Winter Springbok Shank Recipe

Slow-roasted comfort food to weather the winter chill

De Grendel Restaurant in Durbanville threw open it’s door this May (2012) only to usher in the cool air of a winter come early. No matter though, chef Ian Bergh remains untroubled. Having survived the kitchen of Franck Dangereux’s La Colombe, Bergh is well-equipped to manage more than just nippy weather, and in true survivor-style he took time out of his busy schedule to share a winter recipe ideal for steeling fragile bodies against the cold.

“My choice for winter comfort food is springbok shank, slow-roasted until the tender meat falls off the bone. I love the earthiness of robust root vegetables, such as the far too often ignored kohlrabi and turnips.”

Bergh serves the uniquely South African game meat with mashed potatoes – to soak up the robust gravy – and with Jerusalem artichokes – for their pleasant, sweet mushroom-like flavours.

 You can replace the springbok shanks with lamb shanks, but either way, make sure you have a solid afternoon to devote to the dish; cooking time is roughly five hours.       

Ingredients for springbok shank with mashed potato, caramelized turnips, roasted kohlrabi, Jerusalem artichokes and De Grendel Shiraz jus

Serves 4

• 4 springbok shanks
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 head garlic, sliced horizontally
• 1 stick celery, sliced
• 1 leek, chopped and washed
• 2L beef stock
• 1 bottle De Grendel Shiraz
• 1 baby kohlrabi, peeled, diced and roasted
• 2 baby turnips, peeled, quartered and caramelized

To serve: mash potato and Jerusalem artichokes

 Method (Cooking time: 5 hours)

Preheat your oven to 180̊C. Season the shanks, place them in a deep roasting tray and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the shanks are golden brown. Remove from the oven; add carrots, onion, garlic, celery, leeks, beef stock and red wine. Cover with foil, turn the oven down to 160̊C, place the tray back in the oven and braise for a further 4 hours, or until the venison falls away from the bone. Carefully remove the shanks from the tray, remove the bones, set aside and keep warm. Strain the remaining vegetables through a fine strainer, keeping the liquid and discarding the vegetables. Pour the liquid into a small sauce pot, bring to the boil over a medium heat and thicken with a bit of corn flour mixed with water. Check the seasoning of your sauce and add more if needed, set aside and keep warm. Now arrange the mash potato, kohlrabi, Jerusalem artichokes and turnips on a serving plate. Place the venison in the middle and pour over some of the sauce. Serve immediately.

Suggested wine pairing: Serve with De Grendel Shiraz or De Grendel Rubaiyat, a Bordeaux-style wine.

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Read more about the De Grendel Winery or page though our list of recipes.

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