VENISON SHANKS RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat an 8- to 10-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Season the shank discs well with salt and pepper.
• Lightly dredge the discs in flour.
• Add the oil to the pot and swirl to coat. When the oil starts to shimmer, sear the shank discs in batches (avoid overcrowding the pan, which will steam the meat). When the meat is well browned on all sides, remove to a plate. Be careful not to burn the bits on the bottom of the pan, as it will impart a bitter flavor.
• Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until the onions are browned.
• Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Push the vegetables to one side of the pot. Add the tomato paste to the empty side of the pot and let it begin to caramelize a little. Once it darkens, stir the tomato paste into the vegetables.
• Add the wine to the pot and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to reduce slightly.
• Return the meat to the pot. Add enough stock to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
• Skim off and discard any scum that accumulates on the surface.
• Stir in the thyme, rosemary, and sage.
• Cover the pot and cook at a bare simmer until the meat is fork-tender, 3-1/2-4 hours. Check halfway through to make sure there is still enough liquid covering the meat; add more if needed.
• About 30 minutes before the meat is done, make the polenta in a 4-to 6-quart pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt.
• Whisking constantly to avoid lumps, slowly add the polenta in a thin stream.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to stir for 15 to 20 minutes until the polenta becomes thick and large bubbles form (kind of like a volcano).
• Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese and the butter.
• Set aside, covered. Add milk if needed to loosen up the polenta when you serve it.
• When the shanks are fork tender, remove them from the oven and carefully remove the strings with kitchen shears.
• Divide the polenta among the dinner plates. Top each puddle of polenta with a shank piece. Spoon the sauce and the vegetables over the meat. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish. Serve immediately with grated cheese.

Steps:

• In a large pot, add the water and all the ingredients for the brine, and heat over medium-high heat. Bring the mix to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool.
• After the brine has cooled, gently drop the meat into the pot to brine in a cool place for 24 to 48 hours. If you have a garage that maintains a temperature of 35 to 45°F, you can place the pot there. You can also remove a shelf in your refrigerator to accommodate the pot.
• After the meat has brined for a day or two, it is ready to either sous vide or smoke on a pellet grill.
• Sous Vide
• Pull the roast from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels.
• Place the roast in a large vacuum seal bag with 2 tablespoons of butter, remove all the air, and seal it with a vacuum sealer. You can also place the roast in a large zip-close bag with the 2 tablespoons of butter and seal it after removing as much air as possible. Be sure to double bag the zip-close bag in case of a leak.
• Place the sealed bag in a water bath, set the sous vide to 130°F, and cook for 12 hours.
• Oven, Barbecue, or Pellet Smoker
• Pull the roast from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels.
• Heat the oven, barbecue, or pellet smoker to 350°F.
• While cooking the roast with one of these methods, you will want to catch and reserve any liquid or fat that cooks out of the meat. To do this, place a metal drying rack over a large 9-by-13 lipped cooking tray, and fill it half way up with the leftover brine. The pan of brine will catch all the juices that cook out of the meat. It is necessary to add the brine to the tray before it is placed in the heat so that the drippings don’t dry out at the bottom of the tray in the heat.
• Cook the roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F. The cook time will vary depending on the size of your roast.