Milk Braised Venison Roast

Inspired by recipes for Milk Braised Pork Shoulder and Milk Pork, I wondered if I could do the same braising technique with venison. Usually, I like cooking venison roasts in a crockpot with a lot of beef stock since wild game tends to be very lean and a bit tough. Slow cooking leaves venison meat ultra-tender.

Yet, braising venison seemed very attractive since I?d only be cooking the meat for two to three hours instead of all day. So I kept my fingers crossed, hoping that the enzymes in the milk would tenderize the venison. While the meat didn?t fall apart like it would in my slow cooker, braising venison was very successful - and delicious.

I?ve ?healthed-up? the recipe by substituting olive oil for butter and skim milk for whole. I?d also recommend adding another onion, more carrots and even some root vegetables like turnips to the braising pot. Blending the vegetables with the curled milk made a wonderful sauce.

Milk Braised Venison Roast

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

1 boneless venison roast (1 1/2 pounds)
4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, cut in half
a large handful of ?baby? carrots or one large carrot cut in half
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
4 cups skim milk

Directions:

Using a small paring knife, make small slits in the venison roast, inserting a sliver of garlic into it. Make sure to evenly cover the roast with garlic filled slits.
Heat the oven to 350º F.
Evenly sprinkle salt and pepper on the venison.
Heat a heavy, oven safe pot over medium high heat. It should be big enough to hold your roast. I used my 3.5 quart  Le Creuset French Oven.
Add the olive oil to the pot and brown the venison well on all sides.
Add the onion, carrot, and herbs to the pot. Pour over the milk, and bring to a simmer on the stovetop.
Cover the dish and transfer to the oven until tender, about 2 to 3 hours, turning the meat every 30 minutes.
When done, turn off the oven and remove the pot. Then remove the venison roast from the pot, wrap in foil, and place back in oven to keep warm. Make sure the oven has been turned off!
Remove the bay leaves from the curdled cooking juices. Purée the curdled milk, carrots and onion with an immersion blender. If there isn?t much juice left, you can add a little chicken or vegetable stock or water. Remember, the sauce should be thick and not runny, so don?t add too much.
Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
Slice the venison on a diagonal and arrange in a serving dish. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve.

Nutritional information

Calories 321
Calories from Fat 49
Total Fat 5.4g
Saturated Fat 0.6g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 5mg
Sodium 117mg
Total Carbohydrates 17.6g
Dietary Fiber 1.2g
Sugars 14.5g
Protein 46.3g
Vitamin A 70%
Vitamin C 7%
Calcium 33%
Iron 2%

Nutrition Grade A from CalorieCount.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 7

This Mama?s tips

If you have a larger venison roast, add more milk, vegetables and herbs and increase cooking time.
If you have a big enough French or Dutch oven, you may want to cook two smaller venison roasts.

_____________________

Disclosure: All links to my OpenSky shop are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.