OVERVIEW
This recipe uses the haunch of a muntjac deer, which isn’t dissimilar to a lamb leg. It’s seared on a hot EGG before being cooked through more slowly over indirect heat. While roasting the venison, I added some fir tree branches to the coals to create a little smoke, but you could use a couple of big handfuls of rosemary and bay instead if you don’t have a spruce forest to hand!
SET UP YOUR EGG
Set up your EGG for direct cooking with the Stainless Steel Grid in place. Your target temperature is 200°C.
Cut the squash into wedges, removing the seeds but leaving the skin on. Place in a skillet (the Solidteknics Bigga Skillet is perfect).
Melt the butter in a small pan, infuse with the thyme, then mix in the honey and chicken stock and season well with salt and black pepper.
Pour the buttery sauce over the squash and cook for about 50 minutes, turning regularly, until tender. You want the stock to reduce completely down over the course of the cook, but if that happens too quickly and the honey starts to burn, add a little more water.
SEAR THE MUNTJAC HAUNCH
Increase the heat to 280°C.
Using a knife, make small incisions all over the muntjac haunch. Peel and thickly slice the garlic and insert into the holes along with some rosemary sprigs.
Grind together the salt, pepper and juniper and use to liberally season the haunch all over. Drizzle with rapeseed oil then place the venison on the grid to sear well all over.
ROAST THE VENISON
Remove the venison and the grid, lay the spruce branches directly on top of the coals for some delicious smokiness, then set up your EGG for indirect cooking with the ConvEGGtor in place, topped with the grid. Bring the heat down to about 170°C.
Return the meat to the EGG. Cook for 20-25 minutes, turning frequently, until it reaches an internal temperature of 45°C.
Leave to rest somewhere warm for 15 minutes
CHAR THE KALE
While the meat is resting, reheat the squash.
Toss the kale leaves in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and place on the grid to char slightly. Place the kale on top of the squash.
Mix the buttermilk with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Garnish the squash and kale with toasted seeds, the buttermilk dressing and some torn mint.
Carve the venison and serve with the squash.
