Sous Vide Venison Haunch

March 7, 2009

Sous Vide Venison Haunch

Venison haunch is the hind leg of roe deer, red deer or fallow deer - a large, sinewy cut with plenty of flavor, but also a challenge to get tender without cooking the meat dry. Traditionally, Danish hunters and country kitchens have roasted game haunches slowly and at length in the oven to soften the sinews and connective tissue, a method that demands constant attention if the meat isn’t to end up dry. Sous vide solves that problem by holding the temperature perfectly steady while the water bath does its slow work on the connective tissue.

The most reliable method is to bone out the haunch and separate it into its natural muscle groups. Each piece is cooked at 129-131°F (54-55°C) for 2-3 hours, after which the meat is seared hard and fast on a grill or in a scorching-hot pan. The result is a haunch roast that is evenly pink throughout, tender without being mushy, and with a sharp, browned crust on the outside.

Game is lean, and it’s easy to overcook - which is why the low, exact temperature of the sous vide bath is an advantage over traditional roasting. A little unsalted pork fat or fatback in the vacuum bag keeps the meat juicy, while fresh rosemary and thyme add a discreet note of forest and herbs without drowning out the gamey flavor.

Sous vide venison haunch belongs at a slightly finer autumn or winter dinner, ideally with a game sauce built on stock and red wine, root vegetables or potatoes, and a tart compote of cranberries or beetroot to balance the rich flavor.

Ingredients

Serves 6

1.5 kg venison
15-18 g salt
freshly ground pepper
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
unsalted pork fat (or fatback), for the vacuum bags (optional)
clarified butter (or oil), for searing

Directions

Bone out the venison haunch, if it isn’t already boned, and follow the natural membranes to separate it into the individual muscle groups. Cut away the shank along with any visible sinews and silverskin - the short cooking time below assumes precisely that the haunch is separated into individual muscles rather than cooked as one large, connected piece.

Season each muscle piece evenly with salt and pepper. If you like, add a sprig of rosemary, a sprig of thyme and a thin slice of unsalted pork fat alongside the meat in the bag. Vacuum-seal the pieces individually at maximum vacuum, or combine a couple of pieces of roughly the same thickness in one bag.

Preheat the sous vide bath to 129-131°F (54-55°C), and only add the bag or bags once the water has reached temperature. Cook for 2-3 hours - count on the low end of the range for the thinnest pieces and the high end for pieces approaching 5 cm in thickness.

Take the bag out of the water, open it, and pat the meat completely dry. Save the meat juices in the bag for a quick sauce. Immediately sear the meat hard over high heat on a grill or in a very hot pan with clarified butter, on all sides, for about 3 minutes in total, until a golden-brown crust forms.

Let the meat rest for 2-3 minutes, then slice it thinly, about 1 cm thick, across the muscle grain, and serve at once on warmed plates.

Notes

Venison here is boned haunch of roe deer, red deer or fallow deer, with sinews and silverskin removed and the shank set aside.

If you prefer a single, tied haunch roast over individual muscles, use 136°F (58°C) for 4 hours 30 minutes (or 131°F (55°C) for a pinker result). To avoid dividing the haunch at all, the whole boned haunch - cleaned only of sinews and membranes - can instead be cooked at 132-133°F (55.5-56°C) for 9-24 hours; the larger and thicker the piece, the closer to the 24 hours you should count on.

Game is lean, so under all circumstances avoid overcooking it, neither in the water bath nor during the searing - the meat should stay red or pink in the middle.

Once cooked and chilled in ice water, the sealed bag can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in warm tap water for about an hour before serving, then sear as described above.

Serve with a game sauce built on stock, cream and red wine, root vegetables or potatoes, and a tart compote of cranberries or beetroot to balance the gamey flavor.