The posh slow cook

Slow cooking is not just for the every day – you can do posh too.

It's a friend's birthday, so four guests for a birthday dinner. As is my usual practice I wanted to cook ahead. It doesn't matter how many times you've cooked for a dinner party the more time you can buy the better.

I had already chosen the main and a dish that is meant for cooking long and slow – a boned haunch of venison - the haunch is the back leg of the animal.

You can slow cook in red wine or fruit juice – apple or orange. You can add redcurrant or rowan jelly. Sweetness works well with venison. There are heaps of recipes out there.

I prefer to let the venison do the talking and not interfere too much.

Here's my version :

Slow cooked venison

Serves 6

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2lb/900g venison haunch, cut into generous portions

salt and black pepper

a generous pinch of oregano

8 fl oz/250ml passata

4 fl oz/125ml dry red wine – I used Rioja

4 fl oz/125ml water

Heat the oil in a large frying pan to a medium heat. Brown the venison well in batches and set aside in your slow cooker. Add the salt, pepper and oregano to the residual juices in the pan and then pour in the passata, red wine and water. Bring to the boil and tip over the venison portions. Slow cook for 6 hours.

I cooked the venison several days ahead and then froze it and the gravy separately.

One bit fat tick off my dinner party “to do” list!

Coming next … the jus and a pie too.