How do I make Venison casserole? Clueless veggie!

[CosyTeaBags]

I'm vegetarian, but DP eats 'happy meat'. We have some venison medallions in the freezer, and I'd like to make a casserole with them.

I have:
Potatoes,
Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Mushrooms
Peppers
Tinned Tomatoes
Onions
Courgettes

Normally I would bung this lot in a casserole dish with a packet of 'Sausage casserole mix', and some veggie sausages.

Can I do the same but with the venison? Should I brown off the venison first?

I have NO idea how to cook meat, so any help would be much appreciated!

[AgentProvocateur]

If they're medallions - ie from the fillet - don't casserole. They only need lightly fried on each side so they're pink in the middle. Delicious.

[DramaAlpaca]

Agree venison medallions would be nicest cooked as Agent suggests.

[ThePearShapedToad]

Yes, brown the venison

I'd soften the onions in a small amount of oil, then remove from the pan. Turn up the heat and brown off the venison in chunks. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour into the bottom of the pan and scrub with a wooden spoon to catch up all the yummy oily bits. Throw in all your veg, onions, tomatoes, some dried herbs etc (not sure courgettes would go well, but maybe as a side dish?) and a good glug (half a bottle?) of red wine

Add your stock to cover and bring to boil with lid on. Once boiling, reduce to simmer and either leave on hob on lowest setting, or pop in oven on low setting for a few hours. An hour before serving remove the lid to allow the sauce to reduce and concentrate.

Serve with whole grain mustard mash

Yummy!!

[CosyTeaBags]

Ooh thanks everyone, that sounds nice!

Yes I'm pretty sure they're medallions, so you're saying they're too nice to casserole? Good to know, I wouldn't have realized.

ThePear your suggestion sounds good, but (apologies for being thick), do you mean to brown off the venison then remove it, then stew down the veg and just pour it over the top of the venison to serve... the venison doesn't go into the stew in the oven , does it?

[ThePearShapedToad]

Ooooh no, once the venison is browned chuck everything else on top of it and leave to simmer in stock lazy

Though I agree with everyone else that it's a waste of good medallions

Casseroles should be for the cheaper cuts of meat that need long cooking times

[CosyTeaBags]

OK, thanks for the ideas. I think I'll save ThePear's idea for cheaper cuts, and do the frying thing with the medallions.

Thanks everyone! It's difficult to know what the hell to do with meat, I've been veggie since I was 12 so I don't have much experience! DP doesn't expect me to cook it, but he does enjoy it and he's pretty short on ideas himself. and we're ttc so I want him to keep eating meat and fish to help his swimmers

[mistlethrush]

TeaBags - tip for cooking meat from one vege to another - prepare veg, point at meat and leave to DH to deal with it.

[CosyTeaBags]

Yeah that's what I usually do mistle! - but DP is useless at coming up with ideas, so I'd like to at least start him off in the right direction.

I don't prep it, never touch it, and certainly don't clean up after meat. That's all his problem.

But without a little intervention, DP would eat pasta every single day.

I'm being brave and making fish pie tonight. But last time I did it, the house stank for days . If and when I conceive, he can go back to eating pasta and veg every day for all I care, I just want his swimmers to stay healthy

[ThePearShapedToad]

Start easy with the meat - fry onions and garlic and then brown off some mince (beef or lamb)

Add tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, chillis to taste and you have basic savoury mince. This can then be made into bolognaise, lasagnes, shepherds pie etc

Easy enough for your DH to convert into a meal

Can also be padded out with grated carrots or lentils

[tb]

Any recipe for beef will work well with venison.

[CecyHall]

Beware as venison smells the worst when raw than all the meats (in my opinion anyway!)