In the United States, you don’t see reindeer on the menu. But, in Scandinavia, they are raised for food, just as we do cattle. They have some pretty great recipes for reindeer.
What I’ve discovered, those recipes transfer over very nicely to venison … if you can find it before the hunters have made deerburger out of it, which happens all too often. Like venison, reindeer is very low fat, so one needs to take care not to let it dry out.
This recipe is adapted from a Finnish reindeer recipe. I serve it with noodles and lingonberry sauce, although whole cranberry sauce will work fine.
P.S. A reindeer burger is typically more like shaved meat or pulled meat than a “burger”. There isn’t enough fat to hold it together. But they are delish!
Venison Medallions
Ingredients
1 venison loin (about 2 pounds)
1-2 cups beef bone broth
1 cup red wine
1 small jar capers
1-2 twigs rosemary (dried won’t work)
1 onion, finely minced
Butter (for cooking and basting)
Optional: Heavy cream
Salt & Pepper
Directions
1. Slice the venison into 2” “medallions”
2. Lightly salt and Pepper each side and let come to room temperature.
3. Melt a generous amount of butter in a pan and add rosemary. Sear each side of the medallions and around the edges, basting with the butter in the pan.
4. Remove medallions and rosemary, cook onions until translucent.
5. Deglaze pan with the wine.
6. Return medallions to the pan, add capers (drain them!) and enough bone broth so it does not quite cover the top of the meat.
7. Gently simmer about 5-7 minutes. You’re looking for a medium rare.
8. Remove meat and let rest.
9. Mix some cornstarch with bone broth to make a slurry. Add to pan until gravy thickens. If you like, add some heavy cream to the sauce. This is totally optional.
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