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Roasted Venison Loin With BlackBerry Sauce
story and recipe by Gabrielle deMichele photoGraphy by jennifer silverberG
Roasted Venison Loin With BLackBeRRy sauce Brighten up rich and robust roasted venison with tart and sweet blackberry sauce (recipe to right). serves | 6 |
1 1½ 1 ½ 2 3 4 to 5
tsp sea salt, plus more for seasoning tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning tsp sugar tsp granulated garlic lbs venison loin or backstrap Tbsp clarified butter, plus more for drizzling baking sheet sprigs thyme blackberry sauce (recipe to right)
| preparation | preheat oven to 200°f. combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl to make a dry rub. transfer venison to a plate, and apply rub all over. let venison sit at room temperature while prepping other ingredients. (refrigerated meat should rest at room temperature for about 45 minutes before roasting.) prepare a baking sheet with a drizzle of clarified butter. add thyme in middle of sheet where venison will roast. in a cast-iron skillet over high heat, heat pan until very hot but not smoking. add 3 tablespoons clarified butter, and when melted, swirl pan to coat. add venison. sear meat until very brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes. remove pan from heat, and transfer venison to prepared baking sheet on top of thyme, and place in oven. roast venison for about 40 minutes, depending on size of loin, or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 135ºf. remove from oven, and lightly tent with foil until ready to serve. to serve, cut venison loin into 6 servings, plate each and spoon blackberry sauce over top.
deer season is upon us: in Missouri, archery hunting runs through nov. 11 (and again from nov. 23 to jan. 15), and hunting with firearms runs from nov. 12 to nov. 22. Whether you’re lucky enough to bag a buck or receive venison meat from a friend, there’s a lot you can do with every part of the animal, especially the loin or backstrap, sometimes called
BLackBeRRy sauce 3½ 1 2 4 1 4 ½ ¼ to ½ 1 3 ½
oz dried wild mushrooms cup hot water Tbsp clarified butter shallots, large dice clove garlic, minced oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced cup dry red wine cup port cup beef stock Tbsp cold butter, cubed pint fresh blackberries
| preparation | in a small bowl, combine dried mushrooms and hot water, and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. remove hydrated mushrooms from water, and finely dice. strain mushroom water through a fine sieve, and discard sediment but reserve water.
the “hunter’s filet mignon.” venison backstrap comes from the part of the deer that gets little exercise, which is why it’s often compared to juicy beef tenderloin. venison is denser than beef, so you need to cook it for a longer amount of time. serve it rare with tart and slightly sweet blackberry sauce (recipe below), which cuts through the meat’s rich flavor.
in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, coat pan with butter. add shallots; sauté until tender but not browned. add garlic, and cook until it releases its fragrance. remove shallots and garlic from pan to a bowl, and increase heat to high. add shiitakes, and sear. add hydrated mushrooms, and finish cooking both. remove mushrooms from pan, and add to shallot-garlic mixture. set aside. return skillet to heat; add wine and port to deglaze pan. When both have fully reduced, add stock and strained mushroom water, and reduce by three-quarters. Whisk in butter, 1 cube at time. (Wait to add next cube until previous cube has melted.) add sautéed vegetables, and cook for 2 minutes. add blackberries, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes more until they start to release juices. season with salt and pepper; remove from heat. spoon blackberry sauce over venison loin, and serve.
the menu • Beet Salad With Cider Vinaigrette • Potato Gratin • Spinach Soufflé • Roasted Venison Loin With Blackberry Sauce • Tarte Tatin
Learn more. in this class, you’ll learn how to perfectly cook venison loin and to make an expert soufflé using spinach and other savory ingredients. you’ll also make a sweet and tangy cider vinaigrette to dress up a classic fall beet salad.
get hands-on: Join Feast Magazine and schnucks Cooks Cooking school on Wed., oct. 26 at 6pm at the des Peres, Missouri, location, to make the dishes in this month’s menu. tickets are just $45 for a night of cooking, dining and wine. RsVP at schnuckscooks.com or call 314.909.1704.