Venison Salami, Red Onion and Sloe Gin Marmalade, Grilled Sourdough

For the salami:
450gr pork back fat
1.8kg venison, trimmed and minced
50gr salt
60ml water
70gr milk powder
30gr dextrose (glucose powder)
12gr fennel seeds (toasted and cracked)
12gr coarsely ground black pepper
6gr minced garlic
125ml dry red wine (preferably Tuscan – NOT cooking wine)
6gr instalcure dry cure powder No. 2/Prague powder 
1.4gr Bessastart salami culture

For the red onion and sloe gin marmalade:
5 large red onions
5 sprigs of thyme
50ml red wine vinegar
40gr caster sugar
100ml sloe gin
Salt and pepper

For the toast:
1 loaf of light sourdough bread
2 sprigs rosemary
10 juniper
250ml light olive oil

For the salami:
Finely dice the fat (this may be easier if frozen).

Mix the salt and saltpetre through the minced venison and place in a bowl over ice.

Place the meat and fat in the Hobart bowl in the fridge until needed.

Dissolve the Bessastart in the water and add to the meat

Add the remaining ingredients.

Mix with the paddle attachment for about one minute until combined.

Fill the hog casings with the mix.

After twisting into sausages, prick with a pin to allow any air to escape and help the drying process.

Place the sausages on a cooling rack on a tray covered with a CLEAN towel for 12 hours at room temperature (preferably 30C).  This will allow the good bacteria to grow.

Hang the salamis at 15C with 70 per cent humidity for 12-18 days.

For the marmalade:
Melt a block of butter in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the finely sliced red onions.

Cook until completely cooked and they have absorbed all of their own juices.  This will take 1-2 hours. 

When dry and cooked, add the thyme leaves, sugar, red wine vinegar and sloe gin to the pan.

Turn the heat up to bring to the boil and then turn down again.  Cook until sticky in consistency. Season at the end. Leave to cool and use as needed.

For the toast:
Drop the rosemary bruised juniper berries into a light olive oil at 140.  Take off the heat and leave to infuse for between 1-4 days. Use this oil to drizzle over the sourdough bread before toasting on a griddle pan.