Vension Shank

 Been some time since I recorded anything here. Not that I havent produced some knockout dishes, just didnt get round to recording them or as ever taking any photos. Yet another missed photo opportunity. If only I could capture the smells to share with you. So another venison, shank this time, again in the slow cooker.

•  1 shank of venison on the bone
  
• 4/5 Tbspn olive oil
• 2 large onions
• 2 good sized carrots
• 4 cloves garlic
• tspn pepper corns
• 12 juniper berries
• 150mm ish of orange peel (without pith)
• 700ml full bodied red wine
• bouquet garni - 2stlk celery+leaves, 2 bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary
• 8 charlotte potatoes, small left with skin on
  

Oil in skillet, get the pan really hot and sear all of the flesh on the shank to a good deep brown, place in the slow cooker. Turn down the heat, throw in the peeled thick sliced onions to sweat off, stir from time to time. Snuggle the bouquet garni, with herbs cased in the celery stalks cut in half lengthways and tied up with string, down against the shank. Peel and cut the carrots into 25mm long roundels, again snuggled down against the shank. Scatter over the coarsely chopped garlic, juniper berries peppercorns and salt to taste. When onions have softened tip in the red wine, cook briefly, stir then tip onions and wine over the shank so the onions cover the shank. Make sure carrots are under liquid.

Cover slow cooker set to low and cook for 7hrs. Around 3.5hrs turn shank onto other side, you may need to turn once more to ensure the tight ball of flesh that has shrunk up the bone gets cooking time in the liquid. Two hours before serving push the potatoes down into the liquid, remove the bouquet garni. by the seven hours you will feel that the meat has soften and easily pulls away. You will probably want to take out some of the juice, blend with flour then stir back in to thicken the richly smelling juices. Enjoy.