German · Dinner

Wildgulasch

Venison stewed with onions, red wine, juniper and paprika for 2 hours until tender, served with spaetzle or dumplings.

2 hr 30 min total Serves 6 servings Medium
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Wildgulasch

Photograph credit: Sauerlandstammtisch-Drolshagen1-Asio by Asio otus · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence

Making Wildgulasch Ahead

Keeps for 4 days in the fridge. Freeze for 3 months.

Making Wildgulasch

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  1. Season the venison and brown it in the lard in batches, 6 minutes each. Lift out.

  2. Cook the onions in the pot for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.

  3. Off the heat stir in the paprika, then add the wine, stock, juniper and bay. Return the meat.

  4. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2 hours until tender.

  5. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and salt and serve.

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Tips for Success

  • Brown the meat in batches.
  • Add the paprika off the heat.
  • Cook on the lowest heat so the meat does not dry.

Why the Method Is What It Is

Does venison need a marinade? Not if you cook it slowly and keep it moist. Wildgulasch is a German game stew of venison with onions, red wine and juniper, and it is a rich, dark dish for autumn when game is in season.

Use shoulder or neck of venison, which are tough cuts that turn tender in a stew, cut into 3 cm cubes. Brown them in batches in lard, because crowding makes them grey. Cook a large amount of sliced onion in the same pot for 15 minutes, until they have almost melted, and add paprika and tomato purée. Take the pot off the heat before adding the paprika, because it burns and turns bitter in minutes. Add the wine, stock, juniper and bay.

Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 2 hours, until the meat gives way under a fork. Finish with a spoonful of redcurrant jelly and a splash of cream if you like a rounder sauce. Serve with spaetzle, potato dumplings or red cabbage.

Good Alongside

Spaetzle · Potato dumplings · Red cabbage · Red wine

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Gurkensalat, Kartoffelklosse, Kartoffelpuffer.

Wildgulasch Nutrition Facts

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: all the alcohol is counted, though some is lost in cooking. The calories include 5 g of alcohol a serving, which is not part of the protein, carbohydrate or fat. How the figures are worked out.

396Calories
49gProtein
12gCarbs
13gFat
2gFibre
5gSugar
590mgSodium

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Compiled by Turab

Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.

First published ; last changed .