Venison Steak Au Poivre
The truth is this was a last minute recipe. I was planning on a different recipe but was running late for something or other, so I threw this together and it just worked out.
This recipe is so simple and so fast I just had to share it.
The meat here is obviously on show and needs to be the right cut. For us, venison tenderloin or backstrap are the only real contenders.
I had tenderloin this time, but I've done plenty of backstrap steaks with pan sauce before.
The Method
Frying any venison steak you need the right tools. This means a pan that can handle high heat, such as carbon steel, cast iron, or stainless steel.
Next, a high smoke point oil. Anything else will burn and turn bitter.
This is based on the classic French steak au poivre, which means with pepper. It's simple: pat the meat dry and press it onto a bed of gently crushed peppercorn.
Now, remember I said high temp?
This is true for normal steak to get a sear. Because we now have peppercorn on the outside of our steak, we lower the temperature just a smidge.
Venison Butchering Diagram
Download my complete venison cut diagram showing every primal cut and the best cooking methods for each—from tenderloin steaks to ground shoulder.
The Sauce
The heart of this dish comes from the sauce. While the steak is resting you can get started on the sauce.
It's a quick sauce, so plenty of time to make it while the steak rests. The two main components are the spirit and the cream.
The cream needs to be heavy, especially on a pan sauce like this. For the spirit you have a few options: brandy, whisky, cognac.
Cognac would be the most delicate, but is my preferred. I've also made this numerous times with whisky which presents a bolder flavor.
Perfect Venison Peppercorn Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- The Steak
- The Sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the steak: Press the crushed peppercorns into both sides of the venison. Season with salt.
- Sear the venison: Heat oil in a cast iron or heavy pan over high heat. Sear the venison 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Add butter, smashed garlic, and thyme sprig. Baste the steak continuously for 1-2 minutes.
- Rest the steak: Remove venison from pan and let rest. Keep the pan with all the fond and aromatics.
- Start the sauce: Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp. Add the minced shallot and sauté 30-45 seconds until translucent.
- Deglaze with spirit: Pull pan off heat and carefully add the brandy, cognac, or whisky. Return to medium heat and let bubble and reduce by half, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add stock: Pour in the stock, scraping up all the fond with a wooden spoon. Reduce by half, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cream and mustard: Stir in the cream and Dijon mustard. Lower heat and simmer 3-5 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Finish the sauce: Add Worcestershire sauce (if using) and balsamic vinegar or lemon juice for brightness. Remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter for a glossy finish. Taste and adjust salt.
- Serve: Slice the rested venison and serve with the peppercorn cream sauce.