Smoked Winter Venison Haunch Stew with Cheese and Fig Scones
Slow-smoked venison haunch is gently braised with winter vegetables, red wine, and aromatic spices to create a rich, deeply comforting stew. Served alongside savoury cheese and fig scones, this dish balances hearty warmth with a subtle sweetness for a perfect cold-weather feast.
Ingredients
STEW
1kg venison haunch, diced into cubes
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced
200g swede
1 leek, diced
200g new potatoes, cut in quarters
2 cloves of garlic
250ml red wine
750ml chicken stock
Cubed butter
1 bay leaf
4 springs of thyme
2 star anise
5 cloves
5 juniper berries
5 sage leaves
SCONES
500g strong flour
10g sugar
9g salt
125g butter
11g baking powder
200g mixed grated cheese
128g whole egg
75g buttermilk
92g milk
Pinch of dried thyme
6 dried figs diced
Method
STEW
1. Set your BBQ up to 120°C temperature, season the venison with salt and cracked pepper.
2. Use a Dutch oven and cook down all your prepared vegetables, herbs and spices on the grill.
3. Place a rack over the top of the Dutch oven and add the seasoned venison to the rack.
4. Add your choice of smoking wood to the BBQ. Smoke the venison for 1 hour.
5. After an hour of smoking the venison, place it into the Dutch oven with your vegetables.
6. Add red wine and cook until the wine is reduced, add stock and cover with a lid.
7. Raise the temperature of the BBQ to 200°C, cook until the venison is tender, using a skewer to test.
8. Then remove from the heat, stir in three cubes of butter and finish with some chopped sage.
SCONES
1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Then fold the figs and cheese into the dry mix.
3. Slowly add all the wet ingredients and mix. Knead, and, when ready, roll out until an inch thick.
4. Cut out the scone with a cutter.
5. Leave to rest for an hour at room temperature.
6. Set your BBQ to 180°C, indirect, then place a pizza stone on your grill and preheat the stone for 20 minutes.
7. Place the scones on the stone, bake for 10–12 minutes.
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Method
STEW
1. Set your BBQ up to 120°C temperature, season the venison with salt and cracked pepper.
2. Use a Dutch oven and cook down all your prepared vegetables, herbs and spices on the grill.
3. Place a rack over the top of the Dutch oven and add the seasoned venison to the rack.
4. Add your choice of smoking wood to the BBQ. Smoke the venison for 1 hour.
5. After an hour of smoking the venison, place it into the Dutch oven with your vegetables.
6. Add red wine and cook until the wine is reduced, add stock and cover with a lid.
7. Raise the temperature of the BBQ to 200°C, cook until the venison is tender, using a skewer to test.
8. Then remove from the heat, stir in three cubes of butter and finish with some chopped sage.
SCONES
1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Then fold the figs and cheese into the dry mix.
3. Slowly add all the wet ingredients and mix. Knead, and, when ready, roll out until an inch thick.
4. Cut out the scone with a cutter.
5. Leave to rest for an hour at room temperature.
6. Set your BBQ to 180°C, indirect, then place a pizza stone on your grill and preheat the stone for 20 minutes.
7. Place the scones on the stone, bake for 10–12 minutes.
