Deer Leg

Ingredients

• 1 deer leg (boneless, about 1.2 kg)
• 50 g pork lard
• 1 onion
• 100 g vegetable mix
• 1 tbsp flour
• lemons
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 juniper berries
• 5 allspice pods
• 750 ml red wine
• 0.125 l white vinegar
• 0.125 l red wine vinegar
• 40 g pine nuts
• 10 juniper berries
• 2 pears

Instructions

1. 1.

   Mix the ingredients for the marination and marinate the deer leg in it for 2 days in a cool place, basting with the mixture every few hours. Remove the deer leg, let it drain well, strain the remaining marination through a sieve, then rub the leg with salt and pepper. Melt the pork lard in a large roasting pan, place the deer leg inside, and sear at 230 °C for 10 minutes while turning frequently. Peel and chop the onion, add it with the vegetable mix, and cook another 10 minutes. Pour half of the marination over the leg and continue roasting for 30 minutes until the outside is brown; roast an additional 15 minutes.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears into wedges. In hot butter in a pan, slowly sear both sides for about 6 minutes so they do not fall apart. Toast the pine nuts without fat.

3. 3.

   Remove the deer leg from the roasting pan and keep warm. Reduce the drippings with the remaining marination, strain again, return to a pot, whisk 2 tbsp water with flour, stir into the sauce, let it thicken, add juniper berries, season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and simmer for a few minutes. Slice the roasted leg, arrange on a plate with pears and sauce, and sprinkle with pine nuts.