Braised Venison with Larry's Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Local Okra

Braised Venison with Larry's Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Local Okra

brown or white rice, prepared according to directions on rice package

1 jar (1 quart) of Larry's Fire Roasted Tomatoes  or try your own

1 lb. local okra, sliced into rounds, Hairston Creek Farm available at Wheatsville

1 venison ham roast, cubed, ours was from a recent hunting trip

2 cloves of garlic, chopped, Milagro Farms at Austin Farmers' Market

1015 onion, chopped, Johnson's Backyard Garden at Austin Farmers' Market

2 Larry's Smoke-Dried Tomatoes, chopped, Boggy Creek Farm

1 small red bell pepper, Boggy Creek Farm

thyme, our garden

bay leaf, our garden

olive or grapeseed oil

salt & pepper

water

1. Season the venison cubes with salt and pepper. 

2. Heat the oil in a dutch oven on medium and add the cubed venison and sear on all sides.

3. Add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper, smoke-dried tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf and sweat the onions so that the liquid begins to come out of the onions and they appear translucent but be careful to stir often so that the garlic doesn't burn.  

4. Pour in the jar of fire roasted tomatoes and add the okra. Add water if needed to make sure that the meat is completely submerged. 

5. Cover and simmer for 6-8 hours on low and add water as needed. Venison should be tender and okra should be cooked through. Remove the cover and simmer on low if you need to cook the liquid down. Remove bay leaf and serve over rice.