Roasted Rack of Venison

Venison is a must have on the menu at our house- not just because the farmer is a deer farmer either. These Balmoral Estate venison racks are about to change your life. Sam used one word to describe the experience as I ran the knife through the rack like butter-boom.

Venison is really easy to cook, tastes spectacular and packs a punch nutritionally as well. If venison is not on your shopping list then get out your pen and put it on there!

INGREDIENTS

• x1 8 rib venison frenched rack
• 1 dozen cherry tomatoes
• pinch of salt
• ground peppercorn
• dash of oil
• 500g button or assorted field mushrooms

METHOD:
Wash cherry tomatoes. Season the rack with salt and ground peppercorns
Sear the venison on a hot plate (really hot!) and roast in the oven at a moderate temperature (160 ̊C) for 20-25mins (less if it is small but the Balmoral ones I use are big fat juicy ones so need a few more minutes!). Add the tomatoes for the last 5 minutes.
Remove meat from the roasting pan and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes- 15 would be better (but you may not be able to wait that long because the smell is going to make you want to eat it straight away!)
Heat the oil in a pan. Slice mushrooms, then sauté until cooked.
Serve with the mushrooms, tomatoes and seasonal vegetables.

You can see here that I should have rested it a bit longer because the juices are coming out

TIPS ON VENISON:

The three keys to success are:

• Serve medium rare. This is the most juicy, tender way to have the meat.
• Rest meat after cooking for at least half as long as you cooked it for, this will make your meat juicy and delicious
• Don't be restricted by traditional or preconceived notions of venison dishes, farm raised venison is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of culinary styles.
  -Though seasoning with salt and plenty of pepper, hot pan, quick cooking, straight off the pan and into the mouth is the best in my view!

And remember: 

•  Always pre-heat the oven, pan or grill before cooking – hot pan is essential
• Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking, not straight from the fridge
• When barbecuing, grilling or pan frying, brush the venison on each side with a light cooking oil or spray. Less is more when it comes to oil and venison.
• Sear the meat quickly over a high heat on each side, to seal in its natural juices
• As there's so little fat, there's little shrinkage when cooking and it's best served medium-rare
• When roasting, quickly sear the venison first then roast in a hot, pre-heated oven
• Resting venison in a warm place for a few minutes, covered loosely, allows its natural juices to disperse evenly, enhancing its succulence.
• Don't reheat venison unless it's in a casserole (it is so good, it seems a crime to have any leftovers anyway)
• Thaw frozen venison in a fridge, slowly. If you use a microwave I will kick you.