Savory Stuffed Venison Roast Recipes

ROAST SADDLE OF VENISON WITH RED WINE

Steps:

• Trim the saddle to remove any nerves or bits of fat.
• Put the saddle in a reasonably deep stainless steel or enamel utensil just large enough to hold it compactly. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, carrot, celery, ginger, peppercorns, juniper berries, red wine, one and one-half cups of port wine and cinnamon stick. The surface of the meat should be covered with the marinade. Refrigerate one or two days. The longer the meat stands, the more gamy the taste will be.
• Remove the saddle of venison, but reserve the marinade with vegetables. Strain the marinade but reserve separately the liquid and vegetables.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Sprinkle the drained saddle with the one tablespoon of ground pepper and salt to taste.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy roasting pan large enough to accommodate the saddle of venison. Brown the meat on both sides, about five minutes. Scatter the reserved vegetables around the meat and place the roasting pan in the oven. Bake 30 minutes. Turn the meat to the opposite side and bake 30 minutes or until the meat is medium rare. If you want the meat more fully cooked, let it bake an additional 15 minutes or longer. To test for doneness, insert a thin metal skewer inside the hollow part (the spinal cord) of the spine. Remove the skewer and press it to your lips. If it is nicely warm, the meat is medium rare. If it is hot, the meat is well done. Transfer the meat to a warm platter.
• Place the roasting pan over medium heat and add the reserved marinating liquid. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan. Cook about 10 minutes and pour the sauce and reserved vegetables into a casserole or deep skillet. Let simmer slowly about one-half hour. Add the cream and remaining cup of port wine and bring to the boil. Let cook about 15 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• Line a saucepan with a sieve, preferably of the sort known in French kitchens as a chinois. Pour the sauce and solids into the sieve, pressing to extract as much liquid and flavor as possible from the solids. Discard the solids.
• Bring the sauce to the boil and swirl in the butter.
• Add salt and pepper and stir in the jelly. Carve the meat and serve with a little of the sauce spooned over each serving. Serve with mashed potatoes, if desired.

BRAISED VENISON WITH ROSEMARY AND SHIITAKE

Steps:

• Melt the bacon drippings in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the venison in two batches until nicely browned and remove. Stir in the shiitake, onions, and garlic; cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the cognac, wine, and bouillon cube, simmer for 30 seconds to remove the alcohol flavor and dissolve the bouillon.
• Stir in the venison, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the venison is tender, about two hours or more; adding water as needed.
• If using baby carrots, add them during the last half hour of cooking. When the venison is tender, you may wish to thicken the sauce by dissolving the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and stirring it into the sauce.

SAVORY STUFFED VENISON ROAST

Steps:

• 1. *NOTE: Beef round roast, pork loin etc... may be substituted for venison. Roast may be opened like a scroll to be rolled for slicing spirals, or opened like a book for a flat layer of stuffing inside the meat.
• 2. (Use a sharp chef's or filet knife to open roast.) Place roast on a sheet of freezer paper (or on large cutting board or clean counter.) Cover meat with sheet of plastic wrap; use smooth side of mallet to pound meat to about half of original thickness or thinner, if possible, without tearing meat.
• 3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• 4. Fry bacon in large ovenproof skillet, over medium heat, until crisp. Remove bacon to cool on a paper towel; drain off all but one tablespoon of the bacon grease from skillet. Crumble bacon; set aside.
• 5. Place skillet back over medium heat; add one tablespoon olive oil, sliced mushrooms and onions; saute about 5 minutes or until soft. Add minced garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
• 6. Add crumbled cooked bacon into the mushroom mixture. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and chopped parsley; saute another 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
• 7. Remove plastic wrap from meat. Spread mushroom mixture evenly over surface of meat for scroll cut, or over left or right 1/2 of the meat surface for book cut.
• 8. If using scroll cut, have 3 foot and a half lengths of butcher twine ready. Starting with one of the small ends, roll meat into a log. Secure with butcher twine (or toothpicks.) If using book cut, fold plain side over side with stuffing spread on it; secure with twine or toothpicks.
• 9. Sprinkle roast all over with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
• 10. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet used for mushrooms. Place over medium-high heat.
• 11. When pan is hot, carefully brown roast on all/both sides (about 2 minutes per side.)
• 12. After browning, place the uncovered skillet with roast into preheated 400 degree F oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour, lightly cover with aluminum foil, then roast for an additional 30 minutes. If using smaller cut of meat, adjust time accordingly (use meat thermometer to begin checking temp at 1/2 hour mark.) Since venison is a wild meat, I prefer to cook it to 160 degrees. Pork should reach 145 degrees, and beef at least 135 degrees in our opinion.
• 13. When desired internal temp is reached, remove from oven and allow to rest, covered snugly with foil, for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Serve each slice with a spoonful of pan drippings over it.