Venison · Mince dish

Venison cabbage rolls

By Wild Food Japan · Updated

Venison mince wrapped in cabbage and simmered in tomato broth. Pair Otsuchi deer with cabbage grown elsewhere in Iwate Prefecture.

Cabbage leaves protect the filling during a gentle simmer. Softened onion and soaked breadcrumbs help a lean venison filling hold together. The regional connection here is prefecture-wide, not a claim that the cabbage was grown in Otsuchi.

Jump to recipeLocal ingredients
Serves
2
Prep
25 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

  • Venison mince, 250g
  • Cabbage, 6 large leaves
  • Onion, ½, finely diced
  • Panko, 3 tbsp
  • Milk or water, 3 tbsp
  • Egg, 1 small
  • Chopped canned tomatoes, 200g
  • Stock, 400ml
  • Olive oil, 1 tbsp
  • Salt, ¼ tsp, plus pepper

Steps

  1. Thaw the mince in the refrigerator. Blanch the cabbage leaves for 2 to 3 minutes, drain, and shave thick ribs flat.
  2. Soften the onion in the oil for 5 minutes and let it cool. Soak the panko in the milk or water.
  3. Mix the cold mince, cooled onion, soaked panko, egg, salt, and pepper. Divide into six portions and wrap each tightly in a cabbage leaf, folding in the sides.
  4. Place seam-side down in a snug pot. Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes.
  5. Probe the center of the largest roll. Continue heating until it reaches at least 75°C and hold there for at least 1 minute; check other large rolls too.
  6. If the leaves remain firm, simmer longer. Adjust the broth seasoning and serve two or three rolls per person.

Cook it through

Wild game needs thorough cooking. These recipes follow MHLW's guidance: at least 75°C at the center for at least one minute. Use a probe in the thickest part, not color or the clock alone. Keep raw meat and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat food. Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator; freezing is not a substitute for cooking.

MHLW: cooking wild game safely (JA)

Regional produce

Iwate

Prefecture-level pairing. The meat route is Otsuchi; the cited cabbage, spinach, and daikon areas are elsewhere in Iwate. This is not a same-town or same-farm claim.

  • Cabbage

    MAFF lists summer-autumn cabbage areas including Iwate Town and Ichinohe.

    MAFF: Iwate designated vegetable areas

    Choose large leaves for venison cabbage rolls; blanch and shave the thick ribs before wrapping.

    Summer-autumn is the cited production category; confirm actual harvest dates.

Open the regional ingredient guideMOMIJI: Otsuchi venison activities

An original editorial recipe by Wild Food Japan, based on established cooking methods. It has not been kitchen-tested by our team. Times are estimates; verify temperature and tenderness. Linked producers have not endorsed the recipe. They sell and fulfill meat orders. Wild Food Japan does not sell the meat.

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