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Italian Braised Venison Ribs

I prefer to do this recipe with elk, moose, caribou or nilgai ribs, but regular deer ribs work fine, too.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 925 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

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

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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

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

% 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.