Italian Braised Venison Ribs
User Reviews
4.9
42 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
925 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Italian Braised Venison Ribs
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I prefer to do this recipe with elk, moose, caribou or nilgai ribs, but regular deer ribs work fine, too.
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Ingredients
- 3 cups purple grape juice, or 1 cup saba
- 2 pounds ribs, each about 4 to 6 inches long
- salt and black pepper
- 4 slices Bacon
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 large celery stalk, minced
- 2 carrots, minced
- 2 large onions, minced
- 1 ounce dried mushrooms, 1 standard package
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 10 Fresh sage leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried and ground
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1 tablespoon dried
- 1 quart venison or beef broth
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Instructions
- If you are not using the saba, boil down the grape juice to 1 cup in a small pot. Set aside. Take out the ribs and salt them well. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large, heavy, lidded pot like a Dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove, eat one slice, then chop and set aside.
- Pat the ribs dry with a paper towel and brown them in the bacon fat, adding olive oil if you need to. When you brown the ribs, don't brown the side with the bone showing—if you brown this side, too, the bones will fall off the meat too soon. When the ribs are browned, remove to a plate.
- Add the minced vegetables and cook over medium heat until they are well browned, stirring occasionally. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes. Crumble the dried mushrooms over the vegetables and add the tomato paste and mix well. Cook this another 3 or 4 minutes, stirring often. You want the tomato paste to darken.
- At this point you’ll notice that the bottom of the pot has a brown residue on it. Add the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape it all off. Boil the red wine down by half, then add the cooked-down grape juice and the balsamic vinegar. Mix well and return the ribs to the pot, bone side up. Pour in any juices that have accumulated with the ribs, too. Add the herbs.
- Let this cook down a few minutes, then add the venison broth and mix well. Put the meat back in the pot. Cover the pot and put it in the oven to cook for at least 2 ½ hours. You want the meat to be thinking about falling off the bone, but not actually there yet. This could take as long as 4 hours with an old elk or moose.
- When the meat is ready, gently remove it from the pot and set aside. Now you have a choice: You can use the braising liquid as-is, or you can make it smooth. I prefer it smooth. To do this, you can either push it through the medium plate of a food mill, use a “boat motor” stick blender, or pour everything into a blender and buzz it. I prefer the food mill option. Taste the resulting sauce. If it is to your liking, you are good to go. It might be too thin, however, so in this case boil it down until it’s like a barbecue sauce. Right before you serve the sauce, add some black pepper.
- Coat the ribs in the warm sauce and serve with mashed potatoes or another mashed vegetable; I am big on mashed celery root with this recipe. To drink, you’ll want a big red wine like a Barolo or Bordeaux, or a big malty beer. A good Belgian beer like Chimay is a good choice.
Notes
- Should you have leftovers, shred the meat and store it in the sauce. It is amazing on polenta or with pasta.
- The celery, carrots and onions need to be pretty fine, so I mince them in a food processor. Just make sure they don’t become a paste.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
925kcal
(46%)
Carbohydrates
53g
(18%)
Protein
84g
(168%)
Fat
30g
(46%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
16g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
288mg
(96%)
Sodium
1418mg
(59%)
Potassium
2176mg
(62%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
38g
(76%)
Vitamin A
5384IU
(108%)
Vitamin C
10mg
(11%)
Calcium
94mg
(9%)
Iron
13mg
(72%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 925 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 925kcal | 46% |
| Carbohydrates | 53g | 18% |
| Protein | 84g | 168% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 288mg | 96% |
| Sodium | 1418mg | 59% |
| Potassium | 2176mg | 46% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 38g | 76% |
| Vitamin A | 5384IU | 108% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 94mg | 9% |
| Iron | 13mg | 72% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
42 reviews
Excellent
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