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Venison Shanks: Turning Hard-Won Meat into a Hunter’s Feast
Every hunter knows the satisfaction of bringing home their own meat—the effort, the patience, the skill that goes into a successful hunt. But the real reward? Turning that hard-earned venison into a meal worth savoring. While backstraps and tenderloins get all the glory, there’s something special about slow-cooked venison shanks. These tough, sinewy cuts—often overlooked or ground into mince—transform into rich, fall-off-the-bone perfection with the right recipe.
This isn’t just about cooking; it’s about respect for the animal, using every part, and making damn good food in the process. So grab those shanks, fire up the stove, and let’s turn your hunt into a feast.
Thank you to Don McDonald for sending in this recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 – 6 Tbsp Rendered Duck Fat
• 4 Venison Shanks – trimmed
• 5 Tbsp Flour
• 1 Leek, halved and cut into 1 cm pieces
• 2 Celery Stalks roughly chopped
• 3 Carrots roughly chopped
• 2 medium Onions chopped
• 12 Garlic cloves unpeeled
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
• 1 Sprig Thyme
• 1 Sprig Rosemary
• 350ml Red Wine
• 600ml Chicken Stock
• Sea Salt
METHOD:
• Pre-heat oven to 150 c
• Heat Duck Fat in a heavy metal baking dish over a medium to high heat hotplate. Toss shanks with flour to coat well, then shake off excess.
Sear the Shanks in hot oil until well browned on all sides, then remove from dish and set aside.
• Add Leek, Celery, Carrot, Onion and Garlic to the baking dish. Cook until softened and lightly browned, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes.
• Season with the Bay leaf, Peppercorns, Thyme and Rosemary sprigs. Pour in the Red Wine and Chicken stock, increase heat to HIGH and bring to a simmer.
• Season to taste with Sea Salt and place Shanks on top of the vegetables.
• Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and place into the pre-heated oven. Bake gently until the meat is tender and falls off the bone – 2 1/2 – 3 hours.
• Remove the Bay leaf and herb stems before serving Shanks with the vegetables and sauce from the baking dish.
*It's worth noting that Fallow and similar sized deer will fit in a regular pot but for larger species like Sambar, the shanks may need to be sawed or cut in half.