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As with any Bolognese, this gently simmered braise of carrots, onion, celery, mushrooms, and meat melds into a ridiculously rich, creamy sauce that’s nothing short of sigh-inducing bliss when piled atop pasta or polenta. This rendition teases lean venison into tender submission. Set aside a Sunday afternoon, gather your friends, and settle in for a feast. Or keep it all for yourself and enjoy the leftovers all week. No judgement here

Venison Bolognese With Penne
This venison Bolognese is very different from the real classic in just one way: the choice of meat. Ground venison, not beef, is gently cooked for hours to make it a delicious and tender feast for your guests. Pasta was never so happy. Serve this delicious meal with a full bodied Chianti Classico for the full Italian experience.
Ingredients
- 25 g Butter
- 70 g Onion chopped
- 70 g Carrot chopped
- 70 g Celery chopped
- 500 g Venison ground
- 5 Chestnut Mushroom chopped
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 200 ml Beef Stock
- 120 ml Red Wine
- 120 ml Whole Milk
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg ground
- Salt
- Pepper
- 300 g Penne dried
- 100 g Parmesan Cheese grated
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook gently without browning, stirring often and reducing heat if necessary, until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle a little salt over the vegetables as they cook.
- When the vegetables have softened, stir in the chopped mushrooms and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste begins to darken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground mea and the beef stock. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the mixture to ever so gently simmer, uncovered and stirring every great once in a while, until the liquid has mostly evaporated, 1 to 2 hours, depending on just how briskly your Bolognese is simmering.
- When you add the milk to the sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like the sea. Once the sauce has thickened, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until it is al dente.
- To serve, place the pasta in a large bowl and add a healthy ladle overflowing with sauce and gently toss to combine. Portion out the pasta and then top each with another ladle’s worth (or more) of Bolognese sauce. Grate the cheese over the top and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 648kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 51gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 682mgPotassium: 1048mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3466IUCalcium: 387mgIron: 6mg
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1 comment
Delish!