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Venison, Haunch of

A method for preparing and roasting a whole haunch of venison.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 6 ingredients
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Why it works: Pepper and ginger match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 9% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 6,800 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓

Venison, Haunch of

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Hang the haunch in a cool, airy place to ensure good condition.

  2. Remove the kernel of fat and wipe the area dry.

  3. Dust the haunch with pepper and powdered ginger.

  4. Examine the haunch twice daily and wipe any moisture with a dry cloth.

  5. To check readiness, insert a skewer near the bone.

  6. When ready to roast, saw off the shank-bone and remove sinews.

  7. Scrape away the dark dry skin from the skirt and under part.

  8. Wipe the haunch with damp cloths and dry it thoroughly.

Protect and roast

  1. Cover the haunch with greased cartridge paper.

  2. Apply a thick paste of flour and water over the paper.

  3. Tie the haunch securely with string or tape.

  4. Add two more sheets of greased paper.

  5. Place the haunch near a clear fire to harden the paste.

  6. Gradually move the haunch closer to the fire.

  7. Baste the venison immediately after placing it down.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

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.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Pepper + gingertop 9% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together6,800 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

  2. Ginger + flourtop 15% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together8,564 recipes

    Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

  3. Pepper + flourtop 19% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together50,459 recipes

    Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).

  4. Venison + peppertop 28% of all pairs
    Smell alikelow
    Cooked together955 recipes

    Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).

  5. Venison + flourtop 28% of all pairs
    Smell alikelow
    Cooked together667 recipes

    Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Venison
Lean meat that the roast is built around, cooked slowly to stay tender.
Flour and water paste
Hardens into a protective case that shields the meat from direct heat.
Black pepper
Adds a sharp, spicy aroma to the outer surface of the meat.
Powdered ginger
Adds a warm, aromatic flavour to the surface of the meat.

The step that matters

Place the haunch near a clear fire to harden the paste. The flour and water paste must dry and set into a firm case before the haunch moves closer to the fire. If it stays soft or is exposed to strong heat too early, it can scorch or slide off, leaving the meat unprotected.

Swap the ginger

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (venison, pepper, flour):

  1. Jalapenofits better
  2. Turmericfits better
  3. Parsleyfits better
  4. Gingerthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against venison, pepper, flour. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“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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