VENISON HAUNCH, BONED, ROLLED 2KG

For the purpose of this recipe I have based the following method on a 2kg haunch which will feed 8.  

2kg haunch of venison, boned and rolled 
Salt and black pepper
6 fresh bay leaves (dried are fine but you'd be amazed how much fresh bay is around)
3 large sprigs thyme or rosemary
10-12 rashers smoked streaky bacon

For the gravy

125ml good red wine (Malbec, ideally, something with body) 
250ml good chicken, beef or game stock
Redcurrant jelly to taste

Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7.

Season the haunch and lay the bay leaves and thyme or rosemary over the meat. Place the smoked streaky bacon over the herbs, covering the meat, and secure the package with butcher's string.  Any good butcher will have ready tied elastic rings you can use for ease of tying, just ask them, it'll make you feel like a total pro.  

Place the joint in a large roasting tray and roast for 30 minutes. This 'sizzle' stage browns the joint beautifully without having to sear it.  Venison is a delicate meat and benefits massively from careful handling. 

 Turn down the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3 and roast for a further 45 minutes; this should give you perfect medium-rare meat.

Reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes per 500g if you prefer it rarer.

Remove the meat from the tin, cover with foil and leave in a warm place to rest for 20 minutes.

While the meat is resting, make the gravy.

Skim off any fat from the juices in the roasting tin, then put the tin over a low heat, add the wine to deglaze, stirring well and scraping up all the bits of caramelised meat stuck to the bottom of the tin.

Add the stock and boil to reduce and concentrate the sauce.

When the gravy has reached your required level of intensity, season and stir in the redcurrant jelly. That hint of sweetness and sharpness is a perfect foil to the richness of the venison.