Recipes
Black Pepper
and Molasses Crusted Boneless Venison Loin 2 tablespoons black pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine pepper and molasses in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until molasses is thinned; do not boil. Set aside. Season loin with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium sauté skillet over medium-high heat. Sear loin on all sides until browned. Brush pepper molasses mixture over loin and place in roasting pan in preheated oven. Roast 12 minutes, or to desired doneness. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice into four portions and serve immediately. Serves 4. Note: Accompany the venison with a variety of winter squashes, such as butternut and acorn seasoned lightly with nutmeg and cinnamon. Recipe Credit: Lance Youngs, Corporate Executive Chef of John Soules Foods (Tyler, Texas) Cold-Smoked Venison Quesadillas 1/2 pound venison Denver leg meat (special cut from Maverick Creek
Ranch) Cut venison into slices approximately 1/4-inch thick; then cut into strips. Cold smoke venison strips 30 minutes.* Heat barbecue sauce in a skillet over medium heat; add venison strips, toss and sauté until cooked to medium doneness. Layer half of: venison strips, cheese, poblano and jalapeno peppers, mango and jícama on a tortilla. Season with a squeeze of lime juice and salt to taste. Cover with another tortilla and place in a heated skillet over medium heat until cheese begins to melt. Turn over to briefly heat other side. Remove to plate and cut into quarters; top with sour cream flavored with a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with cilantro. Repeat directions for remaining ingredients. Serves 4. *Cold smoking gives venison a wonderful smoky flavor without over-cooking the meat. Allow 4 to 5 hot coals in bottom of smoker to burn down. Spread out gray ash and place some pieces of hickory wood over the ash to lower heat of the coals. Place meat in a metal pan on the grate to the side, not directly over the coals. Adjust dampers to draw the smoke. Procedure can also be done on a gas grill using Kingsford hickory chips, available at a barbecue store. Or use an indoor range-top smoker, available at a kitchen specialty store. Recipe Credit: Maverick Creek Ranch Bourbon Braised Venison Short Ribs Brine (recipe follows) Prepare Brine; immerse short ribs in Brine 24 hours. Discard brine and season short ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Sear short ribs in a French cast iron pan over medium-high heat until golden. Note: Since there is a lot of sugar in the brine, be careful that ribs don’t burn while searing. Remove ribs and set aside; reduce heat and add shallots, carrots and celery to pan. Sweat vegetables until tender. Add bourbon; deglaze pan. Add wine and herb bouquet; reduce liquid by half. Return ribs to pan and add stock; cover and simmer 2 hours, or until ribs are tender. Carefully remove fork-tender ribs and keep warm. Strain sauce and return to range in saucepan; simmer until a demi-glace consistency. Finish sauce with a splash of bourbon and honey. Serve sauce to accompany ribs. Serves 6. Note: Accompany this entrée with either risotto, sour cream mashed new potatoes or three-cabbage slaw with a light cane vinegar dressing. Brine: 1/3 cup juniper berries Combine juniper berries, molasses, bourbon, salt, bay leaves, peppercorns and water in large container. Stir until ingredients are well blended. Recipe Credit: Jared Tees, Executive Chef of Bourbon House (New Orleans, Louisiana) 1/3 cup olive oil* *Note: 3/4 pound ground suet, melted and solids removed may be substituted. Recipe Credit: Wanda Anderson, Mother of Teresa Mathis – Owner of Maverick Creek Ranch. Roasted Venison Tenderloin Tart with Caramelized Granny Smith Apples, Garden Fresh Vegetables and Light Madeira Honey Glaze 8 tablespoons Light Madeira Honey Glaze (recipe follows) Prepare Light Madeira Honey Glaze; keep warm. Hollow out puff pastry to give the effect of a tart shell. Drizzle tenderloins with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sear tenderloins in a very hot skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes each side. Remove from pan and place on baking sheet. (Depending upon your taste, tenderloin may need to be cooked a little longer in a 350 degree oven to desired doneness.) Toss apples in bowl with 3 tablespoons butter and brown sugar. Sauté in small skillet over medium heat until apples begin to caramelize and are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Cook carrots, turnips and snow peas in boiling water seasoned with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper until tender-crisp. Drain. Divide caramelized apples and place in bottom of pastry tarts. Top each tart with venison tenderloin. Drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons Madeira Glaze and garnish with cooked vegetables. Serves 4. Light Madeira Honey Glaze 1/2 (750 ml) bottle Madeira wine Combine wine, honey and shallot in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until reduced to one-fourth original volume. Strain. Stir in demi-glace; keep warm. Adjust consistency of sauce with water if needed. Note: Fluffy buttermilk biscuits, sliced in half and served as an open face sandwich may be substituted for puff pastry. Substitute vegetables which are prime of their season. Or, take this recipe to the next level by adding diced seared foie gras with caramelized apples. Recipe Credit: Jason Brady, Chef and Owner of Wine Country (Shreveport, Louisiana) Maverick Creek Venison T-Bones 8 (2 inch) venison T-bone steaks Note: T-bone steaks are a favorite Maverick Creek Ranch venison cut. The beauty is that they only need to be seasoned and cooked. The subtle natural venison flavor will stand right up. Serve with desired accompaniment – from scalloped potatoes to polenta, or simply vegetables. Recipe Credit: Lance Youngs, Corporate Executive Chef of John Soules Foods (Tyler, Texas) Marsala Wine Sauce for Venison 1 tablespoon butter, divided Heat 1/2 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until caramel color. Remove and set aside. Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to skillet. When butter “bubbles,” add onion and garlic; sauté until translucent. Return mushrooms to skillet; add Marsala and dry wine. Bring to a boil; reduce mixture 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add demi-glace and return to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Serve warm over venison steaks or medallions. Serves 4. Recipe Credit: Louis Mathis, Owner of Maverick Creek Ranch. Roasted Rack of Venison and Shallots with Dried-Cranberry Gravy 1 (3-to 4-pound) 8 to 11 rib rack of venison, trimmed Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss shallots with 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper in roasting pan large enough to hold venison racks without crowding. Stirring occasionally, roast 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Meanwhile, halve rack of venison to yield two (4 to 6 ribs) racks. Pat venison dry, season with salt and pepper and rub generously with additional oil. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat until hot; add venison and sear on all sides. Push shallots to sides of roasting pan and stand venison racks in middle of pan, allowing bones to rest together. Roast about 23 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 125 degrees, for rare meat. Transfer racks with shallots to a platter and let stand, covered loosely with foil, 15 minutes. Add broth, wine, water and juniper berries to roasting pan; simmer mixture on top of range, scraping up brown bits, about 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve over a small saucepan. Whisk cornstarch into water; add to saucepan with cranberries, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gravy, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Cut venison into individual chops and serve with shallots and gravy. Serves 6. Recipe Credit: Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, December 1993.
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