A tandoori venison haunch

Autumn

This is a really delicious way to cook and serve a haunch of venison. I let the meat rest in the marinade overnight, if I can. It gives the venison a chance to take on the character from the spice and all the other punchy ingredients. The yogurt has a tenderizing effect on the meat, which is another good reason to get this part of the recipe out of the way. Cooking the venison is relatively easy, but make sure the fire’s not too fierce – a whole haunch is a considerable piece of meat, so don’t rush the last bit. If you can’t find a haunch of venison, the recipe will work brilliantly with a leg of lamb or hogget.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2–3kg (4lb 8oz–6lb 8oz) venison haunch, bone removed

For the marinade

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
6 cardamom pods, bashed
2 tablespoons good curry powder
a thumb-size piece of ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, grated or crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
a pinch of crushed curry leaves
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
150g (5oz) full-fat natural (plain) yogurt
a small handful of coriander (cilantro), chopped
flaky sea salt

Method

Heat up a small pan and add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and cardamom pods. Toast the spices until they are beginning to pop and smoke a little, then tip them out and crush them.

Combine the crushed spices with the curry powder, ginger, garlic, chilli, curry leaves, lemon zest and yogurt.

If the haunch of venison has been trussed, you’ll want to snip the strings and open out the joint. If it’s been tunnel-boned, you’ll want to cut it and open it out, or butterfly it.

Spoon the seasoned yogurt over the meat and rub it in to coat it evenly. Pop the venison in the fridge and leave it to marinate for at least 6 hours. Leave it overnight if that fits in with your plans.

Take the meat out of the fridge at least an hour before you intend to cook it.

When your fire has burned back and you have an even bed of hot embers, set the venison down on the grill, turning it regularly. If the grill is too close to the embers, the yogurt will blacken before the meat is cooked through. Some charring is fine but keep an eye on it.

If you think the heat is too fierce, simply lift the meat off the fire until the temperature has settled a bit. You’re looking for an internal temperature of around 50°C (122°F) for medium-rare, but it might be better to cook it to nearer 60°C (140°F) if you prefer it closer to medium.Let the meat rest somewhere warm for at least 15–20 minutes before carving.

When you’re ready to carve, first scatter the chopped coriander (cilantro) over the meat. Trickle over the lemon juice and sprinkle over a little sea salt. Carve the meat into thin slices and serve with naans, a good raita, coarsely chopped tomatoes, crisp salad leaves and pickled chilli.

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