Venison Osso Buco

Cervena venison is a high-quality protein and one of the healthiest red meats available today. It is naturally low in calories and fat, yet packed with nutrients like iron, zinc and B vitamins. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, venison has about 20% less fat and about 100 fewer calories per 3.5 ounce serving than beef. It's the ideal meat to include as part of a healthy and balanced diet during any season.

Osso buco is a traditional Italian term meaning “pierced bone” and usually refers to the cross-cut shank of a veal calf, taken from the top of the thigh. With its high proportion of meat to bone, our venison osso buco makes for a spectacular variation on a classic Italian favorite. Cook osso buco low and slow to extract all the deep flavors and rich bone marrow. Reduce the braising liquid for a sauce with depth and dimension and serve over a puree of potatoes and celeriac.

As free-range as it gets without being wild, our venison comes from a group of New Zealand ranchers who allow the Red deer to roam and feed on tall-grass pastures in a pristine environment, in accordance with the strict standards required by the Cervena name.

Cervena is a quality assurance program that certifies that all the venison with their label has been humanely pasture-raised, and 100% grass-fed with only minimal supplemental feed such as hay. Only in cases of extreme disease will antibiotics be administered, and then the animal is tracked and processed separately.

Cervena also requires that animals be less than three years of age at the time of processing, which takes place only at accredited facilities expert in processing deer, and specifically licensed and regularly audited by an independent agency.