Food & Drink

Applewood-Bacon-Wrapped Venison Loin

Name: Applewood-Bacon-Wrapped Venison Loin
Ingredients: Venison loin, all silver skinless; 1 cup whole milk; 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed; Small handful black peppercorns; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, picked off the stem and chopped Vegetable oil; 1 lb. sliced applewood-smoked bacon; Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste; 1/4 stick unsalted butter

A versatile venison recipe

February/March 2014

Photo: Peter Frank Edwards

Ingredients

- Venison loin, all silver skinless
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
- Small handful black peppercorns
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, picked off the stem and chopped Vegetable oil
- 1 lb. sliced applewood-smoked bacon
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 stick unsalted butter

Preparation

Cut venison loin in half and soak overnight in refrigerator with the milk, crushed garlic, peppercorns, and rosemary.
Coat a large cast-iron skillet with vegetable oil and place it on a very hot wood stove or over medium-high heat on a kitchen stove. Drain the venison loin from the milk, discard the other ingredients, and pat dry with paper towels.
Lay out the bacon strips on a cutting board, with pieces overlapping slightly, forming two large bacon sheets. Place one half of the loin across the bacon and gently roll the whole piece, covering it in a sheet of bacon. Repeat the process with the other half.
Season the loins with liberal amounts of salt and pepper, and place them in the hot skillet, seam side down. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the bacon becomes crispy. Turn loins over and sear for the same amount of time, using tongs to ensure that the bacon is cooked through on all sides.
Add butter to the skillet and spoon it over the venison to baste. The meat will be done cooking when it reaches an internal temperature of about 130 degrees. At that point, pull the loin halves out of the skillet and let them rest for 2 minutes before slicing them into medallions and fanning them across a plate. Dress with your favorite sauce. Although the possibilities are endless, Bundy likes a creamy béarnaise or hollandaise.