Blueberry Bourbon Venison

You can slice your venison loin into 1- to 1½-inch steaks for this recipe, but I prefer to cook it whole. Not only does this hold the juices better, it also makes for a more flavourful result.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2-3 lb venison back strap, trimmed
• Montreal steak spice (or similar seasoning), to taste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup bourbon (or rye whisky)
• Half lemon, juiced
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

 Preparation

1. Sprinkle venison all over with spice (don’t use anything that will overpower the meat’s natural flavours).
2. Heat oil in cast iron frying pan; sear meat all over until rich brown (about 2 minutes per side for rare).
3. Combine blueberries, bourbon, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan; simmer, stirring occasionally (and carefully to avoid crushing the berries) for 10 minutes until well blended and berry juice has cooked into sauce.
4. In a bowl, stir water into cornstarch to make a paste; slowly add to simmering berries to thicken sauce. Maintain heat until mixture is well blended and consistent in texture. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat a metal spoon, you’ll know it’s ready to serve.
5. Slice back strap into thin medallions and top each piece with several heaping tablespoons of blueberry sauce.