Stag Bol - Venison Spaghetti Bolognese
- Zoë Hughes
- May 9
- 3 min read
This is a weekly favourite in our house, it's is a perfect way to incorporate venison into everyday meals.
A classic meat and tomato sauce served with pasta. Although it has Italian origins, it's a very common meal in homes all over Britain. This one replaces traditional beef with a more sustainable and healthier option: local wild venison.
Our venison mince is mild tasting, lean, easy to digest, sustainable and delicious! Those hesitatant about gamey flavours will be delighted with this dish. The mild taste of the venison is also great for sneaking it into food without being deteched by picky eaters.
Servings: 4
Calories: Averagely about 530 per serving
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
The PERFECT way to incorporate venison into everyday meals.
Stag Bol - Venison Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
400 grams spaghetti,
500 grams local wild venison mince,
1 onion finely diced,
3 garlic cloves minced,
2 carrots finely diced,
2 celery sticks finely diced,
400 grams tinned chopped tomatoes,
2 tablespoons tomato purée,
150 ml red wine,
200 ml beef stock,
2 tablespoons olive oil,
1 teaspoons dried oregano,
1 teaspoons dried basil,
1 teaspoons salt,
0.5 teaspoons black pepper,
50 grams parmesan grated to serve
Directions
Soften the vegetables:
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add vegetables, finely diced and cook gently until softened, about 10 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, minced and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Brown the mince:
Turn the heat up and add the mince. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned all over with no pink remaining, about 8–10 minutes. Venison mince can be very lean so add a little more olive oil if required.
Add wine and reduce:
Pour wine in and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes. Never use your best wine for cooking but don't use anything you wouldn't drink either.
(Pro tip: too much red wine will make the sauce bitter as it contains tannins)
Build the sauce:
Add tinned tomatoes, tomato purée and stock,. Add the dried herbs and salt. Stir well, bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to low.
(Pro tip: thyme, mint, wild garlic or cumin all work really well with this too. You can use vegetable, mushroom, chicken, venison or pork stock instead of beef)
Slow cook the sauce:
Simmer uncovered on a low heat for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and rich. The longer the better, even up to 2 hours if you have time.
(Pro tip: in a slow cooker you can leave this all day long)
Cook the pasta:
About 10 minutes before serving, cook spaghetti in a large pan of salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
(Pro tip: you can use any pasta you like. The cooking water should be salty like the sea!)
Combine and serve:
Toss the drained pasta through the bolognese sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed. Serve immediately with 50 grams parmesan, grated, to serve on top.
(Pro tip: use whatever cheese you like. We like mature cheddar in ours!)
Notes
Adding Milk 🥛
A splash of whole milk added with the stock is a traditional Italian trick that softens the acidity of the tomatoes. A pinch of sugar can help also.
Freezing 🧊
We make this in big batches and freeze it into portion sizes. It keeps well and defrosts great.
Local Wild Venison 🦌
Venison is very sustainable but it can be tricky to get hold of. See our section on buying venison for all the retailers selling our Isle of Arran venison.
Swapping Ingredients 🥖
We often make our Stag Bol with whatever vegetables, spices, herbs or pasta we have to hand. For sure, some combinations work better but ultimately we want to avoid food waste so using what you've already got is a great option.
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