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Venison 'in salmì' with Buckwheat Polenta

17/11/2023

Venison ‘in salmi’ is a rich and tasty dish, typical of mountain cuisine and hunting tradition. Then, the buckwheat polenta adds a pleasant rustic and earthy note. Here is the recipe for preparing venison ‘in salmi’ with buckwheat polenta.

Ingredients for Venison ‘in salmi’:

  • 800 g of venison pulp, cut into pieces
  • 2 onions
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • Some juniper berries
  • 500 ml of robust red wine (such as Barolo or Barbaresco)
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • Meat broth, as needed
  • Flour, as much as needed to flour the meat
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Butter
  • Salt and black pepper

Ingredients for Buckwheat Polenta:

  • 250 g of buckwheat flour
  • 750 ml of water
  • Salt

Preparation

  1. Marinate: Begin by preparing a marinade with red wine, vinegar, roughly chopped onions, carrot, and celery, crushed garlic, bay leaves, rosemary, and juniper berries. Soak the venison pieces in the marinade and let them rest in the fridge for at least 12 hours, turning them occasionally.

  2. After marinating, drain the meat and dab it dry with paper towels. Lightly flour the pieces of meat.

  3. In a casserole dish, heat a stream of olive oil with a piece of butter and brown the meat until it is well sealed on all sides.

  4. Remove the meat from the casserole and set aside. In the same cooking base, add the drained marinade vegetables and sauté until they are golden brown.

  5. Re-add the meat to the casserole, pour in the filtered marinade and let the alcohol evaporate.

  6. Add enough meat broth to cover the venison, salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for about 2-3 hours, until the meat becomes tender and the sauce reduces.

  7. Meanwhile, prepare the polenta. Bring salted water to a boil and pour in the buckwheat flour, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps from forming.

  8. Reduce the flame and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 30-40 minutes or until the polenta easily detaches from the edges of the pot.

  9. Serve the venison hot accompanied by the buckwheat polenta, garnishing the dish as desired with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Curiosity

Salmì is an ancient cooking method, which involves marinating the meat in wine and aromatic herbs, followed by a slow cooking. It is a process that softens the wild flavors of game meat and makes it very tender. The dish pairs excellently with structured and full-bodied red wines.

Venison 'in salmì' with Buckwheat Polenta