It’s always the case: I go to load a new deer into my garage deep freezer, and suddenly find some surprises in the frosty cold. There’s always some leftover ground venison or shanks. This time, it was a venison roast.
It had somehow fallen into the void of darkness that is the bottom of a chest freezer, as if a gravity-controlled game of Tetris had arranged things at the bottom of everything. But I found it.
I thought I’d completely cooked through my venison supply from last season, but I had a single football roast, or sirloin tip, as some might call it.
This is one of my favorite roasts that comes from a deer’s hind leg. It’s incredibly versatile and insanely delicious. It also has some thickness to it, so it’s less likely to dry out like some of its smaller counterparts. With Christmas right around the corner I had a perfect recipe in mind.
Nothing says the holidays like a giant chunk of salted and seasoned roasted meat, ready to be sliced and served piled high amongst the collection of starches and carbs. I love it when you can feed anywhere from four to eight adults with one piece of protein — sign me up.
Even better, this recipe is easy to prep, cook, and clean up. And we all know how hectic the holidays can be, so let me make it easy for you with this beautifully tasty dish.
The reason this dish works is because it pairs so well with the other holiday dinner staples. The rosemary, garlic, and orange zest rub will jump off your palate like Santa Claus from rooftop to rooftop. And the red wine reduction sauce may as well be its own food group.
I’ve had some bad luck with sauces breaking, so I chose to make this a reduction rather than French style sauce. It’ll save you some time and a potential headache. I like the rustic look and feel of the sauce so Ieave the thyme leaves and stems in, but feel free to remove them if you want.
I also had planned to add juniper berries to give it an extra layer of holiday pine and fresh woody taste, but the majority of stores don’t carry them, and I didn’t have time to order them online, so I decided to add a little more rosemary instead. Whatever. It’s still delicious.
I did choose to balance out the acidity here by adding some mixed-berry preserves to the sauce for a little sweetness and to help thicken it to the consistency I was looking for.
So, I hope this dish brings you joy as it did for me and my family. All you need is a cast iron skillet and you’re good to go. I do however recommend pulling this when it temps around 125, so you won’t overcook it as it rests but hey, you do you. Merry Christmas y’all!
Venison Roast with Red Wine Reduction Step-by-Step Recipe
Ingredients
Venison Roast
- 1 venison roast (2–4 lb)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest of 1/2 orange
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Red Wine Reduction
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 11/2 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup venison or beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon jelly or honey
- 2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter (to finish)
- Salt to taste
Venison Roast Directions
Season the Roast (12–24 hours ahead recommended)
– Pat venison completely dry.
– Mix salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, and orange zest.
– Rub roast all over with oil, then seasoning.
– Refrigerate uncovered or loosely covered overnight. (If short on time, season at least 1 hour ahead.)
Sear the Venison Roast
– Remove roast from fridge 45 minutes before cooking.
– Heat a heavy pan (cast iron preferred) over medium-high.
– Sear roast on all sides until deeply browned (2–3 min per side).
Roast the Venison
– Preheat oven to 300 degrees
– Transfer roast to a rack or oven-safe pan.
– Roast until internal temp reaches:
125-130 degrees for medium-rare
135 degrees max for medium (venison dries quickly).
Roast for about. 25 to 30 minutes per pound, but rely on a thermometer.
– Rest loosely tented for 20 minutes before slicing.
Red Wine Reduction Directions
– In the same pan you cooked the venison in, melt 1 tbsp butter
– Sauté shallot until soft (2–3 min)
– Deglaze with red wine, scraping the good brown bits at the bottom
– Add stock, bay leaf, thyme, and jelly
– Reduce by about 2/3, until glossy and spoon-coating
– Strain if desired
– Whisk in cold butter off heat
– Season to taste
ENJOY!
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