Roast Saddle of Venison With Wild Mushroom-Cream Sauce

The saddle is a backcut of deer. Whilst with larger deer, this cut is removed to make filet, with smaller deer, it is better to do it on the bones to prevent drying out. This recipe makes lots of sauce, which should be served over dumplings, potatoes or rice. This is a combination of a few different recipes I had. I did it with a very small roe deer (a bit over 1kg for the saddle but would be good with large deer, just adjust the time according and you might need foil to cover the ham at the end to prevent burning.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  venison saddle
• 2  tablespoons  lard or 2  tablespoons duck fat, melted
•  salt and pepper
• 5 -8  slices  dry-cured ham, thinly sliced (I need 5 for mine, must be dry-cured)
• 300  ml  venison stock or 300  ml  veal stock or 300  ml  good  beef stock
• 125  ml dry red wine (preferably what you intend to eat the meal with)
• 1  teaspoon butter
• 100  g  wild mushrooms (I used Honey Fungus but any flavourful wild mushroom would work, note some types of Honey Fungus are)
• 1  small shallot, finely diced
• 200  ml  cream
• 1  teaspoon cornstarch
• 1  tablespoon cold water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7.
2. Rub lard or duck fat on meaty side of saddle.
3. Season the saddle generously with salt and pepper.
4. Cover with ham slices and put on roasting tray and put it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
5. Lower oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 3.
6. Add wine and broth to roasting tray and roast for 10 minutes per 500g for medium-rare to medium. The temperature of the thickest part should 60-65°C/135-145°F.
7. While that the saddle is roasting, saute lightly the shallot and mushrooms in butter on medium heat and set aside.
8. When the saddle is ready, remove from oven and remove the ham and cover in foil, leaving for 20 minutes.
9. Pour the juices and wine from roasting pan into a sauce pan on high heat.
10. Mix cold water and starch and add to the sauce pan.
11. Bring to a boil and allow sauce to thicken.
12. After sauce thickens, put temperature to low, add cream and wild mushrooms mix and cook until warm.
13. Crumble the ham into the sauce and taste and add salt and pepper as necessary.
14. Serve with hot dumplings, potatoes or rice and a salad.