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Roasted Venison

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Roasted VenisonJohn Kernick

A gentle seasoning and overnight marination lets venison's lean, clean mouth-filling meatiness shine.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    10 hr

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

3

pound Denver roast of venison, cut into 6- by 3-inch pieces

2

heads garlic, cloves separated and smashed

1

/2 cup savory or thyme leaves, lightly crushed

1

/2 cup dry red wine

1

/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1

/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, slightly cracked

1

/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1

tablespoon kosher salt

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Toss venison with garlic, savory, wine, allspice, peppercorns, and 1/4 cup oil in a sealable bag. Marinate, chilled, turning bag occasionally, at least 8 hours.

    Step 2

    Bring venison to room temperature, about 1 hour.

    Step 3

    Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.

    Step 4

    Discard marinade and pat meat dry. Sprinkle on all sides with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, then 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper. Heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown meat on all sides in 2 or 3 batches, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a shallow baking pan.

    Step 5

    Roast until venison registers 125°F on an instant-read thermometer (inserted 2 inches horizontally into meat) for rare, 5 to 8 minutes (depending on thickness of meat). Let stand on a cutting board 10 minutes before slicing across the grain.