Christmas Dinner: Venison Ossobuco

Venison Arm Steaks (shanks)

      This Christmas finds us just southwest of Austin, TX in the beautiful hill country and Canyon Lake.  When we had our deer processed this year we concentrated on steaks, stew meat, and trim scraps for burger only.  We got plenty of packages (45) of steaks including some arm steaks which are essentially shank.  I had to find a recipe with which to use these.
      Ossobuco is an Italian dish, a specialty mixed with vegetables, wine, and broth.  No problem.  I did cross-slice the arm steaks thick prior to cooking.  Two 1 pound packs made for a good meal.

2 pounds of venison shanks
1 to 2 pinches of sea salt
pinch of black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup red wine
1 can diced tomatoes (Good quality such as Cento or San Marzano)
4 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme

For the sauce add 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. parsley, and a dash of lemon zest.

Cut shanks with only salt n pepper

      Preheat the oven to 325 F. On the stovetop, heat a Dutch oven or large heavy pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Season the venison shank slices with sea salt and several good grinds of freshly ground pepper.  Add the butter and olive oil to the pot over medium-high heat, When the butter has stopped foaming, add the venison slices two at a time, and brown them on all sides. Transfer the browned slices to a platter.

Browned shanks

      Reduce heat to medium, and sauté the chopped onion until golden brown, adding a little more butter and olive oil or both if necessary.  Add the chopped carrot and celery, and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic, and sauté 1 minute (take care that it doesn't burn). Stir in the red wine and deglaze the pot by scraping up the crusty bits with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Add the tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme to the pot. Return the browned shanks to the pot along with any juices that have accumulated on the platter.

Assembled in the crockpot 4-5 hours on high

       Cover the pot and braise in the oven until venison is tender about 2.5 to 3 hours. An alternative to this is to put it in a crockpot and simmer on high for 4 hours.  You can tell it the venison is tender when a fork or knife will easily pierce the meat and separate it. If the venison hasn't become tender, just keep cooking it.

Done when tender; gravy simmering in pot

      When the ossobuco is tender, remove the slices from the pot to a warm platter. Put the pot (or the contents of the crockpot) on the stovetop over high heat and bring the pan juices to a boil. Allow them to reduce by half, about 5 minutes. If you want a thicker sauce, mix equal parts cornstarch and water in a small bowl, then whisk into the sauce. You can also mix softened butter and flour together, and add it to the boiling sauce.

       Mix the parsley, 1 clove minced garlic, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Place the ossobuco on a serving platter, topped with sauce and serve.  I served this year with Green Bean Casserole, Deviled Eggs, Flaky Grand Biscuits, and Peach Cobbler.

Osso Buco w/Green Bean Casserole, Flaky Grand Biscuits, and Deviled Eggs

 (Peach Cobbler to come later) 
Merry Christmas to all of our friends, family, and those who need it the most.

"Really if I'm gonna eat meat I'd rather eat venison than anything and I do like it a little on the rare side. That's probably my favorite meat and I've had some awfully good venison in some of the great restaurants"

Mike Ditka

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