Braised venison shanks cooked low and slow in a chile-forward sauce of ancho and chipotle chiles, onions, peppers, tomatoes, stock, and warm spices until fork-tender. Spoon the shanks and their braising liquid over a smooth hominy purée that coats the back of a spoon. Finish with cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds and queso fresco to elevate things.
For a faster cook, you can cut the shanks into disks as you would for venison osso buco. If you’re unsure how to do this, check out my guide on processing venison shanks, where I show you how to cut them and give a few cooking tips.
The Chile Base
Ancho and chipotle chiles bring gentle heat, dried-fruit depth, and smoke. Cumin seed, oregano, bay, cinnamon, and garlic round it out. Onion, red bell pepper, tomato, stock, and wine carry those flavors through the meat during the braise.
Hominy: Texture & Consistency
Simmer canned hominy in stock with a bay leaf until tender, then blend with butter, lemon, and reserved cooking liquid to a porridge consistency that coats the back of a spoon. It should be smooth, pourable, and sturdy enough to hold the braised meat on top. Step-By-Step (Overview)
- Brown the meat: Season and sear venison in hot oil until well browned; work in batches.
- Build the base: Soften onions, peppers, and garlic; add tomatoes, wine, stock, spices, and chiles.
- Braise: Return venison, cover, and cook in a 330°F oven until tender (about 4 hours). Liquid should come ¾ of the way up the meat—add stock if needed.
- Hominy: Simmer with stock and bay, drain (reserve liquid), then blend with butter, lemon, and enough reserved liquid to reach porridge consistency.
- Plate: Spoon hominy, top with braised venison and cooking liquid. Finish with cilantro, basil, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Finishing & Serving
Serve hot with fresh herbs and toasted pumpkin seeds. You can swap out the hominy for creamy grits or polenta for a delicious alternative.
Venison shanks are loaded with connective tissue, which breaks down during long, moist cooking. They’re ideal for braises, stews, or slow cooker recipes where the goal is fork-tender meat.
Plan on about 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours at 325–330°F in the oven. They’re ready when a fork slides in easily and the meat begins to pull away from the bone.
No. Leave the silver skin and connective tissue on. the slow braise breaks it down into gelatin, adding body and richness to the sauce.
Yes. They reheat well. Cool the shanks in their cooking liquid, refrigerate overnight, then rewarm gently on the stove or in the oven until hot.
More Braised Venison Recipes
Below are some of my family’s favorite low and slow dishes. For more comfort food options, check out my entire venison recipes collection.
Lastly, if you try this chili braised venison shank recipe, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you’ve made.
Mexican Chile Braised Venison Shanks with Hominy
Ingredients
For the Shanks
- 4 venison shanks
- 3 tablespoons high smoke point cooking oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup dry red white wine
- 2 quarts stock (venison, chicken or beef)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 2 chipotles in adobo
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper
For the Hominy
- 25 ounce can of hominy, (drained and rinsed)
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnishes
- toasted pumpkin seeds, as needed
- queso fresco, as needed
- fresh cilantro, as needed
Instructions
Braise the Venison Shanks
- Preheat your oven to 330°F. In a large Dutch oven, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat. Season the shanks with salt and pepper. Add the venison once the pan is hot and the oil is just starting to smoke. Cook on all sides until the meat is nice and golden brown. Work in batches if needed. Once browned, place in a braising pan.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent. Transfer to the braising pan.
- Add the cumin seeds, oregano, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, chile powder, chipotles in adobo, and tomatoes to the braising pan.
- Pour the stock and wine over the shanks. The shanks need to be about 3/4 of the way covered with cooking liquid. If you do not have enough, add a bit more stock.
- Cover with aluminum foil, and cook in the oven between 4 to 5 hours, or until fork tender.
- Let the braising liquid cool slightly and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the Hominy
- In a medium-sized pot, add the hominy, stock, and bay leaf. Bring to a slow simmer, cover halfway with a lid, and cook slowly until the hominy is tender, about 45 minutes. Reserve the liquid, drain the hominy, and discard the bay leaf. Place the drained hominy into a blender with the butter, lemon juice, and 1 cup of stock. Start pureeing the hominy and add more cooking liquid until you reach a porridge consistency. You want it to coat the back of the spoon. Add the butter, season with salt and pepper and puree again. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To Serve
- Place a little of the hominy on a plate and top with one of the venison shanks. Spoon a little of the braising liquid over the shanks.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, and queso fresco.
NOTES
- Make ahead: Chill shanks in their braising liquid overnight, then reheat gently. Hominy can be reheated with a splash of stock.
- Slow cooker option: After searing the shanks and sautéing aromatics on the stovetop, transfer everything to a slow cooker with stock and chiles. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or until fork-tender.
