Quick Game Sauce Recipe

The game sauce I use on venison, duck, wild pig, in fact all game I eat, takes a while to prepare. I make it only about twice a year, in batches large enough to freeze into cubes in ice trays and use as I need.

Every once in a while, I’ll need a quick game sauce (or one for steak) and don’t happen to be home where I can just walk to the freezer. Here’s a quickie that works everytime and can be adjusted to whatever meat is involved.

1-2 quart pot with cover
fine strainer (or course strainer lined with cheesecloth)
small bowl
sauce dish

1 can Campbell’s beef broth
1 small carrot chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 t. celery seeds
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 bay leaf
5 to 6 juniper berries, crushed*
1/4 t. ground thyme
1/2 t. sage
dash pepper
1 T. corn starch
3 T. water
2 T. brandy

Place all ingredients, except brandy and corn starch and 3 T. water, in pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce to simmer and cover. Let cook for twenty minutes. Strain broth into small bowl and discard solids. Return broth to rinsed pot. Bring to boil and add brandy, stirring at boil until alcohol is depleted. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired.

Mix corn starch with water in small sauce dish and stir into boiling liquid for 30 seconds until sauce is thickened.

*Note: In the absence of juniper berries, add ½ cup gin to broth at beginning of cooking. The alcohol will dissipate as sauce simmers. If used as a steak sauce, you may want to eliminate the juniper.