White Bolognese with Venison

Venison White Bolognese

The complex, savory flavors of our New Zealand Pasture-Raised Premium Ground Venison pair beautifully with a white bolognese. We make this one with a little cream, plenty of Parmesan, and shiitake mushrooms, so the sauce is rich and nutty with some nice umami depth — and yet you can still taste the delicious venison.

There’s also some crushed red pepper and a splash of aromatic white wine, which bring out the venison’s peppery, herby notes. Tossed with al dente rigatoni, venison white bolognese is a little bit of comfort-food heaven — the sort of dish that will have everyone at your backyard family dinner reaching for seconds.

Preparation time: 15M
Cooking time: 30M
Serves: 8
Difficulty:

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, small diced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and small diced
  • 2 celery stalks, small diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms, small diced
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 1-lb package Silver Fern Farms Premium Ground Venison
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
  • 1 lb rigatoni

Method

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until melted and shimmering.

Step 2

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots and celery, and cook until starting to soften, about 2 minutes.

Step 3

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Step 4

Add the mushrooms and cook until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Step 5

Stir in the ground venison, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

Step 6

Stir in the beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

Step 7

Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan, and parsley. Season with salt and black pepper.

Step 8

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it generously with salt. Cook the rigatoni for 7 minutes, or to just under al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.

Step 9

Add the pasta to the bolognese and stir to combine. Stir in ¼ cup reserved pasta water, adding more pasta water, a few tablespoons at a time, if the rigatoni is dry. Cook until the pasta is al dente and warmed through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 10

Garnish with Parmesan and chopped parsley, and serve hot.

Recommended cut
Premium Ground Venison
Raised on the lush pastures of New Zealand, our premium ground venison is top-notch. This lean and uniquely flavorful protein provides a healthy twist to a variety of popular dishes – from hearty Bolognese sauces to juicy burgers and savory meatballs. Pasture-raised Venison. No Added Hormones EVER. Ships Frozen.
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