Recipe: Venison Pot Roast

FEEDS: 4-6 | PREP TIME: 30 MIN. | COOK TIME: 4 HRS.

Nostalgia isn’t just an easy way to revisit things you’re comfortable with. It’s a way to honor your traditions, family, and other loved ones. As time goes on, we sometimes lose people, but food is a powerful connection to those memories.

Science says human memory is more connected to smell than just about anything. My mother, who is now gone, made a humble, simple pot roast on Sundays. It was normally just a chuck roast or something even cheaper, along with potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and some stock. My dad would make gravy from the drippings.

We’d even have some of my grandfather’s horseradish on the side to pile onto bites of red meat. Sometimes, us fellows would have contests to see who could handle big piles of it. I still remember the top of Dad’s bald head turning red with sweat, and nearly passing out, after being a bit too macho with it.

Of course, my grandfather grew the horseradish by the machine shed in a long row. He’d shred it up and jar it with vinegar, handing off the treasured treat to our families at Christmas when we visited. It was a point of pride and a small concession of kindness he’d show toward my father in the longstanding tradition of harassing your in-laws.

The revelation came when my Uncle Ron, a second generation Chinese American, came to visit from the bay area with some sauces in tow to share with us. My mom made her signature pot roast, and the mustard was at once familiar, but with that signature forehead blast of horseradish, clearing out whatever was even thinking of being in your sinuses.

Interestingly, while it might sound crazy, spices and similar food experiences can trigger the same series of hormones as when you cheat death. It sounds hokey, but when you survive, dopamine and serotonin flow forth. The takeaway? My father didn’t have enough thrill-seeking in his 40s, so it happened at the dinner table. Of course, both aforementioned sauces are incredible flavors with a big piece of roasted red meat, each a classic to the core.

The cut of meat will determine your approach. If you’re using a sirloin/football roast like me, make sure you don’t boil the meat. It’ll shock the connective tissues into tightening up and it’ll take so much longer to relax and tenderize. A long, slow process is key, so no cranking the oven.

Once the connective tissue in the neck melts and softens, it adds a really lovely smoothness to the meat, and the collagen is extremely good for you. I prefer white wine for red meat stews to make sure there’s a little acid and sweetness to balance the richness.

The key is to start by getting the meat salted, then seared in hot oil or lard on all sides. Cover in liquid and surround it with carrots and potatoes. A bay leaf, peppercorns, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste give a classic feel to the broth, and I love to add fresh thyme when making gravy with the pan juices.

The cooking is easy: merely use a crockpot or Dutch oven. Bake for 4 hours at 325 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the meat reaches about 200-205 degrees (internal temperature), and falls apart when poked with a fork, pull all the vegetables and meat out. Thicken the liquid with corn starch and season to taste.

If you test the meat, it could be up at 205 degrees and not yet fork tender. If that happens, let the slow cooker continue its work. Eventually, it’ll become so tender it pulls with a fork. Do NOT pull before that point, it’ll just be a disappointment. It’s really hard to overcook, but simple to undercook, this dish.

Some people mash up the potatoes, but I like to let the diners choose their own adventure, smashing potatoes on the plate for gravy or cutting slices to eat with a mouthful of shredded venison.

Lastly, I prefer a mix of horseradish and sour cream to dip bites, but skip that if you want. A garnish of chopped parsley adds a wonderful brightness to a deep, rich dish like this one.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 lbs. wild game roast
• 2 tbsp lard or tallow
• 4-6 potatoes (yellow will have a smoother feel and hold up to stewing)
• 4-6 carrots
• 1 quart stock (wild game or beef)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme (pull leaves and chop)
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp horseradish
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp salt
• Chopped parsley for a garnish

DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Salt all sides of the roast evenly with kosher salt.
3. Break carrots in half, cut potatoes in half lengthwise and salt.
4. Melt two tablespoons of lard/tallow in a Dutch oven or covered pan.
5. Brown the outside of the roast on all sides and remove.
6. Add a tablespoon of tomato to the pan and sauté for a minute.
7. Deglaze the pan with a cup of wine for 2-4 min.
8. Add in the stock, bay leaves, meat, and vegetables.
9. Cover the pan and toss it into the oven.
10. Cook the meat at least one hour per pound included. Turn the roast every 45 minutes so a different side simmers in the stock.
11. Pull out the dish when the meat pulls apart with a fork. If feels hard and dry, give it more time. Trust the process.
12. Once fork tender on all sides, place the vegetables on a serving dish, add the meat, and cover with foil.
13. Put the pan on the stovetop again, adding a tablespoon of corn starch and your chopped thyme to thicken into gravy. Whisk while it simmers to your preferred thickness.
14. Mix sour cream, chopped parsley, and horseradish for sauce. Serve beside the gravy.
15. Pour ⅓ of the gravy over the meat, and finish with chopped parsley.

Recipe: Smoked Venison Bottom Round Steak

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