By Florence Fabricant
- Total Time
- 1 hour 40 minutes
- Rating
- 4(39)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Wintry weather and holiday get-togethers require celebratory food to share. Try venison instead of the more common roasts. A rub of cumin and pepper gives these chops warmth, while bacon adds a whiff of smoke and some fat with which to baste the lean meat. This recipe avoids the usual tart-fruit component, so the spices have less competition. Instead, seared shallots go alongside. For venison, the rack is the easiest cut to prepare. and in a hot oven it is quickly done and cut into chops. The meat is hearty and succulent, with the merest hint of gaminess. Be sure to cook it only to medium rare or it will toughen. Since most venison that’s available (unless you know a hunter) is ranch-raised in America or New Zealand and carries a hefty price tag, you do not want disappointment.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 4ounces smoked bacon (4 thick strips)
- 1rack of venison, about 2½ pounds, frenched
- 2teaspoons ground cumin
- 1teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt
- 6large shallots, quartered lengthwise
- ½cup beef or veal stock
- ½cup dry red wine
- 1tablespoon grainy mustard
- 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1tablespoon soft unsalted butter
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
217 calories; 11 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 414 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Using a heavy skillet large enough to accommodate the rack of venison, fry the bacon. Drain strips on paper towel. Cut bacon in ½-inch pieces and set aside. Brush venison with some of the bacon fat. Leave 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat in the pan and discard the rest. Mix 1½ teaspoons of the cumin with the pepper and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Rub the spices on the meat and let rest 1 hour. Cook the shallots in the remaining fat in the pan on medium heat until lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove shallots from the pan and set aside.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Using the skillet or another pan big enough to hold the rack of venison, place the venison in the pan, bone side down, and roast 20 minutes. Test with an instant-read thermometer. It should register 115 degrees for medium rare to rare. If more doneness is desired, leave the venison in the oven another 5 minutes. But it will start to toughen if cooked more than medium rare.
Step
3
Remove venison from the pan and place on a cutting board to rest while you prepare the sauce. Lightly toast the remaining ½ teaspoon cumin in the pan. Add the stock and the wine. Whisk in the mustard and thyme. Cook on medium high until the liquid has reduced to a scant ½ cup, just about covering the bottom of the pan. Lower heat and whisk in the butter bit by bit. Add additional salt if desired. Stir in the reserved bacon and shallots.
Step
4
Slice the rack into individual chops between the bones and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce with the shallots and bacon over the meat and serve.
Ratings
4
out of 5
39
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Cooking Notes
Jean Robinson
We didn’t have enough venison so we also did a small rack of lamb,. Used less bacon fat on the lamb than the venison... but that lamb and venison was a great combo! Seared both after removing from oven to get a crisper finish and then allowed to rest a few minutes. Added the jus from the rested racks to the sauce, which made the sauce a bit richer, less salty, more nuanced. Great and relatively easy to make recipe. Well worth the cost and effort.
Betsy
We've made this recipe twice now, cutting it in half because it's just two of us. I bought a 2.5 lb rack, and cut it half (four ribs per half) then froze one set. The only change I made was to toast and grind all cumin, and cut the shallots into eighths, and cook them until they were nice and soft. Really good and simple. Excellent with fingerlings and green beans.
Lilian
This was outstanding. I got my venison from D'artagnan. It was melt in the mouth tender and very tasty. I pulled the joint at 115, but it continued to rise more than I wished. Next time I'll pull it at 113. I added blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to the sauce while it was reducing, then strained it.
Jean Robinson
We didn’t have enough venison so we also did a small rack of lamb,. Used less bacon fat on the lamb than the venison... but that lamb and venison was a great combo! Seared both after removing from oven to get a crisper finish and then allowed to rest a few minutes. Added the jus from the rested racks to the sauce, which made the sauce a bit richer, less salty, more nuanced. Great and relatively easy to make recipe. Well worth the cost and effort.
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