how about on the stove top? is less messy to do this outside, but can be done indoors just the same. might be my favorite venison recipe. will surely impress anyone who likes to eat.
Blackened Venison Loin
McCormick brand Seasoned Pepper Blend
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (or other brand that has sugar in it)
For dinner for two, prepare a piece of back strap about 8” long or approximately 1/3 of a whole loin. Allow meat to come to room temp and thoroughly pat it dry prior to seasoning and cooking.
Liberally coat every surface of the meat with the seasoned pepper blend. It will almost look like you breaded it.
Apply a light coating of Onion powder next, over the entire surface.
Follow that with Garlic powder, applied in the same manner as the onion powder.
To finish, apply a liberal coat of Seasoned Salt. Coating every surface again.
Heat about 1/16" of olive oil in a 10” or 12” heavy cast iron skillet until you get some smoke coming off of it. You want the meat to sizzle when it goes in. It isnt a bad idea to do this outside on the grill side burner, since it will splatter quite a bit.
When the oil smokes, place the meat in the pan and check the time. I go 4 minutes, without moving the meat. After 4 minutes, flip the meat over and go another 4 minutes. If you have the pan hot enough, you will have a nice, black crust on the meat where it touched the pan and be medium rare to rare in the center, which is perfect. Pull the meat out of the pan and set aside to rest.
Lower the heat a little bit and de-glaze the pan with some red wine and low sodium soy sauce; About ¼ to ½ cup of each depending on your taste. (I actually do 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/2 cup wine, reduce by 1/2 or a bit more.) I suggest using a good Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir that you already enjoy, drink remainder of bottle while cooking and eating. :smile:Scrape pan to remove all the yum-yums stuck to the bottom. Let the sauce reduce by about ½ and remove from the heat.
After resting, while you deglaze pan and reduce the dipping sauce/au jus, slice meat into ¼” thick medallions and serve. I like to use the wine reduction as a dipping sauce served on the side, but you could just float the venison medallions in it if you wanted. Magnificent with mashed Yukon Golds and grilled Romaine hearts with Caesar salad dressing.