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Home » Wild Game » Venison » Venison Ragu

Venison Ragu

By Hank Shaw on September 27, 2021 - 15 Comments

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4.64 from 11 votes
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This is a rich venison ragu recipe that is, essentially, an authentic bolognese sauce. You can use any ground meat here if you don’t have venison.

Have you ever had a real, authentic Bolognese sauce? I mean an actual, honest-to-goodness Bolognese? It’s just different from a typical meat sauce for pasta: smoother, meatier, mellower and a lot richer than a typical ragu or sugo. A little goes a long way.

A bowl of venison ragu
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

There is a reason that the guardians of this sauce are so strict about what is and is not an authentic Bolognese. And while there are other renditions of venison ragu, none are better than this one. Trust me on this.

Much of what makes Italian cuisine so special is its skill with poverty foods. Pugliese or Sardinians or the people of the Italian Alps must deal with a limited set of ingredients, and they do so with uncanny ability.

But there is no need for this in Emilia-Romagna, where Bologna lies. This region has everything. And it flaunts it. A Bolognese sauce is a crowning expression of the wealth of Italy’s breadbasket, and some version of it has been made since the 1700s.

This is a sauce with rules. It is built on a base of onion, carrot and celery. No garlic. Nor does it have lots of herbs in it. I love lots of herbs in a meat sauce, but that’s not a Bolognese. The sauce contains dairy products. Tomato, while present, is not the star of the sauce. Meat is. And to make a real Bolognese, it must cook a long, long time.

An authentic Bolognese sauce recipe is all about the meat. Emilia-Romagna is a rich region, and this is a rich sauce. Beef is king here, and the sauce is usually a celebration of the cow: beef, veal, milk and butter. But I am a hunter, so venison is the star here. Because of that, an Italian would call this a simple venison ragu, not an official Bolognese sauce. Oh well. 

Every cook has a personal version. The few constants I’ve just mentioned above. Some have only beef. Some a mix of meats. Some pork. A few, like this one, wild boar. Some Bolognese recipes use a little pancetta, prosciutto or chicken liver, too.

One point of contention is tomato. I use just a little, but most American versions make this a tomato sauce with meat. That may taste nice, but it’s not a Bolognese. I suspect Americans do this because we were first exposed to a sauce sorta-kinda like this by Italians from Southern Italy, where tomato-heavy meat sauces are more common.

(Looking for a more tomatoey ragu? My duck ragu works really well with venison, too.)

Mushrooms, usually porcini, do have a place in an authentic Bolognese sauce. I use dried ones here. Porcini powder is another good option. Broth is yet another debating point. Many recipes use beef broth, some use water. I used venison stock.

Wine? Yes, or no. Your choice. White or red both work.

What pasta you serve it on is also hotly debated. By far the most common is homemade tagliatelle, which is a little like linguine. But other pasta shapes are seen, too.

Curiously, spaghetti — the most common pasta used with Bolognese in America — is almost never used with this sauce in Italy. Again, I think using spaghetti is an influence from Italian-Americans from the south, where dried pasta is more commonly used.

Do you need to follow all these rules when you make your own venison ragu? I hope you do, because the result is unlike anything else you’ve ever tasted. Even if you use other meats, such as pork or hare or duck, following these guidelines will make an unforgettable venison Bolognese.

But the Italian Food Police will not come breaking down your door if you add a little of this or a little of that to your liking. Improvisation is, after all, very Italian.

Don’t try to make this sauce on a weeknight. It takes a long time to come together, and the time spent slowly simmering really makes this sauce special. But fear not, it keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days, and freezes well.

It is a perfect sauce to make on a weekend and eat after work all week. 

A bowl of venison ragu
Print Recipe
4.64 from 11 votes

Venison Ragu

This is a classic bolognese sauce geared toward venison. It takes a while to come together, but it will keep in the fridge a week, freezes well and can be pressure canned.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time3 hrs
Total Time3 hrs 20 mins
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 441kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 1 cup minced carrot
  • 1 cup minced celery
  • 2 pounds ground venison, or other meat
  • 1 ounce dried porcini, reconstituted in 1 cup hot water and chopped
  • 1 six- ounce can tomato paste
  • 1 cup venison stock, beef broth or water
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 nutmeg, grated or 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Pasta (tagliatelle, penne, etc)
  • Grated cheese for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a large, heavy pot like a Dutch oven. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook gently for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often. Do not brown them. Sprinkle a little salt over the veggies as they cook.
  • When the vegetables are soft, stir in the chopped porcini and tomato paste and allow everything to cook for 3 or 4 minutes, again, stirring often. When the tomato paste begins to turn the color of brick, add the ground venison, the porcini soaking water and the broth. Bring to a simmer.
  • Allow this to cook down over medium-low heat. Take your time here and resist the urge to do this over higher heat. Stir from time to time. When the liquid has mostly evaporated, add the wine and repeat the process. When that has mostly evaporated, add the milk, nutmeg and black pepper and stir well. Bring back to a simmer and add salt to taste. Let this cook until it is the consistency you want.
  • When you add the milk to the sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make it taste like the sea. Once the ragu has thickened, add the pasta to the salty water and cook until its al dente.
  • To serve, put the pasta in a large bowl and add a healthy ladle of sauce. Toss to combine. Give everyone their portion, then top with a small ladle's worth of sauce. Grate the cheese over the top and serve.

