Fresh cranberries, citrus, ginger, and wine make a great sauce for roast venison. The sauce may be made in advance and reheated. The venison is roasted to medium-rare to preserve its flavor and texture. Overcooking will make it tough.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- Cranberry Sauce:
- 2 thick slices of lemon
- 2 thick slices of orange
- 2 slices of peeled fresh ginger
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1 small bay leaf
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3/4 teaspoon finely chopped juniper berries, divided use
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef or venison stock
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided use
- 1-1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided use
- .
- Venison Roast:
- 4 pounds boneless loin of venison, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish
Preparation:
Place lemon, orange, ginger, sugar, bay leaf, and water in a medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to melt sugar. Reduce heat to medium and let boil, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes, until syrupy.
Add cranberries to the saucepan, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Place fruit mixture in a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate 1 to 2 days. Give it a stir twice as it steeps.
When ready to cook the venison, finish the cranberry sauce. Remove and discard bay leaf, lemon, orange, and ginger from the cranberries. Divide mixture in half, including liquid. Place half in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until pureed and smooth.
Place wine in a medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat and boil about 5 minutes, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add beef or venison stock and return to a boil. Add cranberry puree and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 10 minutes, uncovered, until thickened. Remove from heat.
Strain whole cranberries from remaining half of mixture and add to the wine sauce. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt, pepper, and chopped juniper berries. Swirl in cold butter until smooth. Keep warm.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a rack in a heavy, deep roasting pan.
Rub venison loin with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon chopped juniper berries, pressing seasonings into the meat. Place venison on the rack in the pan. Roast in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until medium-rare (135 F. internal temperature). Remove from oven and tent with foil. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
Slice venison thin. Stir any collected juices into the cranberry sauce, reheating if necessary. To serve, top venison slices with the warm cranberry sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
Yield: 8 servings
Add cranberries to the saucepan, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature. Place fruit mixture in a glass jar, cover, and refrigerate 1 to 2 days. Give it a stir twice as it steeps.
When ready to cook the venison, finish the cranberry sauce. Remove and discard bay leaf, lemon, orange, and ginger from the cranberries. Divide mixture in half, including liquid. Place half in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until pureed and smooth.
Place wine in a medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat and boil about 5 minutes, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add beef or venison stock and return to a boil. Add cranberry puree and reduce heat to low. Simmer about 10 minutes, uncovered, until thickened. Remove from heat.
Strain whole cranberries from remaining half of mixture and add to the wine sauce. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt, pepper, and chopped juniper berries. Swirl in cold butter until smooth. Keep warm.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Place a rack in a heavy, deep roasting pan.
Rub venison loin with olive oil. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon chopped juniper berries, pressing seasonings into the meat. Place venison on the rack in the pan. Roast in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until medium-rare (135 F. internal temperature). Remove from oven and tent with foil. Let rest 15 minutes before carving.
Slice venison thin. Stir any collected juices into the cranberry sauce, reheating if necessary. To serve, top venison slices with the warm cranberry sauce. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
Yield: 8 servings
