Ingredients
1 Whole Neck of Venison (we use Fallow, but Whitetail would work too)
A large pan with enough Red Wine and Water (50/50) to cover the joint
A handful of chopped Celery
3 chopped Carrots
1 chopped Onion
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 tbsp Salt
Black Peppercorns, to your taste
1 tbsp Mustard
A handful of Japanese Breadcrumbs
Cling Film
Method
1. Put the whole neck in a large pan with chopped celery, carrots and onion
2. Add garlic cloves, salt, and black peppercorns
3. Top up the pan with red wine and water (50/50)
4. Simmer with a lid on for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone
5. Remove the meat from the pot and allow it to cool
6. Drain the cooking liquid off and reduce it down by 2/3rds by simmering it for about an hour, keeping an eye on it (this will be your Deer Gravy sauce)
7. Chop the fillets out of the neck and wrap them tightly in cling film – this is called ‘torsion’ which is basically ‘twist tightly’ and it allows the fillets to set (any remaining meat on the neck can be removed and saved for another dish or to top up your Dirty Mash!)
8. When the fillet are firm and cold, remove them from the cling film, brush them with mustard and sprinkle them with Japanese breadcrumbs – then flash them under the grill to crisp the top