How to prepare venison loin properly
Preparing venison loin properly isn't easy. The meat often becomes tough and dry. To prevent this from happening, we have a comprehensive guide for you. We'll explain how to optimally prepare your venison and reveal why an oven alone isn't enough.
The saddle of venison consists of the tenderloin and the loin fillet. It is therefore the most prized cut from the animal. Saddle of venison can be prepared whole or as steaks. The core temperature should be 54 to 58 °C. Herbs and berries are suitable as seasonings. Seasonal vegetables, as well as dumplings, spaetzle, and potato noodles, are recommended as side dishes.
Cooking venison saddle - preparation in simple steps
Fry and season venison fillets
To properly sear venison fillet, you should be aware that you first need to remove the silver skin. Depending on where you buy your fillet, it may have already been removed. Furthermore, the core temperature is crucial. The meat should have a core temperature of 54 to 58 degrees Celsius to be tender and juicy. It is also important that you bring your meat to room temperature before preparation. If you have frozen meat, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. You can find more detailed information about proper thawing here.
Once your meat is prepared, either sear it in a pan with a little oil or place it on the grill. Sear it at high heat and then let it cook slowly at medium heat. You can also prepare your fillets slowly on the grill in aluminum foil. Before slicing a steak with a sharp knife, you should let it rest for about 5 minutes so that the meat juices can stabilize in the venison.
Suitable spices generally include: salt and pepper, thyme, rosemary, allspice, juniper berries, as well as bay leaf and cranberries. However, we recommend our spice blend - the Burger Seasoning. It goes well with all meat dishes and gives an extra kick. Tip: You can also serve cranberry jam as a sauce.
Our spice recommendation
Whole venison loin
To prepare a whole saddle of venison, you must first ensure that the silver skin is removed and the meat is clean. The meat should also be at room temperature. Lightly toast your spices, such as juniper, bay leaf, pepper or allspice, in a pan. Then apply the spices and gently rub them into the meat. Now sear your saddle of venison on all sides in the pan and place the meat in your preheated oven. The saddle needs approx. 18-20 minutes in the oven at 140 degrees Celsius (convection).
For the sauce, feel free to fry root vegetables and seasonal mushrooms (autumn and winter) in the pan. For an additional fruity note, you can also add diced apples, but make sure to remove the core beforehand. Add a little tomato paste and heat it up. Once everything is seared, you can deglaze it with red wine.
Now remove everything from the pan and put it in a pot. Puree your vegetables and fruit and pour in water, stock or game stock. Now let everything reduce and season the sauce with salt, balsamic vinegar and game seasoning. Your saddle of venison is now ready.
A juicy venison roast can also be prepared from the leg. Here we have a recipe for it.
Side dishes for venison and game
Wild meat is a delicacy. For this reason, the right side dishes must not be missing when preparing it. Whether a whole saddle of venison roasted whole or tender fillets from the grill - the right side dish is the cherry on top. Because even if you achieve the perfect cooking point and thus have not made a mistake during cooking, or your meat from the oven is simply perfect - the choice of side dish determines the success of the overall concept. We have a small list for you here.
As side dishes we recommend:
- Spätzle
- Dumplings (bread dumplings)
- Potato dumplings
- Schupfnudeln (potato noodles)
- Salad with seasonal vegetables
- Potato dishes of all kinds
FAQ
To prevent venison loin from becoming dry, you should sear it first and then cook it gently in the oven.
The venison loin is cooked when it has reached an internal temperature of 54 to 58 °C.
The venison loin needs 18 to 20 minutes in the oven if you have seared it on all sides in a pan beforehand.
Venison becomes tender when you sear it on all sides in a pan and then gently cook it in the oven until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 54 to 58 °C.
These spices are suitable for saddle of venison: thyme, rosemary, allspice, cloves, juniper berries, bay leaves, cranberries, salt and pepper.
Our conclusion
The venison loin is the most exquisite cut of the animal. It contains both the loin and the tenderloin . These are valuable parts of the loin and can be prepared separately. However, the loin can also be prepared whole. The core temperature is crucial for the meat to achieve the desired consistency. Berries, herbs, and red wine are excellent for seasoning the sauce and the meat . It is also recommended to always use seasonal vegetables and fruit as side dishes and sauce bases. Spätzle, dumplings, and Schupfnudeln are also good choices.
