Norfolk venison, beetroot and blackberry

A proper restaurant plate you can cook at home: pan-seared venison loin with a glossy blackberry and juniper jus, silky celeriac purée, caramelised roast beetroot, sharp quick-pickled beetroot and a crisp potato pavé. A stunning autumn dinner party centrepiece that celebrates British game at its best.

Original recipe by Richard Bainbridge
From Saturday Kitchen 14 November 2026
Now updated with 4 possible customisations, an improved 5-stage timed method, and 2 additonal wine pairings.

This Norfolk venison recipe scores a D: the lean venison loin brings plenty of protein, and the beetroot, blackberries and celeriac add fibre and colour, but the generous butter and double cream in the purée and pavé push the saturated fat up. Enjoy it as an occasional weekend treat rather than a midweek regular.

How the timings work

• Two oven temperatures across two days: 180C (160C fan) bakes the potato pavé the day before, then 220C (200C fan) roasts the beetroot on the day – one domestic oven does it all, with the beetroot coming out first.
• The day before (about 1 hour 15 minutes, mostly hands-off): grate, pack and bake the pavé, then press and chill it overnight; while it bakes, make the quick-pickled beetroot and the celeriac purée – both happily keep in the fridge.
• On the day, the first 30-40 minutes: the beetroot wedges roast at 220C while you build and reduce the juniper and blackberry jus on the hob – two jobs, no conflicts.
• The last 20 minutes: sear and baste the venison, then during its 8-10 minute rest, fry the chilled pavé portions until crisp and keep them warm in the oven.
• To serve: reheat the purée, rewarm the jus, dress the plates and everything lands on the table together.

Method

The day before: make the potato pavé (about 1 hour 15 minutes, mostly hands-off)

1. Prepare the oven and tin: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and line a small loaf tin (roughly 900g/2lb, this recipe assumes that size) with baking paper, leaving an overhang to lift the pavé out later.
2. Grate and season: Grate 3 large peeled floury potatoes on the coarse side of a box grater, squeeze out any very watery excess, then mix with 75g/2¾oz melted butter and a good pinch of salt and pepper. (Dry-ish potato bakes layers, not mush.)
3. Pack and bake: Pack the potato tightly into the tin in layers – press firmly, because loose layers steam rather than set. Cover with baking paper and foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until a knife slides through the centre with no resistance.
4. Press and chill: Sit a second tin or tray on top with a weight (a couple of tins work), leave to cool, then chill until firm – ideally overnight. Cold, compressed pavé cuts clean squares and fries crisp; warm pavé collapses.

While the pavé bakes: pickled beetroot and celeriac purée (about 30 minutes)

5. Pickle the beetroot: Warm 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar, 100ml/3½fl oz water, 1 tbsp caster sugar and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Pour over 1 small cubed cooked beetroot and leave to cool. (These sharp cubes cut through the rich jus – don’t skip them.)
6. Simmer the celeriac: Put 1 medium peeled, chopped celeriac in a saucepan with 150ml/5fl oz whole milk and 150ml/5fl oz double cream. Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until very tender – a knife should meet no resistance.
7. Blend the purée: Drain, reserving a little cooking liquid, then blend with 40g/1½oz unsalted butter using a blender. Add enough reserved liquid to make a smooth, spoonable purée and season with salt. Chill until tomorrow.

On the day: roast beetroot and jus (about 40 minutes)

8. Roast the beetroot: Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Toss the wedges of 3 medium peeled beetroot with 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper, spread on a baking tray in a single layer (crowding steams them instead of caramelising) and roast for 30-40 minutes, turning once, until tender right through and lightly caramelised at the edges.
9. Start the jus: Gently soften 1 finely chopped shallot in a small saucepan, add 4 lightly crushed juniper berries and 150ml/5fl oz red wine, and simmer until reduced by about half.
10. Reduce and finish: Add 300ml/10fl oz beef or game stock and simmer until lightly syrupy – it should coat the back of a spoon. Add 80g/3oz blackberries and cook for 2-3 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, pressing the fruit well. Off the heat, whisk in 15g/½oz cold butter until glossy, then season with salt and pepper.

