Venison Shawarma
This venison shawarma is made by marinating deer meat in a spiced herb paste, then braising them until tender enough to shred for pitas, tacos, sandwiches, or rice plates. It is a slow-cooked venison recipe built around rich, pull-apart meat and shawarma-style flavor.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon high smoke point cooking oil, for searing
- 2 pounds venison (meat from shanks, shoulders or neck)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 1 head of garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups stock (chicken, lamb or veal stock)
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor place the spices, herbs, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pulse until you have a thick paste. If it is too thick, a little more olive oil.
- Rub the paste on the venison thoroughly. Place in a non-reactive container or gallon zip-lock bags. Place in the refrigerator for 12 hours or overnight.
- Pre-heat your over to 325 degrees F.
- Remove the shanks from the refrigerator and wipe the excess marinade into the pan you're going to braise the meat in. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once smoking, sear your shanks on all sides until a nice brown crust has developed. Work in batches to avoid steaming the meat.
- Place in an even layer in a baking dish with any excess marinade. Pour enough stock over the shanks to cover them about 75%. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until tender. If you have the time, flipping the shanks over after a few hours of cooking is always a plus.
- For some added flavor and texture, you can remove the shanks from the braising liquid and char them slightly under your ovens broiler.
NOTES
- Marinate the venison overnight. Blend the spices, herbs, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper into a thick paste. Rub it onto the venison well so the marinade gets into the meat instead of just sitting on the surface. Refrigerate for about 12 hours.
- Sear in batches. Wipe the excess marinade from the braising pan, then brown the venison hard on all sides in a hot skillet. Do not crowd the pan, or they will steam instead of building a crust.
- Cover only about 75 percent. Add enough stock to come about three-quarters of the way up the meat, not all the way over the top. This is a braise, not a boil.
- Cook until fork-tender. At 325 F, tough cuts of venison can take anywhere from about 5 to 8 hours. My recommendation is to start checking around the 3.5-hour mark.
- Broil for extra texture. Once tender, you can pull the venison from the braising liquid and char it lightly under the broiler before shredding or serving.
- Use the slow cooker instead. Start at step 5, keep the venison covered about 75 percent with stock and any extra marinade, and cook on low for about 10 to 12 hours.
- Make it ahead if needed. The post notes this is a good make-ahead dish and says the flavor improves after a little time in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 2231mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1827IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 10mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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