Venison Wellington with red wine sauce

Matt Tebbutt recipe

Succulent venison encased in pâté, spinach, ham and pastry – an impressive centrepiece for a festive family gathering.

Preparation time
1-2 hours

Cooking time
1 to 2 hours

Serves
Serves 4

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the venison Wellington

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 450g/1lb venison loin
  • 3 shallots, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 juniper berries, crushed
  • 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 50ml/2fl oz Madeira
  • 300g/10½oz chicken or game liver pâté
  • 5–10 broad leaf spinach leaves, blanched
  • 6–8 slices Parma ham
  • 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry
  • 1 free-range egg plus 2 yolks, beaten
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

For the red wine sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 30g/1oz butter
  • 3 banana shallots, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 250ml/9fl oz red wine
  • 100ml/3½fl oz port
  • 400ml/14fl oz beef stock

Method

  1. To make the venison Wellington, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the venison then add to the pan and sear all over. Remove and cool.

  2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat, then add the shallots and sweat until soft. Add the garlic, thyme, juniper and nutmeg. Add the Madeira and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool. When cool, mix the liver pâté with the sweated shallots.

  3. Lay a large piece of cling film on the work surface and lay the Parma ham in a line. Top with a flat layer of the blanched spinach leaves. Spread the pâté mix on top of this.

  4. Put the seared venison on the side closest to you. Using the clingfilm, roll the Parma ham layers over the meat encasing it within the Parma ham, spinach and pâté. The Parma ham should cover the venison on all sides. Use the clingfilm and wrap up tightly into a cylinder. Set aside in the fridge until completely cold, about half an hour.

  5. Take the venison out of the fridge and remove the clingfilm. Roll the pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin, then wrap the venison in the pastry, sealing the edges with the beaten egg and yolks.

  6. Decorate as you wish and transfer to a lined baking tray, then brush all over with the beaten egg. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.

  7. Re-brush the pastry with the egg wash and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking for 30–40 minutes, until golden and crisp on the bottom.

  8. Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce. Melt the butter and olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat then add the shallots, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and sweat until soft, 8–10 minutes.

  9. When soft, add the red wine and reduce to almost nothing, then add the port and reduce the liquid down to a syrup. Add the beef stock and reduce again, by half. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed, then strain.

  10. Serve the venison Wellington carved into slices alongside the red wine sauce.

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