Venison Saddle Recipe with Suet Pudding

Daniel Clifford's slow-cooked venison saddle is served with individual suet puddings filled with red wine sauce. They are nicely flattered by the sharp choucroute and a silky, sweet carrot purée.

Ingredients

print recipe

shopping List

Metric

Imperial

Venison saddle

venison saddle, 4 pieces each weighing 125g

Carrot purée

200g of carrots, chopped
50g of butter
50ml of water

Choucroute

1/2 white cabbage, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 peppercorns
1 juniper berry
1.5l white wine
25g of smoked bacon

Suet pastry

265g of self-raising flour
35g of suet
salt
50ml of water

Venison pudding

350g of diced venison shoulder
100g of onion, diced
100g of carrots, diced
150ml of red wine
1 tbsp of fresh thyme, chopped
1g of xanthan gum
Worcestershire sauce to taste
salt
pepper

To plate

150g of Brussels sprout leaves
10g of butter

print recipe

shopping List

Food processor or blender
Steamer
Muslin cloth
Greaseproof paper
Thermometer
10cm pastry cutter
6cm pastry cutter
4 dariole moulds

First make the carrot purée. Melt the butter, add the chopped carrots and cook for 5 minutes, then add the water and cook for 15 minutes until soft

50g of butter
200g of carrots
50ml of water

Blend in a food processor and pass through a sieve, then set aside until ready to serve

To make the choucroute, sweat the chopped onion and garlic, then add the sliced cabbage and cook for 5 minutes

1 onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 white cabbage, sliced

Combine the herbs, place in the centre of a piece of muslin cloth, fold together and secure with undyed thread

1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 peppercorns
1 juniper berry

Add this bouquet garni, the wine and bacon to the cabbage mixture and cook for 3 hours on a low heat, covered with a cartouche. Stir regularly

1.5l white wine
25g of smoked bacon

Preheat the oven to 65°C/Gas mark 1/4. Add the diced venison, onion, carrot, red wine, thyme and a pinch of salt to a casserole dish, add enough water to cover and cook in the oven for 8 hours

350g of diced venison shoulder
100g of onion, diced
100g of carrots, diced
150ml of red wine
1 tbsp of fresh thyme, chopped
salt

In a bowl, combine the flour, suet, a pinch of salt and water until a smooth paste is achieved, then leave to rest for 3 hours before rolling out

265g of self-raising flour
35g of suet
salt
50ml of water

Once rested, roll out the suet pastry to the thickness of a pound coin. Using pastry cutters, cut out 4 circles using a 100mm cutter and 4 using a 60mm cutter, then set aside until needed

Once the venison and pudding filling has cooked, chill the mixture then separate the meat and sauce into 2 separate bowls

Warm the sauce slightly and add 1g of xanthan gum per 100ml of sauce in order to thicken the gravy. Once thickened, remove from the heat and allow to cool

1g of xanthan gum

Season with Worcestershire sauce and pepper and add back to the meat, reserving 4 tablespoons of sauce for plating

Worcestershire sauce to taste
pepper

Line the dariole moulds with cling film twice, then add the 100mm rounds of suet pastry to line the moulds

Spoon the diced venison mix on top. Cover with the 60mm disc, then fold over and seal around the edges

Double wrap the the moulds with cling film. Cook in a steamer at 70°C for 25 minutes

Once all the other components of the dish are complete, preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Brown the venison saddle in a hot pan with a little oil for 1 minute per side

venison saddle, 4 pieces each weighing 125g

Transfer to the oven, turning every 2 minutes for 8 minutes for a medium rare result

Slice the venison saddle. Use a spoon to place and sweep the carrot purée across each plate

Place the choucroute separately onto the plate, arrange the sliced venison on top, then place the pudding next to the other components

Blanche the sprout leaves in boiling water for 1 minute and drain well. Reheat in butter before plating. Serve the choucroute and pudding with the sautéed sprout leaves and reserved venison sauce

150g of Brussels sprout leaves
10g of butter

Discover more:

Share recipe

Daniel Clifford

A broad range of experience in some of the top kitchens in the UK and France along with hefty doses of innovation, dedication and originality have led Daniel Clifford’s style to be widely praised.