Delia Smith Venison Casserole

This Delia Smith venison casserole is a slow-cooked, deeply comforting dish with tender meat and a rich, wine-based gravy. The venison becomes beautifully soft, while the sauce develops a full, savoury flavour that feels warming and satisfying. It is a straightforward recipe that rewards patience rather than skill. Total time is around 2 hours 30 minutes, including slow oven cooking.

Ingredients

For the casserole

• 900g venison, cut into large cubes
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• 300ml dry red wine
• 300ml beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Fresh parsley, to serve

How to Make Delia Smith Venison Casserole

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 160°C or 140°C fan. Position a shelf in the lower middle so the casserole cooks gently and evenly.
• Coat the venison: Dry the venison well, then toss it with the flour, salt, and pepper so each piece is lightly coated.
• Brown the meat: Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and brown the venison in batches. This builds flavour and seals the meat.
• Cook the vegetables: Lower the heat and soften the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in the same dish until lightly golden.
• Build the sauce: Return the venison to the dish. Stir in the tomato purée, then pour in the wine and stock.
• Slow cook: Add the bay leaves and thyme, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook in the oven for 2 to 2½ hours until tender.
• Finish and serve: Adjust seasoning, remove the bay leaves, and scatter with fresh parsley before serving.

Tips for Best Results

Why is my venison tough?

Venison needs slow, gentle cooking. If it is tough, it likely needs more time in the oven.

Can I make this without wine?

You can replace the wine with extra stock, though the flavour will be lighter.

How do I thicken the sauce?

Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to reduce naturally.

Does this taste better the next day?

Yes, resting overnight allows the flavours to deepen and the meat to soften further.

Serving Suggestions

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Buttered root vegetables
• Crusty bread to soak up the sauce

Storage

Room temperature

Allow the casserole to cool, then refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently until piping hot.

Freezing

Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Protein: 48 g
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated fat: 6 g
• Sodium: 620 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Delia Smith Venison Casserole

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: MainCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

people

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

30

minutes

Total time

170

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

2

hours 

50

minutes

Slow-cooked Delia Smith venison casserole with tender meat, root vegetables, and a rich red wine gravy. A classic British comfort dish ideal for cooler days.

Ingredients

• 900g venison, cut into large cubes

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, sliced

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 2 carrots, thickly sliced

• 2 celery sticks, sliced

• 300ml dry red wine

• 300ml beef stock

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• Salt and black pepper

• Fresh parsley, to finish

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160°C or 140°C fan. Pat the venison dry and toss with flour, salt, and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Brown the venison in batches until well coloured.
• Remove the meat and soften the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery in the same dish.
• Return the venison to the casserole and stir in the tomato purée.
• Pour in the red wine and stock. Add bay leaves and thyme, then bring to a gentle simmer.
• Cover and cook in the oven for about 2 to 2½ hours until the venison is tender.
• Check seasoning, remove bay leaves, and scatter with parsley before serving.

Notes

• Venison benefits from slow cooking to become tender.
• Use a full-bodied red wine for best flavour.
• The casserole tastes even better the next day.