Seared Venison Backstrap with Roasted Beet and Sweet Potato Hash

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Justin Townsend

Editor-in-Chief at Harvesting Nature

Justin (Choctaw) is an avid hunter, angler, and chef whose passion for the outdoors lead him to create Harvesting Nature in 2011. He continues to hunt, fish, and cook all while sharing his experiences with others through film, podcasts, print, and with recipes. He also proudly serves in the United States Coast Guard.

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Recipe contributed by Field Staff Writer A. Fick and Editor in Chief J. Townsend.

Freezing temperatures and snow are plaguing most of the country which indicates that it is clearly winter. This recipe contains all of the ingredients that will warm you up, fill you up, satisfy, and keep you fit. At my house, winter root vegetables are in abundance from our garden. I like to use my oven as much as possible during the winter because I can cook food and help heat up the house. This dual purposing prevents me from wasting excess fuel.

With that said, roasting beets add a certain sweetness to the beets which you cannot really produce with any other cooking method. The combination of the beets and sweet potatoes, in the hash, make for a warm, sweet, and earthy flavor addition to the tangy marinade of the seared venison backstrap.

Backstrap, for those of you who do not know, is one of the most favored cuts of meat on a deer. This particular cut of meat runs the length of the spine from the rear haunches to the neck of the deer. The backstrap is very tender and easy to slice and prepare.

First off, you will need to prepare your marinade and venison to sit overnight in the refrigerator.

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Mustard and Balsamic Marinade

Ingredients:

• 1.5 – 2 lbs of Venison backstrap, sliced to ¼ – ½ inch slices
• 1 Cup Olive Oil
• ¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Mustard (You can use different mustards to accent the flavor, such as one with garlic and one with wasabi)
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

Preparation:
1. Combine the Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Mustard, and Worcestershire Sauce in a bowl and whisk until blended thoroughly.
2. Submerge the Sliced Venison Backstrap
3. Allow the marinade to sit overnight in the refrigerator
4. When ready, grill at medium-low heat being careful not to overcook.

Roasted Beet and Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients:

• 2 Whole Beets
• 2 Sweet Potatoes
• 12 pearl onions, skin removed and halved
• 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Rosemary
• 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil (olive, grape seed, coconut)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Wash Sweet Potatoes and Beets thoroughly
3. Wrap the beets on aluminum foil and cook for 50-60 minutes in the oven until you can easily slide a fork into the center of the beet.
4. While waiting, bring a medium pot of water to boil
5. Slice the Sweet Potatoes into ½ – 1 inch chunks.
6. Add the sweet potatoes to the boiling water
7. Cook until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork
8. Drain the Sweet Potatoes and set aside
9. Remove the beets from the oven and allow to cool
10. Once cool, peel the beet using a rag or paper towel to “rub” off the skin
11. Slice the beets into ½ – 1 inch chunks
12. Heat the oil over medium high heat
13. Add the potatoes, onions, thyme, rosemary, and season with salt and black pepper to taste
14. Allow the sweet potatoes to brown and then add the beets to warm-up