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Karoo Venison Gulasch with Juniper, Dried Apricot & Pinotage Gravy over Parsley Pomme Purée
Recipe

Karoo Venison Gulasch with Juniper, Dried Apricot & Pinotage Gravy over Parsley Pomme Purée

Dinner • South Africa

A refined South African take on gulasch: Karoo venison is seared, then gently braised in a Pinotage gravy with smoked and sweet paprika, juniper and aromatic vegetables. Dried apricots add a subtle fruit sweetness that echoes the wine, while a buttery parsley pomme purée makes an elegant, restaurant-style base.

Why smarter

Uses slow braising to tenderise lean venison without excess fat, builds depth from vegetables and spice rather than heavy cream, and balances the dish with a controlled amount of butter in the purée plus natural sweetness from apricots for a polished finish.

Chef tip

For a glossy, refined gravy, finish the sauce by reducing it uncovered for 5–10 minutes, then whisk in cold butter off the heat (monter au beurre) and strain if you want a truly restaurant-smooth result.

Soft line

Serve with a glass of Pinotage and a crisp green salad for an elegant South African dinner.

Ingredients

# Ingredient Text Amount Unit Ingredient Name Notes
1 Karoo venison, diced into 3 cm cubes 800.000 g venison leg or shoulder works well
2 Fine salt 2.000 tsp salt plus extra to taste
3 Freshly ground black pepper 1.000 tsp black pepper
4 Plain flour (for light dusting) 2.000 tbsp flour
5 Olive oil 2.000 tbsp olive oil
6 Butter (divided) 60.000 g butter 40 g for purée, 20 g to finish sauce
7 Onions, finely sliced 2.000 onion medium
8 Carrots, diced 2.000 carrot
9 Celery stalks, diced 2.000 celery
10 Garlic cloves, crushed 4.000 garlic
11 Tomato paste 2.000 tbsp tomato paste
12 Sweet paprika 2.000 tbsp sweet paprika mandatory
13 Smoked paprika 1.000 tsp smoked paprika
14 Ground cumin 1.000 tsp cumin
15 Dried bay leaves 2.000 bay leaves
16 Juniper berries, lightly crushed 10.000 juniper berries about 2 tsp
17 Pinotage 375.000 ml Pinotage wine about 1 1/2 cups
18 Beef or venison stock 500.000 ml stock low sodium if possible
19 Dried apricots, sliced 100.000 g dried apricots
20 Red wine vinegar 1.000 tbsp red wine vinegar to brighten the gravy
21 Worcestershire sauce 1.000 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
22 Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 900.000 g potatoes floury type for purée
23 Milk, warmed 150.000 ml milk add gradually
24 Flat-leaf parsley, very finely chopped 20.000 g parsley plus extra leaves to garnish

Method

  1. Prepare mise en place: dice venison, slice onions, dice carrots and celery, crush garlic, lightly crush juniper, and slice the dried apricots. Warm the milk for the purée and set aside.
  2. Season venison with 1 1/2 tsp salt and the black pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot or casserole over medium-high heat and brown the venison in batches until well coloured. Remove to a plate.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then add onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt. Sweat 8–10 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Stir in garlic for 30 seconds.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add sweet paprika, smoked paprika and cumin; cook 30–45 seconds, stirring constantly so the spices bloom without burning.
  5. Deglaze with Pinotage, scraping up browned bits. Simmer 5–7 minutes to reduce by about a third, concentrating the wine for a refined, glossy base.
  6. Return venison (and any juices) to the pot. Add stock, bay leaves, crushed juniper berries, Worcestershire sauce and dried apricots. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on very low heat (or in a 160°C oven) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until venison is tender.
  7. Meanwhile, make the parsley pomme purée: boil potatoes in salted water until very tender (15–20 minutes). Drain well, then return to the hot pot for 1 minute to steam-dry.
  8. Mash or pass potatoes through a ricer. Stir in 40 g butter, then add warmed milk gradually until silky and spoonable. Fold in finely chopped parsley. Season to taste and keep warm.
  9. Finish the gulasch: uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes to thicken to a gravy consistency. Stir in red wine vinegar. Off the heat, whisk in the remaining 20 g cold butter to gloss the sauce. Taste and adjust salt.
  10. Plate elegantly: spoon a quenelle or mound of parsley pomme purée onto each plate, ladle venison gulasch and Pinotage-apricot gravy over the top, and garnish with a few parsley leaves.