venison stew

I found a pound of chopped venison in the freezer, and decided to cook it up for Sunday lunch.

I cut two large carrots in batons, and fried them off with a dozen peeled shallots, in olive oil with a splash of maple syrup, using my wonderful decades old Le Creuset cast iron pot.  I added a pack of cubed pancetta part way through.

Set these aside, put a tablespoon or so of flour in the pan, and hurled in the venison and stirred it about.  Then in a fit of experimentation, I added about 1/2 pint of banana beer (well, it was all we had), together with juniper berries, peppercorns, a tablespoon each of grain mustard and redcurrant jelly, and some salt.

Returned the veg and pancetta to the casserole, and put it in a very low oven for 3 hours.  Will finish it off today, and eat with dumplings and red cabbage.