Leg of Springbok with Dried Fruit

Serves 6

One of my favourite South African venison recipes. Start off by rubbing the leg with Meat Spice and olive oil, then stuff it with herb butter. Soak the fruit separately in the sweet wine or port. The next day, place the meat on a bed of chopped onion and lamb shank pieces in a cast iron pot, strain the wine from the fruit into the pot and add the stock. Slow roast for 4 hours, adding fruit during the final half an hour.

Recipe Category

Meat – Game & Venison, Traditional Homegrown South African Recipes

Products in this recipe

Garlic & Herb Seasoning, Meat Spice, Beef Flavour Stock Powder

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You will need

Herb butter

100 g butter
1 t (5 ml) hot English mustard powder
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman’s Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 t (5 ml) freshly grated lemon rind
1 T (15 ml) lemon juice
2 T (30 ml) chopped parsley

Meat

1 x 2.5 kg – 3 kg leg of Springbok or Blesbok, neatly trimmed – carving will be easier if the hip bone is filleted out by the butcher
2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman’s Meat Spice
2 T (30 ml) olive oil
250 g mixed dried fruit
2 cups (500 ml) sweet wine e.g. Jerepigo or Port
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 lamb shank, cut into 5cm pieces
2 cups (500 ml) water
2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman’s Beef Flavour Stock Powder
olive oil
a squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Prepare the herb butter first so it has time to firm in the freezer. Cream all the ingredients together and place in the freezer until firm.
With a sharp pointed knife, cut deep slashes all over the meat on both sides. Remove the butter from the freezer and insert teaspoons full of flavoured butter deep into the slits. Rub the leg all over with Meat Spice and olive oil. Place the leg in a glass dish, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Place the fruit to soak in the wine, cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day

Adjust the oven rack to one slot below middle position. Preheat oven to 150°C. Pile up the onions on the base of a heavy cast iron pot. Place the prepared leg and the lamb shank pieces on top of the onions. Strain the wine from the fruit and pour in on the side. Add the water *mixed with the Beef Stock Powder, also in on the side so as not to wash the seasoning off the meat. Bring everything to the boil on top of the stove, cover with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven. Slow roast for 3½ – 4 hours. Add the soaked fruit. Brush the meat with olive oil and roast open for the last 30 minutes to brown the meat.
Remove the leg to a carving board and tent with foil to keep warm. Dish the fruit into a serving bowl.
Taste the sauce and if needed boil it open on top of the stove to reduce. Add squeeze of lemon juice. Pour into a sauce boat.
Carve the meat. Serve with the fruit, and gravy.

Variation

Prepare a leg of lamb in the same way. If cooking ahead of time, slice the meat and layer it with gravy in an oven proof dish. Cover and leave in the fridge. Re-heat covered with foil at 180°C for 25 minutes.