Venison Sausage Roll

A leaner and sustainable sausage roll

With the Bank Holiday season looming, being out and about is most certainly on the cards. Picnic rugs dusted off and flasks at the ready. A sausage roll is the perfect accompanying meaty snack.

Venison from Chiltern Venison is wild, culled as a key part of the management and protection of the natural environment and its inhabitants. Wild meat is naturally leaner and packed full of flavour, but not a heavy gamey flavour reminiscent of venison in years gone by. This venison is not hung to mature, but simply butchered and frozen for freshness.

A sausage roll is a delicious way to sample venison using just a pack of mince and a few seasonings. The key to any sausage filling is the percentage of filler (such as breadcrumb or oatmeal), water and seasoning. As venison is very lean, the end result is firm and tender, ideal for a sausage roll.


Makes 12 small or 4 large rolls
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 16 minutes for small or 24 for large
Ingredients:
500g venison mince
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
A good pinch of chopped rosemary
A generous grating of nutmeg
1 dessert spoon of wholegrain mustard
3g salt
50g oatmeal
50g very cold water
1 pack of puff pastry
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 190°C with a baking tray

1. In a large bowl, mix the venison, onion, seasonings, water and oatmeal. Using your hands, ‘squidge’ all the ingredients together to a uniform texture.

2. Lay a sheet of clingfilm on the worktop that is a little longer than the sheet of puff pastry. Spread out the filling on the clingfilm and roll it up into a tube. Roll it back and forth to form an even sausage shape. Chill in the fridge for a few minutes. 

3. Beat the egg with a small pinch of salt. Unroll the puff pastry and lay it out on a worktop with baking parchment. 

4. Unwrap the sausage filling and place it on the top edge of the pastry sheet. Roll it toward you until the pastry edge overlaps. Trim any excess.

5. Cut into the desired number of sausage rolls.

6. With the rolls sat on their seam, brush with the egg wash, then take the preheated baking tray and spread out the rolls evenly with space for the heat to circulate.

7. Bake in the preheated oven for 16 minutes to 24 depending on size. The pastry should be a rich golden brown and flaky. 

Serve with a fresh slaw and fruit chutney.


Robin Popham
Chef at ‘Create Terroir’ and Sandy Lane Farm veg box customer