Paleo venison ragout with chestnuts and juniper

Paleo venison ragout with chestnuts, carrots, celeriac, juniper and thyme, braised for two hours. A dinner without grains or dairy, with 47 g of protein per serving.

At a glance

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 25 min
• Cooking time: 125 min
• Total time: 150 min
• Calories: 421 kcal per serving
• Protein: 47 g
• Fat: 13 g
• Carbs: 26 g

Ingredients

• 800g diced venison
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 150g celeriac
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 600ml game stock
• 200g chestnuts
• 8 juniper berries
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ bunch of thyme
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 pinch of pepper

Method

You’ll need: saucepan · chopping board · knife · wooden spoon

1. Pat the venison dry and cut any large pieces down to 3 cm. Dice the onions, carrots and celeriac. Lightly crush the juniper berries with the back of a knife.
2. Brown the meat in batches in the olive oil in a casserole, 4 minutes per batch until browned all over, then lift it out.
3. Fry the onions, carrots and celeriac in the pan for 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Pour in the game stock, add the meat, juniper, bay leaves and thyme and braise the ragout, covered, over a low heat for 90 minutes.
5. Add the chestnuts and braise the ragout uncovered for another 20 minutes until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
6. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, season the ragout to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Good to know

Venison is lean and tastes stronger than beef, and juniper and thyme are a natural match for it. The chestnuts braise along at the end and thicken the sauce slightly.

Swaps

Diced venison → diced beef. Chestnuts → diced parsnip. Game stock → beef stock. Juniper → 1 sprig of rosemary.

Cooking tips

Vacuum-packed, pre-cooked chestnuts save you the peeling. If the ragout reduces too much, add a splash of water.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.

Allergens

Contains celery; no gluten, milk or egg. Suitable for children and in pregnancy. If you're pregnant or trying for a baby, and for children, only use farmed or lead-free shot venison.

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze venison ragout?

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.

How long does venison ragout keep in the fridge?

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.

Dairy-free recipes