Venison Neck-Osso Buco Style

Don’t toss your neck meat in the grind pile, give it a slow warm bath to tenderize and develop it into an amazingly rich broth.

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1 Venison Neck (cross-cut into 4 bone-in steaks)

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Small Onion, diced

1 Bell Pepper, diced

1 Head of Roasted Garlic

2 Carrots, diced

2 Stalks Celery, diced

1 Cup Mushrooms, sliced

½ Cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved

1 Can (6 oz.) Tomato Paste

1 Tbsp. Parsley

1 Cup Red Wine

1 Qt. Venison Stock

1 Tbsp. Italian Herb Blend

Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Osso buco—traditionally a cross-cut shank—is a high-end meal at your local Italian restaurant. This version utilizes the venison neck cross-cut to resemble the traditional cross-cut shank. Don’t toss your neck meat in the grind pile, give it a slow warm bath to tenderize and develop it into an amazingly rich broth. Happy Hunting!

Instructions:

  1. Season the neck steaks heavily with salt, black pepper, and Italian herb blend.
  2. In a Dutch oven, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil then sear the neck steaks on all sided.
  3. Remove the neck steaks once they are seared, and sauté all the veggies (minus the roasted garlic) in the same pot until tender and translucent.
  4. Once sauteed, pour in the red wine and cook until reduced by half. (Remember, only cook with wine you would drink.)
  5. After the wine is reduced by half, stir in the tomato paste, roasted garlic, and stock. Add the neck steaks back to the Dutch Oven and place the lid on it.
  6. Simmer, or place in the oven at 300°F, the neck steaks and veggies for 3-5 hours or until tender but not falling off the bone. Cooking time varies based on the age of the animal and its stress level when it was killed.
  7. Monitor the liquid level in the Dutch oven throughout the cooking process to ensure that the meat is braising properly and not drying out.  
  8. Optional: Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and puree the braising liquid and veggies until smooth with an immersion blender or a blender.
  9. Add salt or black pepper to taste. 
  10. Serve over polenta, risotto, rice, or even better my Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Grits.

Learn more from Nathan Judice and four other chefs about the many versatile ways to create wonderful meals with venison in this story from our November 2021 issue.