Venison Advice

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Bill Charles
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Venison Advice

#1

Post by Bill Charles »

My son's friend has given us a Venison loin. I would like to cut in into medallions and cook on our Lodge cast iron. The deer came from a part of our province which is mainly Boreal forest. Looking for some advice on how to marinade this. TIA

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Seabowisha Salmo T
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Re: Venison Advice

#2

Post by Seabowisha Salmo T »

hello, bill; we use guiness. you may want to experiment with different spices as well but i find nothing but the guiness is needed enjoy the kings meat.
regards, jim w

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toothybugs
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Re: Venison Advice

#3

Post by toothybugs »

I do mine with salt and pepper, low heat (center reaching no higher than 130-135F after a very, very quick sear - target 125F and pull from heat, then let sit for a few moments), and a reduced balsamic vinegar drizzled over or on the side. You do NOT want to risk overcooking that cut of meat.
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Seabowisha Salmo T
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Re: Venison Advice

#4

Post by Seabowisha Salmo T »

toothybugs wrote:
02/19/21 12:30
I do mine with salt and pepper, low heat (center reaching no higher than 130-135F after a very, very quick sear - target 125F and pull from heat, then let sit for a few moments), and a reduced balsamic vinegar drizzled over or on the side. You do NOT want to risk overcooking that cut of meat.
nate has it correctly in my opinion. just jump it over a small candle and serve.

jim w

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Bill Charles
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Re: Venison Advice

#5

Post by Bill Charles »

Thanks for the advice. How thick would you suggest the medallions be?

Sandan
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Re: Venison Advice

#6

Post by Sandan »

Yep, nate has it right. Do not overcook. Venison will just about always be pink in the middle unlike beef so people tend to cook the life right out of it. I prefer rare and use my finger to test for firmness/doneness. Make a loose fist press the web of your fisted hand w/ a forefinger, that's rare. Tighten up your fist half way that's medium, real tight fist is well done. Salt, pepper, some fresh garlic rubbed into the meat. 1.25-1.5" thick. IMHO(with a freezer full of both deer and elk venison)

Badger Matt
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Re: Venison Advice

#7

Post by Badger Matt »

Guinness is a good marinade as is Coke. Neither are necessary with a deer tenderloin. You've received great advice - rare to medium rare and not a bit more.

Consider a nice sauce of blueberries cooked in a bit of port and/or butter and reduced to a thick sauce to drizzle over the meat after it's cooked. No need to slice the tenderloin before cooking.

You are in for a heck of a treat. Your son's friend must think very highly of you. Only my very closest friends receive tenderloin.

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Re: Venison Advice

#8

Post by Random Casts »

toothybugs wrote:
02/19/21 12:30
I do mine with salt and pepper, low heat (center reaching no higher than 130-135F after a very, very quick sear - target 125F and pull from heat, then let sit for a few moments), and a reduced balsamic vinegar drizzled over or on the side. You do NOT want to risk overcooking that cut of meat.
A big +1 on this.

I should have posted my Sunday Dinner here in stead of in the ephemera cat.


Image

Cheers,
Richard
Random Casts

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toothybugs
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Re: Venison Advice

#9

Post by toothybugs »

Bill Charles wrote:
02/19/21 14:03
Thanks for the advice. How thick would you suggest the medallions be?
Cook it whole, cut the medallions at the end before serving. You have the best chance of not overcooking it that way. It should always have that pinky-purple look to it.

If you must cut them ahead of time, plan to be fast - I last did a sirloin steak an inch thick for 2m30s per side on a hot skillet, and it was almost overdone. It wasn't, but it was close.

This is my first tenderloin. My dad sent me a message mid-meal asking what I was up to, so I sent him this.
Image
- NJG
(It's Nate, but I generally only sign my initials.)

