VENISON OSSO BUCO

Prep Time: 3 Hours
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
The Italians brought the famous veal osso buco to Louisiana from Milan. In Bayou Country, venison shank was substituted for the traditional veal and this wonderful dish was created.

Ingredients:
16 (1½-pound) venison shanks
¼ pound butter
2 cups diced onions
½ cup diced celery
¼ cup minced garlic
1 cup diced carrots
salt and black pepper to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste
¾ cup flour
½ cup olive oil
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups chicken stock (see recipe)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
3 bay leaves
½ cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp minced garlic
¼ cup chopped parsley

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, garlic and carrots. Sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Remove from heat and set aside. Season venison shanks generously with salt, pepper and hot sauce. In order to keep meat from falling apart during cooking, tie each shank across center with a piece of butcher's twine. Coat venison well in flour, shaking off excess. In a 14-inch cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown shanks, a few at a time, until golden brown on all sides. Place browned shanks side by side in a large casserole dish. Spoon sautéed vegetables over meat. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from skillet. Add red wine and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce wine to approximately ½ cup while scraping all drippings from skillet. Blend in chicken stock, basil, thyme, tomatoes, bay leaves and parsley. Bring to a low boil, chopping tomatoes into mixture. Once boiling, pour ingredients over shanks in casserole dish. Cover and bake 1½–2 hours, basting occasionally. Test for tenderness by piercing meat with tip of a sharp knife or serving fork. When meat is tender, arrange venison shanks decoratively on a heated platter and spoon vegetable sauce from casserole dish over meat. In a mixing bowl, combine lemon zest, garlic and parsley.