Venison Medallions with Blackberries and Cognac Cream Sauce

You may be afraid to serve venison thinking it will have a strong 'gamey' flavor. I can assure you that is not always the case. Venison (deer and antelope) comes in three basic varieties in the US. These are farm-raised, free-range ranched, and wild. 

Julian's Venison Medallions with Glazed Carrots

Farm-raised venison has its own unique flavor, but it is mild and never "gamey" as that raised in the wild. It will taste more to you and your guests like mild beef, or in this case beef tenderloin. It requires less-flavorful marinades and processes to tenderize it when it's farm raised. But there is a difference between farmed-raised venison and free-range venison, which is typically raised on a ranch but roams freely on the property. These ranched animals therefore have a different diet than farm-raised, which are typically fed grains. These free-range animals forage on native bushes and grasses on the ranch which give the meat its distinctive flavor. It still remains more mild than wild venison your friends or family may have hunted, which is what most people remember and think of as 'gamey'. 

Served with a roasted pear and arugula salad with beets.

Sometimes you get a smaller venison tenderloin (i.e., not very thick) from younger deer and even though you may cut it into a 3/4 inch piece, it will still be smaller (less than 3 ounces each) and as such you will need to serve 3 per person or even more. Don't attempt to cut it into thicker pieces as they will be difficult to cook to the correct temperature. Simply serve more pieces per person. In the packages I get, they place two smaller tenderloins in each package, which in total weighs about 1.75 pounds. You will need 2 packages of these to serve 8 people, each 3-4 portions. 

I get my venison tenderloins for this recipe at Wild Fork Foods, which sells them vacuum packed and frozen. These are from farm-raised deer 'grass fed finished' to add a little more flavor. They have many stores and also do a robust online business.

Ingredients (Serves 8)

Venison
1-2 packages of venison tenderloins

     farm raised or ranched preferred

     about 3.5 pounds total

3 tablespoons safflower or canola oil

Sauce
1/2 cup brandy or cognac

    (or substitute dry white wine)
1 medium shallot, chopped
1-2 cups blackberries or blueberries
1 cup strong veal stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Venison: Lay out the venison tenderloin on a cutting board and trim off the thin tail portions and set aside for use in the sauce. Cut away any sinew or silver skin (which is the thin membrane of connective tissue) remaining on the meat. Cut venison into medallions about 3/4 of an inch thick. You'll need to serve each person about 6 ounces of venison so once you cut it into pieces, weigh a couple and you will know how many pieces per person need to be served. Season the venison medallions very lightly with course sea salt. Place the cut pieces on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet or on a paper towel lined plate and refrigerate uncovered up to 24 hours in advance of the meal. 

Make a Sauce: Using venison ends or scraps, sauté them in a little cooking oil in a hot stainless steal or cast iron skillet to brown and release their juices. Stir the shallot in the drippings or use some olive oil if the pan still seems dry. Add the brandy or cognac, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits until it has mostly reduced and you can no longer smell the alcohol (about 1 minute). Add the veal stock and bring to simmer and let it simmer rapidly for 2 to 3 minutes or until it reduces by half. Stir in about half the berries and cook for about 15 minutes until the berries are soft and release their juices. Mash with the back of your spoon. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the solids. Place the sauce in a suitably sized sauce pan or cover and refrigerate for later use. 

Finish the Sauce: Just before your planned meal time, rewarm the sauce over medium heat without bringing it to a boil. Stir in the butter until melted. Add cream and 5-6 grinds of freshly cracked black pepper and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust as necessary and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens (do not let it boil rapidly). Keep warm until ready for use below. 

Cook the Venison: In a large stainless steal or cast iron skillet, heat oil to nearly smoking. Carefully place the medallions in the pan and sauté for 3 minutes until well browned, being careful not to crowd the pan. Turn and cook to medium rare, about 1-2 minutes more. Remove from pan to a plate and repeat as necessary to quickly brown all medallions. Let the medallions rest for 5-10 minutes on a plate tented with foil. Stir any juices from the rested venison into the sauce. 

Serve: To serve, spoon a little sauce on warm individual serving plates. Place 2-3 medallions in center of sauce. Add a few fresh blackberries around the medallions and spoon a little additional sauce over the venison medallions. Serve immediately.