Name: Sous vide venison tacos with ancho chilli and bitter chocolate
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 500g of venison haunch, diced; 1 ancho chilli, dried; 1 banana shallot, large, sliced; 1 garlic clove, sliced; 20g of tomato purée; 1 tsp chopped thyme; 10g of Dijon mustard; 200ml of red wine; 300ml of dark chicken stock, or veal stock; 20g of bitter chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids; flaky sea salt; freshly ground black pepper; olive oil; 8 corn tortillas; 2 little gem lettuces; pickled jalapeños, sliced; 40g of mature cheddar, grated; 60g of crème fraîche, or sour cream; 1 tbsp of coriander leaves

Main
Medium
4
60 minutes

PT1H

Russell Brown's sous vide venison taco recipe gives this beautiful game meat a Mexican twist, with bitter chocolate and ancho chilli adding bountiful flavour.

Venison, ancho chilli and bitter chocolate filling

500g of venison haunch , diced
1 ancho chilli , dried
1 banana shallot , large, sliced
1 garlic clove , sliced
20g of tomato purée
1 tsp chopped thyme
10g of Dijon mustard
200ml of red wine
300ml of dark chicken stock, or veal stock
20g of bitter chocolate , minimum 70% cocoa solids
flaky sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

To serve

8 corn tortillas
2 little gem lettuces
pickled jalapeños , sliced
40g of mature cheddar , grated
60g of crème fraîche, or sour cream
1 tbsp of coriander leaves

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Water bath
Bar sealer
Large vacuum bags
Blender

To begin, toast the chilli in a hot dry frying pan until it is soft and aromatic. Remove the chilli from the pan, place in a bowl and cover with hot water, weighing down with a ramekin to keep it submerged. Leave for 15 minutes

1 ancho chilli , dried

Sweat the shallots and garlic in a little oil until softened but without colour. Add the tomato purée, thyme and mustard to the shallots and cook out for a few minutes. Add the wine to the pan and reduce to a syrup

1 garlic clove , sliced
1 banana shallot , large, sliced
olive oil
10g of Dijon mustard
20g of tomato purée
1 tsp chopped thyme
200ml of red wine

Season the diced venison and sear in a hot pan to colour the meat. Do this in batches to prevent the meat stewing in the pan

Add the stock to the shallot and wine mixture and reduce by a third. Take the stalk and most of the seeds from the chilli and add the chilli to the shallot mix

300ml of dark chicken stock, or veal stock

Transfer to a blender and blitz to a purée. Return to the pan and continue to reduce until a thick paste is obtained. Adjust the seasoning to taste

Whisk the chocolate into the sauce and stir in the venison. Transfer to a cold tray and then cool completely in the fridge if not cooking straight away

20g of bitter chocolate , minimum 70% cocoa solids

Preheat a water bath to 75°C

Place the venison in a vacuum bag, seal on full pressure and cook in the water bath for 12 hours

To serve, remove the bag from the water bath and tip the contents into a bowl. Break up roughly with a fork and check the seasoning

Heat the tortillas gently in a pan and fill with lettuce. Top with the venison mix and sprinkle over cheese, chillies and coriander, then add a dollop of crème fraîche is desired

1 tbsp of coriander leaves
8 corn tortillas
2 little gem lettuces
pickled jalapeños , sliced
40g of mature cheddar , grated
60g of créme fraiche, or sour cream

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Russell Brown

Russell Brown has achieved Michelin stardom on his own terms, impressing inspectors with his honest, unfussy creations and sound approach to restaurant management.