Sear the venison and crisp the pavé (about 20 minutes)

11. Sear and baste: Season 600-700g venison loin all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a high heat and sear the loin on all sides until deeply browned – venison is lean, so colour is flavour. Add 25g/1oz unsalted butter and 2 thyme sprigs and baste for 1-2 minutes as the butter foams.
12. Cook to temperature: Lower the heat slightly and continue until the thickest part reads 50-52°C on a probe thermometer for medium-rare – the temperature climbs to a perfect 55-57°C during resting, where the flesh is rosy and succulent. Prefer it well done? Cook to 70°C and expect a firmer bite.
13. Rest: Rest the loin on a warm plate, loosely covered with foil, for 8-10 minutes. (Resting lets the juices settle back into the meat instead of flooding the board.)
14. Crisp the pavé: During the rest, turn the chilled pavé out of its tin and cut into four portions. Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the portions until golden and crisp on all sides – 3-4 minutes a side. Keep warm in the oven while you finish the dish.

Plate up (5 minutes)

15. Warm the components: Gently reheat the celeriac purée with a splash of milk and rewarm the jus – don’t boil it or the butter will split.
16. Assemble: Slice the venison. Spoon the celeriac purée onto four warm plates, add the roast beetroot wedges and the crisp potato pavé, then arrange the sliced venison on top or alongside. Spoon over the juniper and blackberry jus and finish with a few pieces of pickled beetroot.

Techniques for Success

1. Press and chill the pavé until properly cold

The pavé lives or dies here. If it goes into the fryer warm or loosely packed, the layers slide apart and you end up with golden rubble instead of crisp rectangles; proper weighting and an overnight chill set the layers into a sliceable block.

Do it right: pack the grated potato firmly in layers; bake until a knife slides through; press with a second tin and a weight while hot; chill until firm, ideally overnight; cut with a sharp knife just before frying.

Success looks like neat, layered portions that hold their shape, frying to an even deep gold with a crisp crust. Taste: crisp outside, buttery and tender within.

2. Cook the venison to temperature, not to the clock

Venison loin is lean with almost no fat to forgive overcooking – two or three minutes too long takes it from rosy and succulent to grey and crumbly, the single most common way this recipe fails.

Do it right: get the pan properly hot; sear hard on all sides; baste with foaming butter and thyme; pull the loin at 50-52°C for medium-rare; rest for 8-10 minutes under loose foil as the temperature climbs to 55-57°C.

Success looks like an even browned crust with a rosy, evenly pink interior and a trickle of juices after resting. Taste: tender, deeply savoury, never dry.

3. Reduce the jus before the butter goes in

A jus that isn’t reduced enough tastes watery and dilutes the whole plate; add the cold butter too early or over the heat and it splits into a greasy sheen instead of a glossy glaze.

Do it right: simmer the wine until reduced by half; add the stock and reduce until lightly syrupy – it should coat the back of a spoon; add the blackberries for 2-3 minutes; strain; then whisk in the cold butter off the heat until it shines.

Success looks like a glassy, deep-purple jus that clings to a spoon. Taste: sharp blackberry, resinous juniper, silky richness – never thin or oily.

Tips and swaps

• Get ahead: Everything but the venison can be made a day early – pavé (essential), pickled beetroot, purée and even the jus – so on the day you only roast, sear, rest and fry, roughly an hour of relaxed cooking.
• Swaps: Beef fillet or pork fillet replaces the venison loin (pork needs 70°C through); frozen blackberries stand in for fresh; and no juniper? A bay leaf plus orange zest gives a similar lift.
• Leftovers: Slice any remaining venison and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days; eat it cold in a salad or rewarm gently in a little jus until piping hot throughout – check it’s steaming, don’t trust the clock.
• Pregnancy note: For anyone pregnant, serve the venison fully cooked through with no pink (70°C or above) and keep the rest of the plate unchanged.
• Alcohol-free: Replace the red wine in the jus with extra beef or game stock plus a splash of red wine vinegar for the same depth.
• Pavé rescue: If the pavé still feels loose after baking, press it for longer with a heavier weight while warm – and always fry from fridge-cold.

Wine Pairing

Recommended by Helen McGinn:

The Wine Atlas Gran Colina Graciano Rioja, Spain, 2025 – Asda, £7.50

Graciano is a Rioja grape prized for its deep dark fruit and lively freshness, and that combination is exactly right for venison: the juicy acidity echoes the blackberry jus and pickled beetroot, while the savoury red fruit flatters the lean, seared loin without heavy tannins getting in the way.

Here are equally good alternatives that pair beautifully with this dish:

Chilean Pinot Noir – Asda, around £8
Earthy red fruit and soft tannins are a natural match for beetroot and lighter game dishes.

Rioja Reserva – Tesco, around £12
A touch of oak age adds vanilla warmth that loves the buttery purée and crisp pavé.

* Prices checked November 2026 and may vary. The alternatives are our suggestions, not necessarily wines recommended by Helen McGinn.

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Norfolk venison, beetroot and blackberry