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Bushbuck Bites: Slow Cooked Venison Shanks Recipe
A simple venison shank recipe for the slow cooker or crockpot from Bushbuck ambassador and wild food cook, Alesha Tomasi.
Overview
Venison shanks aren't the most prized cut of meat, but I reckon they're wildly underrated. You're probably familiar with lamb shanks as they're listed on countless restaurant menus. But venison shanks often get overshadowed by the loins, legs and steaks. Granted, venison shanks can be a tougher, chewier cut of meat if you try to fry them or chuck them in the oven. But the secret is to slow cook your venison shanks so that the meat becomes so juicy and tender it's pretty much falling off the bone. So before you consider feeding your shanks to the dog or, even worse, leaving them behind in the hills, give this recipe a try. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare. You can chuck all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and have a delicious, hearty, wild-harvested meal ready for when you get home. Trust me when I say you won't look at venison shanks the same way again.
Slow Cooked Venison Shanks Recipe Video
Ingredients
4 venison shanks
1 large onion
4 celery sprigs
3 carrots or 2 large carrots
7 garlic cloves (more or less depending on your taste)
Fresh rosemary or 1 tsp of dried
Fresh thyme or 1 tsp of dried
1/2 cup of red wine (I used a Merlot)
1 tin of diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup of water
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp of juniper berries (crush them in a mortar)
1 Tbsp of corn flour
1 Tbsp of gravy mix
Recipe Instructions
Put the shanks in the slow cooker
Pour in red wine
Add in the tomatoes
Add in beef stock
Chop celery and carrots into small pieces and add in
Dice onions and add
Add in rosemary, thyme, garlic and beef stock together
Crush juniper berries in a mortar then add on top
Pour in water
Mix everything around in the cooker
Leave to cook all day on low
Serve with a kumara and potato mash
Once you've removed the shanks from the slow cooker add the cornflour to the leftover juice to thicken it up into a gravy to pour over your meal. Tip: I recommend mixing the corn flour with a little bit of warm water to create a slurry before adding it to the juice so it doesn't go all lumpy
Now tuck in and enjoy this hearty, delicious, nutritious meal, perfect for those chilly winter dinners.
Alesha Tomasi
Alesha Tomasi is a hunter, adventurer, and wild food cook based on the West Coast of New Zealand. Raised in Kumara with the mountains and ocean on her doorstep, she grew up camping, fishing, and exploring the outdoors. Today, she hunts alongside her partner Matty, gathering everything from red deer to tahr, and shares her passion for wild and homegrown food through creative recipes. When she’s not out in the bush, you’ll find her in the garden, on her lifestyle block, or keeping fit for her next mission.
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