Get a taste of smoky perfection with Aston Prideaux's Smoked Venison Stew, featuring hearty vegetables and rosemary dumplings. A BBQ delight!

Ingredients

VENISON STEW

600g venison, diced

250g smoked pancetta

350g carrots, roughly diced

350g parsnips, roughly diced

350g swede, diced

2 large onions, diced

1 stick celery, finely diced

3 bay leaves

Small bunch thyme

750ml stock

175ml red wine

1 tsp juniper berry

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

25g dark chocolate

Salt and pepper to taste

DUMPLINGS

250g self raising flour

125g suet

Pinch of salt

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Method

1. Set up your BBQ for direct cooking

2. In a large pan, start by gently frying off pancetta. When it starts to render, add the onions and celery and fry until soft.

3. Add the carrots, parsnips, swede and sauté for a few minutes, then add the red wine, bay leaves, thyme, juniper and stock.

4. Add a lump or two of wood to the coals if you want to create an extra smokey taste. Balance a rack over the pan and place the venison on it, let it smoke with the lid down for 30-45 mins keeping the temperature range of the BBQ around 120-140°C.

5. Add the venison to the stew and move to indirect cooking to braise for another 2-2.5 hours, giving a gentle stir every now and then.

6. When it is almost ready, make the dumplings. Into a bowl, add the flour, suet, salt and rosemary. Stir to evenly distribute the ingredients, then gradually add a couple of tbsp of cold water at a time and bring it together to make a dough. Divide into 8 and roll into balls.

7. Stir the chocolate and redcurrant jelly through the stew and place the dumplings on top to cook for around 20 minutes until light and fluffy.