Rich roast venison loin recipe with sticky black garlic beetroot. It’s great with buttery mash or roasted new potatoes and a dash of red wine gravy or the resting juices.
Sustainable wild game like venison is a conscientious choice of meat with little or no contact with people during its life and freedom to roam its natural flora-rich pastures. The loin has almost no fat, so it's important not to overcook it, and is best served medium rare.
Venison Loin Temperature
- Rare: 52 °C
- Medium rare: 56 °C
- Medium: 60 °C
- Medium well: 65 °C
- Well done: 71 °C
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 600g-700g venison loin, trimmed to remove fat or sinew
- 50g butter
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Splash of oil
For the black garlic beetroot
- 500g of ready-cooked beetroots
- 1 tbsp black garlic paste
- 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
- Pinch of salt
Directions
To make the black garlic beetroot
-
Heat your oven to 180°C/350°F
- Let the venison come up to room temperature. This allows the meat to cook evenly.
- Whilst the oven is preheating, cut each beetroot into 4-6 wedges and arrange in a roasting tin.
- Mix the remaining beetroot ingredients and pour over the beetroot. Season well and toss together so all the beetroot is thoroughly coated in the dressing.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes until the beetroot is sticky and glazed.
To make the roast venison loin
- Whilst the beetroot is cooking, oil the venison with vegetable or rapeseed oil and season well with salt and black pepper
- Heat a heavy-based oven-safe pan or a seasoned skillet to a medium-high heat. Add the venison and brown all over. Add the butter and the thyme, and baste the meat with the foaming butter a few times.
- Place the pan in the oven and after 7-10 minutes, probe the venison with your Thermapen. The internal temperature should reach 56 °C for medium-rare.
- When you hit 55 °C, remove from the oven and place the venison on a plate to rest for 10 minutes. Keep the resting juice for a sauce.
Slice the venison into 2cm/¾ in slices and serve with the roasted beets, your choice of potatoes and some leafy greens.
To make a very quick but delicious sauce, mix the resting juices with 200ml of beef or veal stock, a dash of port and reduce by half. Stir in 1 tbsp of redcurrant or blackberry jelly and a small knob of butter to finish.
