Roast Venison in Red Wine Sauce with Cherries

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C (conventional). Pat the venison dry and rub it all over with salt, pepper and game seasoning.
2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof roasting tin and brown the venison well on all sides, then take it out. Wrap it in the bacon slices, tie with kitchen string and tuck the thyme sprigs between the meat and the bacon.
3. Fry the onions in the pan juices until golden brown. Deglaze with the cherry juice and red wine in alternating splashes, letting each reduce to about a third before adding the next; this gives the sauce its colour. Pour in the game stock and bring to the boil.
4. Return the venison to the tin and braise, covered, in the oven for about 90 minutes. Turn it once after 45 minutes.
5. Take the venison out and let it rest, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile strain the sauce through a sieve into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stir in the crème fraîche, add the cherries, reduce a little more if needed and season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove the string, slice the roast and serve with the cherry sauce and, if you like, lingonberries; red cabbage, dumplings or spätzle go well alongside.

Drink with it

• Red wine · excellent match

  Barrel-aged Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir), Lemberger or Blaufränkisch, slightly below room temperature

  The cherry fruit in the wine echoes the cherries in the sauce, while acidity and fine tannins cut through the bacon and crème fraîche.

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• Sherry-cask whisky · excellent match

  Sherry-cask single malt, neat or with a few drops of water

  Dried fruit, nuts and spice from the sherry cask meet the dark cherry sauce and the game seasoning.

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• Dark beer · good match

  Dark Doppelbock, not too cold

  Roasted malt and malty sweetness go with the slightly sweet cherry sauce and the roasted flavours of the venison.

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