Help Please, Game Casserole

[Tilly2]

I have had a game casserole in my slow cooker since 10.00 am. It is cooking in half a bottle of South African Merlot and contains, a selection of game, carrots, red onion, leeks, parsnips, beef stock, tomato puree and a bouquet garni. I've just tasted the sauce and it tastes quite bitter.

I don't think the alcohol had 'evaporated' or whatever the term is. I floured and fried the meat first and sauted the onions. It looks lovely but doesn't taste too good at the moment.

Is there anything I can do to sweeten it up or shall I just leave it and hope for the best?

[EcclesCake]

Do you have any red currant jelly or Cumberland sauce that you could add?

[Tilly2]

No, Eccles, I don't.

[EcclesCake]

Do you have any good balsamic vinegar, dark brown sugar or any currant/dark fruit jam?

[quizzkid]

Do you have some muscovado sugar? If so try adding 1 dessertspoon full of sugar to the mixture.

[Tilly2]

I have balsamic vinegar and dark brown cane sugar, Eccles.

[Tilly2]

Why haven't the carrots and parsnips sweetened it up? Did I use too much wine?

[EcclesCake]

Have you tasted the remaining wine, if not give it a wee taste.

Add a spoon of dark sugar and see how it goes.

Parsnips won't be that sweet yet as we haven't had a frost.

[Tilly2]

We drank the other half last night, Eccles. It was fine. I'll try the sugar a bit later. It's got another two and a half hours to cook before we eat. I hope I haven't spoiled it.

[EcclesCake]

I'm sure it will be fine. An hour before your are planning to serve have another taste and add sugar as required.

[Calibax]

Have you added enough salt? Salt, specifically sodium can reduce the tongue's sensitivity to bitter tastes.

[Tilly2]

I haven't added any salt Calibax. I don't put salt in my food. I'll sprinkle a bit in if it's not right later.

[humbersloop]

Tilly I do a very similar game casserole in my slow cooker, and know exactly what you mean.

I guess you were using up last night's leftover vino - should such a thing exist chez Sloops- I find it works better just using supermarket house plonk from cartons than decent wine, with a goodly glop of redcurrant jelly and a grate of orange zest.

[Tilly2]

I tidied out the fridge last week and threw away jars of all sorts, one being redcurrant jelly. Oh well.

[tonyav]

Are the takeaways open yet, Yilly .

[Tilly2]

Are you stalking me, Yont?

[Tilly2]

Yont, deyageddit???????? game.................stalking???????????????????
Ha!

[tonyav]

Groan. ;-)

[heathfield]

Agree with Calibax. Try some salt before sugar. (e.g., a teensy bit of salt in coffee will remove bitternes and make it taste sweeter).

[Tilly2]

I've just tasted it again after having put some salt in. It tastes much better. Thanks for that tip.

[shoota]

You don't get game from stalking - you get venison.
Does this dish contain pheasant? That can sometimes be a little bitter.