New South Venison Steak
Submitted by Tamala
Venison steak braised in Burgundy wine with tomatoes, Worcestershire, Tabasco, and a bouquet garni, finished with sauteed mushrooms. A rich Southern wild game stew served over wild rice.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
90 minREADY
1 hrsThis is Southern wild game cooking with a French accent. Venison rump steak gets pounded with seasoned flour spiked with cayenne, thyme, nutmeg, and cloves, then seared in beef suet until deeply browned.
The braising liquid is where this recipe really shows its hand: Burgundy wine, fresh tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, garlic, and a bouquet garni all simmer together in a covered Dutch oven for 90 minutes. The wine and tomatoes break down into a rich, acidic sauce that tenderizes the lean venison while the warm spices in the flour coating dissolve into the gravy.
Pounding the seasoned flour into the meat isn’t just for coating. It physically tenderizes the venison and creates a built-in thickener for the braising liquid. By the time the stew is done, the sauce is already the right consistency.
Pro Tips
- Sear the cubed venison in beef suet, not butter or oil. Suet can handle higher heat without burning and adds a beefy richness that complements the game flavor.
- Brown the onions alongside the meat until they’re deeply caramelized. Pale onions add nothing to a braise this robust.
- Saute the mushroom caps separately and stir them in at the end. Cooking them in the braise turns them rubbery and grey.
- Serve with wild rice and red currant jelly. The jelly’s tart sweetness is the traditional pairing for venison.
Variations
- Use a bold Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah if Burgundy isn’t available.
- Add diced carrots and celery root to the braise for more vegetables.
- Replace venison with elk or beef chuck if venison isn’t accessible.
Ingredients
Directions
Sift flour with salt, a few grains of cayenne, thyme, nutmeg and cloves.
Vigorously pound this seasoned flour into venison steak.
Cut the steak into 1 inch cubes. Heat melted beef suet in a heavy stewpot or Dutch oven and sear venison on all sides, adding thinly sliced onions to the pot.
When meat and onions are well browned, add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, burgundy, clove, garlic, and bouquet garni.
Cover pot closely, set in moderate oven, and cook 1½ hours or until meat is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil over direct heat.
Stir in sautéed mushroom caps and serve with wild rice and red currant jelly.
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