Grilled Venison Loin with Herbs and Horseradish Cream

Ingredients

  • Serves 4
  • 1 ½ – 2 pounds venison loin, trimmed of all silverskin
  • Salt and pepper
  • Fresh chopped herbs: thyme, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, savory and/or parsley, to yield about 2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs.
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated or prepared horseradish, or more to taste
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh chives or parsley
  • Juice and zest of one lemon
  • Salt to taste

Play Button Grilled Veniso video

Instructions

Start a hot fire in a grill or preheat a grill to high heat. Season the loins with salt and pepper, and marinate in the herbs and olive oil for 2 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Once the coals have burned down, make an even and hot fire. Grill on one side without moving until nicely browned, about 4-5 minutes, then turn 90 degrees. Flip the loins, cooking them about 4-5 minutes more and still nice and rare on the inside. Aim for a good, deeply browned char on the outside. Remove to a warm plate and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce.

For the horseradish sauce, mix the crème fraiche, horseradish, chives, and zest together in a small bowl, adding salt to taste. Serve the loin, sliced thinly against the grain with mashed potatoes, the horseradish cream and a simple salad or green beans.

From "Afield: A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish"
By Jesse Griffiths