Video

Notes

If you want to pressure can this, you'll have to leave the milk out until you want to eat the sauce. But you can pressure can this at 10 PSI for up to 1000 feet of elevation for 1 hour. Follow your canner's directions. 

Keys to Success

  • Time. A real deal ragu takes time to make. You can rush things, but you will notice the difference. 
  • I make my own venison stock for this recipe, but you could use store bought, low-sodium beef broth. 
  • Use a food processor to finely mince the carrot, onion and celery. Way easier than by hand. 
  • If you can't find the porcini, skip it or use other dried mushrooms. I will often just use porcini powder. 

Nutrition

Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3340IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg
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Filed Under: Featured, Italian, Recipe, Venison, Wild Game

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for MichaelMichael says

    December 26, 2022 at 10:56 am

    Currently on my second attempt, and while the first time was a mangle of bad on-the-fly adjustments by me it was still good. I used a home-made watermelon wine and baby bellas the first time [used what I had…] and it came out a bit on the sweet side. This second time, the porcinis have completely changed the flavor, I used a semi-sweet red and added a little more salt – And I’ll be adding it to my menu at least monthly, for as long as I have venison.

    Simple truth – Porcini mushrooms [also called boletes, for you mushroom gathering sorts] absolutely make the difference, and if your ragout doesnt come out looking as beautiful as Hank’s on the first go, you might try what he suggested for mine – add a quart of crushed tomato and an extra quart of stock.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for Nancy BurkeNancy Burke says

    November 9, 2022 at 5:15 am

    Planning on making this venison ragu today…… should I brown the venison before adding to the mix?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 9, 2022 at 7:06 am

      Nancy: You can if you want, but this recipe does not require it.

      Reply
      • Avatar for Nancy BurkeNancy Burke says

        January 28, 2023 at 7:36 am

        Hi Hank – Your Venison Ragu Recipe turned out so good, that I thought of your for advice on how long to cook a brined 2.6lb Black Bear Roast in the Sous Vide.
        I’m just learning my way around this gadget, and I do know that I need to get the Bear Roast cooked fully to approx. 165 degrees, but have no idea of what the timeframe is for this.
        Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

      • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

        January 28, 2023 at 7:47 am

        Nancy: With sous vide you can cook it at a lower temperature because you’re essentially pasteurizing the meat. I would cook it at 1445 to 150F for about 8 hours.

  3. Avatar for RolloRollo says

    October 4, 2022 at 5:42 am

    Wonderful recipe with the venison. I’m a big lover of boar and am wondering, before substituting the boar for the venison, what difference in taste it would make. Does boar sustain the taste of the nutmeg, for instance, does boar prefer white or red wine, etc. I’ve made boar ragu (so without the milk and more tomato) and it was wonderful but I’m looking for even more earthiness. Any thoughts Hank?
    Thanks for your site.
    Dan

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      October 12, 2022 at 9:52 am

      Rollo: If you want to add earthiness, add mushrooms. That always works for me.

      Reply
  4. Avatar for TashaTasha says

    August 16, 2022 at 8:23 am

    If pressure canning this recipe would I just leave out the milk to be added when reheating?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 16, 2022 at 9:38 am

      Tasha: Yes, definitely leave out the milk for pressure canning.

      Reply
  5. Avatar for Josh SparksJosh Sparks says

    October 14, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    This was fantastic! I didn’t have dried mushrooms so substituted fresh hen of the woods and used stock made from black staining polypore. My 13 year old daughter who is the pickiest eater in the world even approved!

    Reply
  6. Avatar for MitchMitch says

    September 29, 2021 at 3:07 pm

    Just to be sure – the venison goes in raw, not browned?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      September 29, 2021 at 3:59 pm

      Mitch: Correct. For a Bolognese style sauce it goes in raw. That said, you can brown it if you want, although that’s not typical in this particular sauce. Either way tastes good.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for James RinaldiJames Rinaldi says

    September 27, 2021 at 8:03 am

    The venison and porcini are an ideal marriage for a true boscaiolo. Two suggestions if you are going to take the time to make this amazing ragu:
    1. It really deserves an egg-based pasta. If you can’t make your own, it’s relatively easy, you might be able to find tagliatelle or pappardelle, common in italian wild game ragu, from Rana in your supermarket.
    2. Please use freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano or grana padano. If you’re going to go this far, compromise elsewhere.

    Hank, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for GregGreg says

    September 27, 2021 at 4:05 am

    Can you do this in a crock pot? No time to watch it for hours, but could stir regularly in the slow cooker..

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      September 27, 2021 at 7:37 am

      Greg: Absolutely, once it gets rolling. You’ll still need to cook the vegetables at the beginning in a pan, though.

      Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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