Reverse Seared Venison

Pass the backstrap…but hold the bacon! The backstrap, or loin, is the king of cuts when it comes to venison. Some prefer it smeared with cream cheese, stuffed with jalapenos, and wrapped in bacon, while others like it sliced and fried. Whatever your preference, this king of cuts should be treated like the prized cut it is. I prefer to cook backstrap like filet mignon: salt, pepper, a hard sear, and basted with butter.

With deer season only a few months away, it’s time to reach into that freeze and polish off the remaining meat from last year’s harvest. Nothing pairs better with backstrap than chanterelle mushrooms that are growing in the Mississippi woods where the deer in your freezer was once grazing.

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Venison:

  • 8-10” Venison Backstrap or 2 Tenderloins
  • 2 Tablespoons high temp oil (vegetable oil, avocado oil, etc.)
  • 1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
  • 2 Cloves of Garlic
  • 1 Sprig of Rosemary
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter

Chanterelle Cream Sauce:

  • 1 Cup Chanterelle Mushrooms (Store bought mushrooms will work great too)
  • 1 Shallot
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • ¼ Cup of White Wine
  • 1 Cup of Heavy Cream
  • Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Instructions

  1. Rub your backstrap with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then salt and pepper generously. Set the seasoned backstrap out to warm up to room temperature (~30 minutes).
  2. While the backstrap is coming to room temperature, preheat your oven to 215°F.
  3. Place the seasoned backstrap on top of a baking sheet with a rack and place in the heated oven until it reaches an internal temp of 120°F (~45-60 minutes depending on the thickness).
  4. While the venison is coming to temperature in the oven, roughly chop the chanterelle mushrooms, and mince the shallots and garlic.
  5. Heat a medium pan to medium-high heat and toss in the butter. When the butter melts and starts to bubble/brown, toss in the chanterelle mushrooms and shallots.
  6. Once the shallots turn translucent and the mushrooms release their moisture (~3-5 minutes), pour in the wine and minced garlic.
  7. When the liquid in the pan is reduced by half, lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the cream. Season to taste. Stir thoroughly until reduced to the desired consistency or until it coats the back of a spoon.
  8. While the chanterelle mushroom cream sauce is reducing, heat a cast iron pan to high heat and add a tablespoon or two of high temp oil to the pan.
  9. Sear the venison on all sides. Once seared, lower the heat to medium and add butter, whole garlic cloves, and rosemary to the pan. Baste the venison on all sides with the butter until it reaches your desired internal temperature.
  10. Once your venison reaches the desired doneness, remove from pan and let rest for 5 minutes. This will allow the juices to re-absorbed into the meat.
  11. Plate the venison, top it with the chanterelle cream sauce, and serve with your favorite sides.

You’ll find more great dishes from the Recreational Chef on Instagram at instagram.com/recreationalchef/

The post “Reverse Seared Venison” first appeared on LouisianaSportsman.com.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply