Braised Venison Shanks with Mexican Chiles
Braised venison shanks cooked low and slow with Mexican chiles, wine, stock, tomato, and warm spices until tender enough to pull from the bone. Serve over smooth hominy purée and finish with cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, and queso fresco.
Ingredients
For the Shanks
- 4 venison shanks
- 3 tablespoons Cooking oil (high smoke point)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup dry red or white wine
- 2 quarts stock (venison, chicken or beef)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder (or other mild chile powder)
- 2 chipotles in adobo (from a can)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
For the Hominy
- 25 ounce canned 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
Instructions
Preheat and season the shanks:
- Preheat the oven to 330 F. Pat the venison shanks dry and season them well with salt and black pepper.
Brown the shanks:
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the shanks well on all sides, working in batches if needed, so they sear well. Transfer to a braising pan.
Cook the vegetables:
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onion, red bell peppers, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the braising pan with the shanks.
Start the braise:
- In the same pan as the shanks, pour the tomatoes, ancho chile powder, chipotles in adobo, cumin seeds, oregano, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, stock, and wine. 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.
Braise until tender:
- Cover tightly with a lid or foil and cook for 4 to 5 hours, or until the shanks are fork-tender. They are ready when the meat starts loosening from the bone and a fork slides into the thickest part with very little resistance.
Season the cooking liquid:
- The cooking liquid will be your sauce. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the hominy:
- While the shanks braise, simmer the hominy with the stock and bay leaf until tender, about 45 minutes. Reserve some of the cooking liquid, then drain and discard the bay leaf.
Puréethe hominy:
- Blend the hominy with the butter, lemon juice, and about 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid until smooth. Add more liquid as needed until the purée is loose, smooth, and spoonable. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Plate and serve:
- Spoon the hominy purée onto a plate. Set a venison shank on top. Spoon a little of the chile braising liquid over the meat. Finish with cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds, and queso fresco.
NOTES
- Slow cooker option: Brown the shanks and cook the vegetables first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until fork-tender
- Dry the shanks for a better sear: Pat them dry and season well before searing. This will add extra flavor to the braising liquid.
- Sear in batches: Brown the shanks in batches if needed. If you crowd the pan, they will steam instead of sear.
- Watch the liquid level: Keep the braising liquid about three-quarters of the way up the shanks. You want to braise, not stew, the meat.
- Check for tenderness: Go by texture, not just time. The shanks are done when a fork slides in easily and the meat starts loosening from the bone.
- Hominy too thick? If the hominy puree is too thick while blending, add a bit of stock to the blended to thin it out.
Nutrition
Calories: 1028kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 114g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 405mg | Sodium: 3148mg | Potassium: 2106mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 4521IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 19mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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