Venison in a Port Sauce Recipe

Prep Time Cook Time Serves
25m 20m 4

If you haven’t tried venison, you really should. It has a lovely rich flavor that is not too gamey. In Europe you see this on the menu quite often and only in the Autumn when venison is in season.

INGREDIENTS

For the sauce:
  • 1 cup port
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 3 peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons butter
For the venison:
  • 1 (approximately 1 ¼ pound) tenderloin of venison, trimmed of fat and sinew
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small pot, combine the port, stock and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with about a tablespoon of water until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the pot. Continue to boil until a nice thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes longer. Once the sauce has reached your desired consistency, stir in the butter to give the sauce a nice shine. Remove the peppercorns and taste, adding more salt if desired.

Season the venison with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Add the venison and sear on all sides to brown. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for approximately 8 minutes more or until an internal meat thermometer reads 145°F. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before slicing.

When ready to serve, slice the venison crosswise so you have nice rounds of tenderloin. I like to serve this with some polenta and seasonal mushrooms. Drizzle generously with the sauce.

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