Venison Sausage Ragu is a hearty winter dish that makes great use of venison sausage meat or mince. The meat is simmered with carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in a rich red wine and tomato sauce. The ragu is slow-cooked for nearly three hours, allowing the flavours to meld together beautifully. Served over pappardelle pasta and topped with fresh parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano, it's comfort food at its finest.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Venison sausage meat (or mince)
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes with basil
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 salt & pepper to taste
- 400 g Pappardelle pasta (to serve)
- 1 handful Fresh parsley (for garnish)
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: In a hot pan, fry the chopped carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and chilli until soft.
- Cook the sausage meat: Add the venison sausage meat to the pan, breaking it up as it cooks until browned.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the red wine and allow it to cook off for a few minutes.
- Add liquids and seasonings: Stir in the beef stock, canned tomatoes, dried thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Slow cook: Cover the pan, reduce the heat to a slow simmer, and let the ragu cook for 1 hour. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, keeping in mind the sausage meat's seasoning.
- Continue cooking: Cook for another hour covered, then remove the lid and let the sauce simmer uncovered for an additional 30-45 minutes, allowing it to thicken.
- Cook the pasta: While the ragu finishes cooking, boil your pappardelle pasta according to the package instructions.
- Serve: Top the cooked pappardelle with the venison ragu, fresh parsley, and a generous amount of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
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Hi, I’m Tim Kavermann, the founder of Eat What You Kill (EWYK) and The Brave and The Wild (TBATW). I’m a brand strategist, designer, and photographer from Auckland, New Zealand. Throughout my journey, I’ve navigated the highs and lows of mental health and, in my 30s, discovered a passion for sourcing wild food, particularly through spearfishing—an ongoing challenge that continually pushes me outside my comfort zone. After years of building brands for others, I’m now channeling my experience and passion into EWYK and TBATW. By sharing my experiences and learnings, I hope to inspire and offer a space for others to openly embrace and share their own journeys.
