Braised Venison Shanks with Mexican Chiles
Braised venison shanks simmered with ancho and morita chiles, red wine, stock, and warm spices until fork-tender. Served over a smooth hominy purée with fresh herb and toasted seed garnish.
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 or 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
- Brown the shanks in batches. Season them first and sear them in hot oil until they are well browned on all sides. Do not crowd the pan or they will steam instead of building flavor.
- Cover the meat only partway. Once the stock and wine go in, the shanks should be about three-quarters covered with liquid. Add a little more stock only if needed.
- Cook until fork-tender. Braise covered at 330 F for about 4 to 5 hours, but go by texture more than the clock. The shanks are done when a fork slides in easily and the meat starts to pull from the bone.
- Build the chile base fully. Cook the onion, peppers, and garlic first, then add the tomatoes, chile powder, chipotles, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and bay before braising. That is what gives the sauce its depth.
- Blend the hominy smooth. Simmer the hominy until tender, then blend it with butter, lemon juice, and enough reserved cooking liquid to make a porridge consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Season the braising liquid last. Let it cool slightly after cooking, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
- Use the slow cooker if needed. After searing the shanks and cooking the aromatics, transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until fork-tender.
- Make it ahead if wanted. Chill the shanks in their braising liquid overnight, then reheat gently. The hominy can be reheated with a splash of stock if it tightens up.
Nutrition
Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 2933mg | Potassium: 765mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 4521IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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