Food & Drinks

Roast racks of venison with blueberry balsamic sauce

Perfect if you're looking for a different kind of roast meal this Christmas
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Not a fan of the traditional Christmas turkey or ham? This might just be the perfect meal if you’re looking to try something different this Christmas.

PREP TIME 20 MINS COOK TIME 30 MINUTES (+20 MINS RESTING) SERVES 6

Lamb

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 tbsp avocado oil & rosemary

2 racks New Zealand farm-raised venison

4 small red onions, quartered

Blueberry sauce

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1 sprig Superb Herb rosemary

1 cup Blind River Awatere Valley

Pinot Noir

1 stick cinnamon

1 tbsp cornflour

1 cup beef stock

¹⁄³ cup BluesBros blueberry balsamic drizzle

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Salt & pepper

BluesBros blueberry chutney, to serve

Method

  • Preheat oven to 200°C. In a small bowl, mix the spices, salt and pepper to make a sweet spice mix.

  • Drizzle oil and spice mix over the venison.

  • Sear venison in a large frying pan until brown all over – about 3 minutes each side. Reserve the fry pan.

  • Place quartered red onions in a large roasting pan, drizzle with oil, then place venison racks on top. Cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. To check if venison is cooked to medium rare, insert a metal

  • skewer into the centre of the meat and hold for 5 seconds – it should come out warm. If not, return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.

  • Remove venison from the oven, cover with foil and rest for 20 minutes.

  • To make the blueberry sauce, in the reserved frypan, add a little more oil and fry the onion for 2 minutes. Add the rosemary sprig and cook for 1 minute. Pour in pinot noir, add the cinnamon stick

  • and simmer until reduced by half. Mix cornflour and 2 tbsp of the stock in a small bowl. Add the rest of the beef stock, blueberry balsamic drizzle and cornflour mix to the frypan, then simmer until the sauce has thickened a little. Add blueberries and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

  • Transfer venison racks and roasted red onions to a serving platter. Pour over the blueberry sauce. Serve with blueberry chutney and glasses of pinot noir.

Wine match

Blind River Awatere Valley Pinot Noir. An elegant wine with a fruity, fleshy midpalate and long, chalky finish. a small bowl.

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