SWEET & SPICY SLOW COOKER VENISON SHANKS
Updated: Sep 30
Easy Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Venison Shanks Recipe. Delicious venison shanks braised with red wine, chilies, herbs, oranges, and dates.
Want more wild game dishes? Check out my ground venison collection, smoked backstrap, and deer breakfast sausage.
The flavors have a bit of a Middle Eastern flair to them, but pair well with just about any starchy accompaniment, such as rice, pasta, couscous, or sweet potatoes. Once shredded off the bone the versatility of the shank meat is virtually endless. I like to roll the shredded meat inside of filo dough, fry or bake them until crispy, and then dip into the reduced braising liquid.
Tips for Slow Cooking Venison Shanks
Cooking Times:
Cooking times can vary greatly when slow-cooking venison shanks in a crockpot. They can be tender in 8 hours and sometimes up to 12 hours; you need to check on them to get the peak tenderness.
A good rule of thumb is if the shanks aren't tender when you check them, cook for another hour and repeat as needed. You can also braise the venison shanks in a baking dish in the oven set at 325 degrees F or in a pressure cooker instead of using a slow cooker.
Should You Cut Shanks?
The shanks used for this recipe can be left whole or cut into disks as for Osso Buco. Whole shanks will take longer to cook, but the results are similar. I prefer to leave them whole to minimize my time butchering at home.
Searing Venison Shanks:
While this recipe calls for searing the venison shanks before slow-cooking them in the crockpot, it is optional. Skipping the searing step will result in a little loss of flavor, but it will still be a tasty dish. If you have time, after the shanks are cooked, you can brown them under your oven's broiler instead of searing them beforehand.
Looking for other venison recipes? These are a few of my favorites:
Lastly, if you make this slow-cooker 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 you've made.
SLOW COOKER VENISON SHANKS
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 to 12 hours
Servings: 2 to 4
Author: Larry White
Ingredients
4 venison shanks
kosher salt
ground black pepper
2 to 4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thickly
2 medium onions, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 to 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1 medium orange, quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups red wine
Instructions
Dry the venison shanks off with paper towels and season them with salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil. Once the cooking oil is hot and starts to shimmer, add the shanks and deeply down on all sides. Work in batches if needed to prevent the shanks from steaming in the pan.
Remove the shanks from the pan and place them in the slow cooker. Turn the heat to low and add the red wine to the pan. Using a sturdy spoon or spatula, scrape up any brown bits that are on the bottom of the pan. Once the bottom of the pan appears to be relatively clean, remove from the heat and pour over the shanks. (You can also skip this step and continue to step 3).
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, cover and cook on the low setting for around 10 to 12 hours. If you're nervous they won't be tender enough, you can cook them for as long as 15 hours without losing much quality in the final dish.
Making a Sauce:
After the shanks are cooked, you can make a sauce from the cooking liquid. Strain out 3 to 4 cups of the braising liquid into a pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce it by half of its volume (around 2 cups).
Now is an excellent time to add a few extra pitted dates for sweetness and texture to the final dish. Check for seasoning and adjust if needed. You can also whisk in some melted butter for extra richness to the sauce.
Garnishes:
To spruce things up a bit, you can add orange segments, warm pitted dates, orange zest, and fresh herbs like parsley, mint, or fennel fronds.
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