Venison stroganoff

This easy “two pot” wild game creation is a perfect winter meal

Beef stroganoff is a worldwide dish that has its roots in Russia. This classic dish develops a rich velvety sauce that is the perfect winter meal.

This is an easy “two pot” meal, one for the stroganoff and one for the starch that can be prepared at home or at the camp. This dish is traditionally served over egg noodles, but I prefer the smaller pasta such as rotini. It is also excellent over mashed potatoes or grits.

For this recipe, I used backstrap, but you can use ground venison in its place if you wish. This classic meal is sure to impress even the most stringent food critics within your family and friends.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ pounds venison (I used backstrap for this recipe, but any good cut would work)
• 1 large onion sliced
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (button mushrooms work, but wild foraged oyster mushrooms would add a certain uniqueness to the meal)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup red wine for deglazing…another ½ cup for consuming while cooking
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups venison bone broth (you can substitute beef broth)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup sour cream (at room temperature)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chives for garnish
• Prepared starch of choice

PREPARATION: Serves 6

1. Cut your backstrap into 1-inch medallions. Using a meat mallet, tenderize each medallion. Then, cut into bite size pieces.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a dutch oven over high heat. Quickly sear the backstrap, cooking each piece carefully to medium rare. Remove the backstrap and set aside to rest.
4. Reduce heat to medium and deglaze the pot with wine.
5. Add butter to your dutch oven.
6. Add sliced onions and cook until translucent.
7. Add mushrooms and cook until tender.
8. Dust both mushrooms and onions with flour and stir until incorporated.
9. Add venison bone broth.
10. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
11. Add Dijon mustard.
12. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream until your sauce is well incorporated.
13. Add the venison back to the sauce and stir.
14. Serve over egg noodles and garnish with chives.