Bear meat stewed with whiskey and chokeberry sauce
6 servings
360 minutes
Bear meat slow-cooked with whiskey and black chokeberry sauce is a culinary masterpiece of Estonian cuisine, embodying the aromas of forests and the richness of traditions. This dish features a rich flavor and velvety texture due to long simmering in aromatic broth with berry wine and spices. The whiskey adds a refined depth to the taste, while the black chokeberry sauce provides a slight tartness and sweetness that harmonizes with the meat. Such a dish is especially valued for its authenticity and ability to highlight the unique character of game meat. Bear meat can be served with vegetables or substituted with moose, wild boar, or beef while maintaining traditional cooking methods. This delicacy is perfect for a festive dinner that can impress guests and offer them an unforgettable gastronomic experience.
1
Clean the bear meat from excess fat and membranes, large tendons. Cut into 7 cm cubes. Sprinkle with pepper, salt, and fry in a hot pan with a small amount of vegetable oil until golden brown.
- Bear meat: 1 kg
- Ground white pepper: to taste
- Salt: to taste
- Vegetable oil: to taste
2
Clean all vegetables and cut them into 5 cm pieces. Do not chop the garlic cloves. Sauté all the vegetables in a dry hot pan until golden brown.
- Celery: 100 g
- Onion: 100 g
- Garlic: 30 g
- Turnip: 100 g
- Carrot: 100 g
3
Place meat and vegetables in the roasting pan, add bay leaf, goose fat, salt, and put in juniper and peppercorns.
- Bear meat: 1 kg
- Celery: 100 g
- Onion: 100 g
- Garlic: 30 g
- Turnip: 100 g
- Carrot: 100 g
- Bay leaf: 6 pieces
- Goose fat: 500 g
- Salt: to taste
- Juniper berries: 12 pieces
- Black peppercorns: 12 pieces
4
Pour sweet berry wine into beef broth, bring to a boil, and add salt.
- Beef stock: to taste
- Cherry wine: 300 ml
- Salt: to taste
5
Pour broth over the bear meat so that the liquid covers the meat. Tightly cover the roasting pan with a lid or foil and braise in the oven at 150 degrees for 3.5–4 hours. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
- Beef stock: to taste
- Bear meat: 1 kg
6
For the sauce: mix demi-glace and blackcurrant syrup, add thyme, reduce until thickened and remove thyme sprigs. Add whiskey, whisking in cold butter cut into small pieces.
- Demi-glace sauce: 150 g
- Chokeberry (aronia) syrup: 20 ml
- Thyme: 13 sprigs
- Whisky: 30 ml
- Butter: 20 g
7
Bear meat can be served with any vegetables of your choice, definitely drizzled with sauce. Instead of bear meat, you can stew wild boar, beef, moose meat, or other tough red meat from wild animals in the same way.
- Bear meat: 1 kg