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Re: Venison Advice

#10

Post by Sandan »

toothybugs wrote:
02/23/21 07:56
Bill Charles wrote:
02/19/21 14:03
Thanks for the advice. How thick would you suggest the medallions be?
Cook it whole, cut the medallions at the end before serving. You have the best chance of not overcooking it that way. It should always have that pinky-purple look to it.

If you must cut them ahead of time, plan to be fast - I last did a sirloin steak an inch thick for 2m30s per side on a hot skillet, and it was almost overdone. It wasn't, but it was close.

This is my first tenderloin. My dad sent me a message mid-meal asking what I was up to, so I sent him this.
Image
Bet you didn't even need the knife

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EastslopesTH
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Re: Venison Advice

#11

Post by EastslopesTH »

Bill what Province are you referring to? I harvest my venison from the prairie parkland region of Alberta, so the deer are well fed on a mix of natural forage and agricultural crops. No need to marinate these deer as there is little wildness to them. I agree with the others here that stated cooking the back-strap whole is the preferred method. You risk overcooking and drying out the meat if you cut into medallions first. I sear my whole loin on the grill or cast iron pan then remove off direct heat (place on top rack on the grill or place cast iron pan into a preheated oven) to finish to medium rare at most. Actually the family prefers the venison on the rare side. Just make sure to remove the loin from the heat just before your desired done-ness as it will continue to cook as you rest it in foil (5-10 min) prior to carving and serving.

I also make a berry jam/port wine reduction as Badger Matt suggested above. Out west here in Canada that means using homemade Saskatoon berry jam/preserves reduced with port wine and some balsamic vinegar to balance the sweetness.

This is an absolute favorite I started doing about 15 years ago and have not cooked medallions since.

Good luck,
Ron

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Bill Charles
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Re: Venison Advice

#12

Post by Bill Charles »

I'm in Manitoba and this deer would be from the Whiteshell which is mixed boreal deciduous.

I do happen to have a few lbs of Saskatoons in the freezer!

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EastslopesTH
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Re: Venison Advice

#13

Post by EastslopesTH »

Whiteshell is a bit away from the agricultural zone but it should be pretty good meat. Personally I would not marinate the backstrap. Just sear and roast to rare/medium-rare. Issue with this venison is that it has little fat and dries out if you cook it well. It can be chewy if cooked more than medium-rare. Alternatively I use the meat from hind quarters to make curry but again I try not to cook it long or else cook the meat in a crockpot or instapot (electric pressure cooker) and it will breakdown and be tender. I wouldn't waste backstrap for curry/stew.
Anyway good luck and enjoy.
Ron

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Bill Charles
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Re: Venison Advice

#14

Post by Bill Charles »

Ron,

Would you happen to have a recipe for your sauce?

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EastslopesTH
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Re: Venison Advice

#15

Post by EastslopesTH »

I don't really go by recipes as I cook by taste and smell, but I essentially start with softening half a cup of diced yellow or sweet onion in some butter or oil. It's best to use the same pan that you sear the backstrap in (that's if you are cooking on the stove and not a grill) as deglazing the pan will add flavor. Then add a couple cloves of minced garlic and give a stir. Pour in a half cup of port wine and stir well (make stir you get all the bit off the pan if deglazing). I usually add some rosemary and black or white pepper. Then you want to add a couple heaping tablespoons of dark berry jam like homemade saskatoon, blueberry, current or blackberry jam. Stir the jam in well and then add balsamic vinegar. You need enough balsamic to balance the sweetness of the jam. Bring this just to a mild boil and stir often while reducing this down to a thin syrup consistency. You may need to add a pinch of salt but do that to taste. If you seasoned the backstrap with salt prior to searing in the pan, you might not need to add salt to the sauce as there will be residual salt in the pan.
When the meat is done roasting, I rest it for 5 min then slice it for serving. Take the reduction you made and drizzle on the sliced meat and enjoy.
Okay now I need to make some of this.
I wish you well with the venison.

Ron

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