Venison 50,000 Years of Good Eating
There was a time when the word venison could be uttered without someone thinking "exotic." In fact, long before chicken, beef, pork and lamb came to define meat, venison was the most readily available source of protein around. And for 50,000 years we've been dining on it in one form or another.
It hasn't always been easy to come by. In the Middle Ages, only the nobility of Europe could partake of it legally. Deer hunting parks were established and run exclusively for royal hunts, and any commoner found poaching was severely punished.
In England, you could lose a body part for trying to dip into the king's wild pantry. Some historians mention free access to game meat as one of the many reasons people left to colonize Canada and America.
While we're a little more even-handed about our venison these days, we still take the pursuit of our winter meat ration quite seriously. And when you consider that venison is naturally lean, low in cholesterol and amenable to many delicious recipes, the least we can do is learn to care for it as we would a fine wine.
Venison can be cooked in many of the same ways you prepare beef, but because of its leanness it is best suited to moist-cooking methods. But no matter how well you prepare it, if your meat hasn't been properly cleaned, cooled and processed, no amount of doctoring will remove that gamey flavor.
Roasts should be covered in liquid when cooked in the oven or in a crock pot. If you prefer dry roasting, top it with bacon to help keep it moist.
Steaks and tenderloins can be grilled, but it's easy to dry them out, so guard against overcooking. Tougher cuts are good in braises and stews. Ground venison can be used in dishes that call for ground beef or made into sausage. And of course you can always jerk it. Rosemary, juniper berries and gin, sweet spices and pepper, red currants and blackberries are all good matches for venison. Red wine or port used in marinades also works very well.
This Week's Recipe
Medallions of Venison with Poivrade Sauce
Ingredients:
4 small venison fillet medallions
1 cup Burgundy wine
1 cup water
1 garlic clove, crushed
Several juniper berries, crushed
1/2 cup clarified butter
Pate de foie gras (1 teaspoon per medallion)
3 tablespoons flour
For the Poivrade Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
3 scallions, minced
1 cup of the marinade
1 small can beef bouillon
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons butter, softened
6-8 peppercorns, crushed
Combine the wine, water garlic and juniper berries in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, cook for five minutes. Let cool and pour over venison medallions and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours. Remove the venison, reserving the marinade, and pat dry. Now prepare the sauce by melting the butter; add the scallions and cook until tender. Stir in the marinade and bouillon and bring to a boil. Add the thyme and reduce the liquid to half. Combine the soft butter and flour, working it almost to a paste, then gradually add it to the simmering liquid, whisking it all the while until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the peppercorns. Sauté the medallions in clarified butter quickly, making sure they do not get overdone. Spread the foie gras over each medallions. Spoon the sauce over each medallions as it is plated.
Safety and Safe Firearms Handling Is Everyone's Responsibility!
Click here to go to canadiangunsmith.com Homepage
| 
