Cerf, sauce grand veneur — Red deer saddle with juniper red-wine jus & lingonberry

Prepare the game stock — time as an ingredient

In a heavy, wide pan without fat, roast the game bones (or roe-deer trimmings) over high heat 15 minutes until dark brown — they must take on a deep roasted colour, without burning. Add onion, carrot, leek and celery, roast 5 more minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, roast for 2 minutes until it turns dark red. Deglaze with half of the red wine (250 ml) and reduce completely. Fill up with the game stock, add juniper berries, peppercorns, bay, thyme, rosemary, cloves and garlic. Simmer uncovered over the lowest heat for 2 hours — do not boil, just draw. Pass through a fine sieve (pressing firmly), return to a clean pot.

Sauce reduction — the actual Grand Veneur

To the strained stock, add the remaining red wine (250 ml) + port. Reduce to about 300 ml — this takes 30–40 minutes on medium heat; the sauce must become nappant (coat a wooden spoon). Do not season (add salt only at the very end, after mounting). The reduction is the core — this is where the depth is decided.

Trim the red deer saddle and bring to room temperature

Take the red deer saddle out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Carefully remove the silvery sinew skin (if still present) — it would shrink while cooking and arch the meat. Do not salt before searing (salt draws out water).

Sear the saddle hard

In a heavy cast-iron pan, render duck fat over high heat (it must be really hot — just smoking). On all sides, sear the saddle hard for a total of 4–5 minutes (each side approx. 60–90 seconds) until a deep brown crust forms. Add butter (20 g), a thyme sprig, and for 1 minute arroser the meat with the foaming butter-fat (continuously basting the meat with the hot fat).

Draw through on low heat — time as an ingredient

Take the pan off the heat (or set it on the very lowest flame). In the pan, draw the saddle through for 6–8 minutes with the heat switched off — the core temperature should land at 54–56 °C (for game rose). If using a thermometer: decisive. Red deer is lean meat — too long = dry, too short = unpleasantly fibrous. Take the meat out of the pan, loosely wrap in foil, let it rest for at least 8 minutes — the fibres relax, the juice redistributes.

Render the bacon strips and set aside

While the meat rests, in a small pan render the bacon strips over medium heat until crisp — the small lardons will go onto the finished sauce as garnish. Set aside.

Finish the sauce — lingonberry, chocolate, butter

On the lowest heat, into the reduced sauce: stir in the lingonberry jelly and the piece of dark chocolate until both have melted. Stir in the crème fraîche — the sauce turns a shade lighter but stays deep. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Take the pan off the heat and swirl the cold butter cubes into the sauce one by one (do not stir — swirl) — the sauce takes on the characteristic silken gloss of a grand veneur.

Carve the meat and plate

Take the rested saddle out of the foil (pour any collected juice into the sauce). With a sharp knife, cut across the grain into slices about 1.5 cm thick — in cross-section the meat shows rose game inside with a deep brown edge. On pre-warmed plates, arrange 3–4 slices per person, spoon sauce generously under and over the meat (do not drown it — the meat stays visible), scatter the crisp bacon strips over, set a few fresh lingonberries. Beside it: chestnut purée, braised pear half and sautéed mushrooms.