It is game time. It is moist, cold and dark outside and if you are not a hunter, it is hard to appreciate this time of the year. I am glad there are lots of hunters in the forests of Brandenburg. The largest venison I have ever seen was delivered to us last Friday. We used the saddle and added lots of beets and some coffee and served as the main dish at NordenBerlin. I am very pleased with the result.
Photo: Behance.net/Bastarte
Saddle of venison, pickled & smoked & braised beets and coffee
- 600 g venison
Fry the saddle in a pan on all sides. Put in the oven and let it roast on low temperature (100 degrees) until the inner temperature is 54. Let is rest for 10 minutes before you serve it.
Pickled golden beets
- 2 golden beets
- 0.2 L water
- 2 tsp sugar
- 4 tsp vinegar
Cook the beets. When they are done (don’t overcook) cool down, peel and cut in sticks. Add to the mixture of water, sugar and vinegar.
Cook to red beets. Cut one in quarters and one in slices.
Smoked beet root pure
- 3 beet roots
- 1 g agar agar
Cook the beets and peel them. Smoke for 10 minutes and the use a juice separator to get the juice out of the beets. Heat and add agar agar while whisking. Cool down and mix to a creamy consistency. If you don’t have a juice separator or a smoker, cook beet root juice with smoked bacon and/or smoked salt.
Gravy
- 0.5 L Venison stock
- 0.1 L red wine
- 1 teaspoon coffee powder
- 2 tsp butter
Reduce the stock and wine to the half. Add coffee, salt and pepper. Let in simmer until the right consistency. Whisk the butter into the sauce shortly before serving.
Cook the beets. Peel and smoke for 15 minutes. Put in a juice separator. Heat the juice and add agar agar. Let is cool down and mix to a creamy consistency. If you don’t have a smoker or a juice separator. Buy juice from beet root and cook with smoked bacon and/or smoked salt.
Plating: Spread the pure on the bottom of the plate. Add beet root – slices and quarters – and the golden beet. Put some creme fraiche on the the slices and add espresso powder. Sprinkle the jus around the meat.
Music: prepared while listening to Fibes, Oh Fibes!
NordenBerlin 