Venison with German Sauce
Game has always been plentiful on the McAllen Ranch, also called San Juanito, which is the west half of the Spanish land grant of Santa Anita. The land was occupied in 1790 by Don Jose Manuel Gomez, who married Maria Gregoria Balli, and the lands of San Juanito descended to the present owners. Three generations of the McAllen family celebrated 200 years of family ownership of the ranch with a gala benefit for the Hidalgo County Historical Museum. The menu featured wild game.
Good sized venison roast
Vinegar to cover roast
Salt, whole pepper, whole cloves
Large onion, sliced
Enough shortening to brown roast
Sauce:
Shortening, flour
2 sliced onions
Salt, pepper, sugar
1 cup raisins
Add vinegar marinade
Let roast marinate two to three days in refrigerator in the vinegar, seasonings and onion. Remove roast from liquid, heat shortening in a deep pot and brown roast well. Make the sauce: Heat shortening, brown flour deep brown. Add sliced onions, hot water, vinegar marinade from roast, salt, pepper, sugar to suit your taste, and the raisins. When well seasoned, pour over roast, cover well and cook over slow heat until roast is done.
Margaret McAllen, McAllen Ranch, Linn
