to a large frying pan over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the meat and sauté until nicely browned on all sides.
3. Work in batches so as not to crowd the venison cubes, or they will steam instead of sauté. Remove and set aside.
4. In a pot over a medium heat, add remaining olive oil and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions start to soften. Stir in the butter, carrots, leek and celery. Once butter has melted, add browned meat to the pot.
5. Pour the beer and stock over the meat. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Deglaze the skillet with the beer, scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits, pour remnants into pot.
6. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the meat is very tender, 1.5 to 2 hours. Before serving, stir in the redcurrant jelly and vinegar; simmer for 5 minutes. While stew is cooking, prepare dumplings.
7. For the dumplings: in a frying pan, over a medium heat, cook the onion, garlic and bacon for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
8. Add remaining ingredients apart from the stock with a pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl along with cooked bacon and onions.
9. Mix until well combined. Let the mixture stand for about 10 minutes or until the croutons are thoroughly moistened.
10. Meanwhile, bring the beef stock to the boil. Dampen hands and form mixture into balls about 4cm in diameter.
11. Drop the dumplings into the broth one by one, turn the heat to medium and cook uncovered for 12 to 14 minutes or until they are firm to touch.
