To Roast a Haunch of Venison
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the joint
Wipe the venison with soft dry cloths wherever the slightest moisture appears on the surface.
Dust it plentifully with freshly-ground pepper or powdered ginger.
Avoid soaking the joint.
Wash the venison slightly with tepid water or wipe it thoroughly with damp cloths.
Dry it afterwards with clean cloths.
Paper and roast
Lay over the fat side a large sheet of thickly-buttered paper.
Apply a paste of flour and water about three quarters of an inch thick.
Cover with two or three sheets of stout paper.
Secure the whole well with twine.
Lay the haunch to a sound clear fire.
Baste the paper immediately with butter or clarified dripping.
Roast the joint from three hours and a half to four and a half, according to its weight and quality.
Doe venison will require half an hour less time than buck venison.
Twenty minutes before the joint is done, remove the paste and paper.
Baste the meat in every part with butter.
Dredge it very lightly with flour.
Let it take a pale brown colour.
Gravy and serving
Serve hot with gravy in a tureen and good currant jelly.
Prepare gravy as desired: Espagnole, English gravy, or plain mutton gravy seasoned with salt, pepper, or cayenne.
If venison is abundant, use it for the gravy instead of mutton.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Cayenne | 1 tsp (1.8g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Venison (in the method)
- Is the main meat; its lean flesh is what the roasting and basting work on.
- Flour (in the method)
- Paste and dusting flour form a protective crust that helps the meat brown lightly.
- Butter (in the method)
- Basting fat that adds richness and promotes a golden colour on the meat and paper.
The step that matters
Remove the paste and paper twenty minutes before the joint is done. Removing the protective paper late lets the surface dry and brown; leaving it on too long keeps the meat pale and steamed.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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