Venison Leg with Spiced Pears

Ingredients

• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 peppercorns
• 0.5 tsp dried rosemary
• 3 allspice berries
• 0.5 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1.2 kg venison leg (deboned, kitchen ready)
• vegetable oil
• 1 bundle soup vegetables
• 1 onion
• 600 g venison bones
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 300 ml dry red wine
• 700 ml game stock
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 peppercorns
• Salt
• 1 untreated lemon
• 750 ml dry white wine
• 150 g sugar
• 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 4 pears (e.g., Williams Christ)
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter
• cranberries (jar)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 120°C with upper and lower heat.

2. 2.

   Crush the spices in a mortar, wash and pat dry the meat, rub it with the spice mix and tie it into shape with kitchen twine. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a roasting pan and sear the meat all around until browned.

3. 3.

   Bake in the preheated oven for 1¾–2 hours until pink inside.

4. 4.

   Meanwhile, wash, trim or peel the vegetables and dice them very finely. Peel and finely chop the onion.

5. 5.

   Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pot and brown the bones while turning occasionally. Add the onion and vegetable cubes, sauté briefly, then stir in the tomato paste. Let it color slightly, deglaze with half of the red wine and reduce completely. Pour in the remaining red wine and stock, add bay leaves and peppercorns, season with salt, and simmer over medium heat for about 1½ hours.

6. 6.

   For the pears, rinse the lemon hot, dry rub it, peel off the skin, and combine with wine, sugar and spices in a pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

7. 7.

   Meanwhile, peel the pears, carefully remove the core from the bottom, and place them in the broth. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, then remove from heat and allow the pears to cool in the broth.

8. 8.

   Strain the stock into a new pot, bring to a boil, thicken with beurre manié (equal parts flour and butter mixed together), and season to taste.

9. 9.

   Remove the meat from the oven, untie the twine, slice it thinly. Serve on a plate with the sauce, pears and cranberries as desired.