Equipment
Ingredients
Venison
- 600 g venison loin, cut into medallions
- 5 g kosher salt
- 3 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 15 ml olive oil
Blackberry Sage Sauce
- 1 shallot, minced
- 8 fresh sage leaves, whole
- 150 g blackberries, fresh
- 30 ml balsamic vinegar
- 150 ml beef stock, low-sodium
- 30 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 302 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 564 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 43 mg
- Potassium
- 196 mg
- Calcium
- 54 mg
- Iron
- 5.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 30 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 56 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 12 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.33 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.60 mg
- Niacin
- 10.5 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 197 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the venison medallions dry with a paper towel. Season them evenly on both sides with the kosher salt and black pepper. Let them rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to ensure even cooking.
Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering and just starting to smoke lightly.
Add the venison to the hot skillet. Sear undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep, dark brown crust forms. Check with a meat thermometer; remove the meat when the internal temperature reaches 52C (125F) for a perfect medium-rare.
Transfer the seared venison medallions to a plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let them rest while you prepare the sauce. Carryover cooking will bring them up to exactly 54C (130F).
Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and fresh sage leaves to the residual fats in the pan. Stir constantly for 1 minute until the shallot softens and the sage becomes aromatic.
Pour in the balsamic vinegar. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned fond stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Let the vinegar bubble and reduce for 30 seconds.
Add the blackberries and beef stock to the skillet. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, using the back of your spoon to gently mash about half of the blackberries to release their juices. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half and easily coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the skillet entirely from the heat. Add any juices that have pooled on the venison resting plate into the skillet. Whisk in the cold cubed butter one piece at a time until the sauce becomes smooth, glossy, and emulsified.
Plate the rested venison medallions and generously spoon the rich blackberry sage reduction over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Venison is incredibly lean. Serving it past medium-rare (54C/130F) will result in a tough, livery texture. Pan-searing hot and fast is the best method to build flavor without drying out the interior.
- The technique of whisking cold butter into a sauce off the heat is known as monter au beurre. It is crucial for creating a glossy, thick sauce that elegantly clings to the meat.
- If wild hunted venison is used instead of farmed, you may want to soak it in milk for an hour beforehand to draw out excess blood and gaminess, though the bold blackberry and sage pairing naturally balances earthy, wild flavors.
- When mashing the blackberries, avoid completely destroying all of them. Leaving a few mostly intact provides great textural contrast and a beautiful rustic appearance on the plate.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store meat and sauce in airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — The blackberry sauce freezes beautifully for up to a month. Freezing the cooked venison is not recommended as it degrades the tender texture.
Reheating: Reheat the venison very gently over low heat or in a low oven to avoid cooking it past medium-rare. Warm the sauce separately and pour over.
Troubleshooting
Venison is tough, dry, or livery in texture
Cause: The meat was overcooked past medium-rare
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Slice the meat as thinly as possible against the grain and coat heavily in the sauce to provide moisture.
Prevention: Always use a fast-reading meat thermometer and remove the meat from the pan at 52C (125F) to account for carryover cooking.
Sauce is broken, greasy, or separated
Cause: The skillet was too hot when the butter was added, causing the fat emulsion to break.
Fix: Vigorously whisk in a tablespoon of cold water off the heat until the emulsion comes back together.
Prevention: Completely remove the pan from the heat source before whisking in the cold butter cubes.
Sauce is too thin and runs off the meat
Cause: The stock and berry mixture was not reduced long enough before adding the butter.
Fix: Return to the stove, bring back to a gentle simmer, and reduce further. If butter is already added, do this very gently to avoid breaking the sauce.
Prevention: Ensure the liquid volume is reduced by at least half and coats the back of a spoon before proceeding.
Cultural Context
Venison has been a prized game meat in European hunting traditions for centuries, often reserved for nobility or special celebrations. Pairing rich game meats with dark, tart fruits like blackberries or cherries is a classic culinary technique that balances the intense, earthy flavors of the meat with bright acidity and natural sweetness.
