Name: Venison Goulash in Red Wine
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 175 g venison; 25 g bacon; 0.5 tablespoon oil; 0.5 pcs onion; 0.25 pcs carrot; 20 g celeriac; 0.75 clove garlic; 0.5 tablespoon tomato paste; 7.5 g plain flour; 100 ml red wine; 125 ml beef broth; 20 g cranberries; 7.5 g butter; 2 pcs juniper; 0.5 pcs bay leaves; 1 pc allspice; thyme; salt; black pepper; sugar; 125 g coarse flour; 0.5 pcs bread roll; 75 ml milk; 0.25 pcs egg; 5 g yeast; 0.25 teaspoon caster sugar; 0.25 teaspoon salt; 0.375 l water; plain flour

Step by step process

Prepare the meat and base

1
For venison goulash, first prepare the meat. Trim the shoulder of membranes, cut it into cubes about 3 centimetres across and pat them dry with paper towel.
2
Cut the bacon into small dice and render it in a large pot over steady heat until translucent. Lift out the cracklings with a slotted spoon and set them aside.
3
Add the oil to the rendered fat and sear the meat in small batches on all sides until browned. Transfer the seared pieces to a plate as you go.
4
In the remaining fat soften the finely chopped onion until golden. Add the diced carrot and celeriac and fry for another 5 minutes.
5
Stir in the pressed garlic and tomato paste. Cook briefly so the paste loses its raw taste and the sauce takes on a deeper colour.

Preparation

6
Cut the rolls into small cubes so they distribute evenly through the dough and keep its structure.
7
Warm the milk to lukewarm, stir in the sugar, crumble in the yeast and let it rest for 10 minutes until the starter comes alive.
8
Sift the flour into a bowl, add salt and eggs, pour in the starter and the rest of the milk, and mix thoroughly.
9
Knead a soft, slightly sticky dough. at the very end, gently fold in the bread cubes so they do not get crushed.
10
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for about 45 minutes, until it has clearly doubled in volume.

Braising

11
Dust the vegetables with flour, stir and let it turn pale for a minute. Return the meat and cracklings to the pot.
12
Pour in the red wine, stir well and let it reduce by about half so the sharp alcohol taste disappears.
13
Add stock until the pieces of meat are almost submerged. Drop in the crushed juniper, bay leaf, allspice and a sprig of thyme.
14
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and braise over low heat for about 2 hours. Stir now and then and top up with water or stock as needed.

Cooking

15
In a large pot, bring plenty of water to a boil and lightly salt it so the dumplings have a more distinct flavor.
TIP:
Add enough salt to boiling water so that it tastes slightly salty. This will enhance the flavor of dumplings, pasta, and vegetables, resulting in a better outcome.
16
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and divide the dough into two oblong rolls of the same thickness.
17
Place the dumplings into gently boiling water and cook for 20-25 minutes. turn them carefully halfway through.
18
Lift the cooked dumplings out with a slotted spoon, prick them several times with a skewer and let them briefly steam off.
19
While still hot, slice the dumplings with thread or a sharp knife into even rounds so they do not get squashed.
TIP:
When slicing hot dumplings, use a clean thread or a sharp knife with a gentle stroke to maintain their shape and texture without crushing them.

Finishing the sauce

20
Once the meat is tender, stir in the cranberries and cook for another 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Fish out the bay leaf and the sprig of thyme.
21
Finish the sauce with cold butter and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar. Let the venison goulash rest briefly before serving.