Jugged Hare Recipe by Chef Stephen Englefield
Jugged Hare Recipe by Chef Stephen Englefield
Ingredients
- 8 hare hind legs
- 8 ½ cups red wine 2 l
- 4 juniper berries chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of thyme
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon flour plus extra for dusting
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 12 ¾ cups beef stock 3 l
- 1 ⅓ cups hare blood 300 ml
Instructions
- Cut the hare legs in half at the joint and then cut them once more through the middle of the thigh, so you end up with 3 pieces from each leg.
- Put the pieces into a non-reactive bowl or dish, together with the red wine, juniper berries, bay leaf and thyme. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
- Drain the hare in a colander over a bowl and pat the pieces dry with some kitchen paper.
- Season the pieces of hare.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan and fry the pieces, a few at a time, until well-coloured, then put to one side on a plate.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy-based saucepan, gently cook the onion in the butter for 3-4 minutes until soft.
- Add the tomato purée, then slowly add the red wine and herbs from the marinade, stirring well to avoid lumps forming. Bring to the boil and simmer over a medium heat until the liquid has reduced to half the volume.
- Add the beef stock and hare, bring back to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour (or you can cook this in an oven that has been preheated to 160°C/gas mark 3/ 320° F).
- Remove a piece of meat to check if it’s tender; if not, continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so.
- Once the meat is tender, remove all the pieces of meat from the sauce and set aside.
- Add the blood and continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened to a gravy-like consistency, then return the pieces of meat to warm through until it’s ready to serve. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Notes
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