Sous Vide Venison Loin (Red Deer)

May 30, 2021

Sous Vide Venison Loin (Red Deer)

Red deer is Denmark’s largest game species, and the loin - also called the tenderloin - is the most tender and leanest cut on the animal. The low fat content makes the meat vulnerable: a few minutes too long in the pan and it turns dry and tough. Sous vide solves the problem by holding the meat at an exact core temperature, well before it hits the hot pan for the final browning.

The loin is seasoned with salt and pepper, optionally supplemented with thyme or rosemary, crushed juniper berries and garlic, and vacuum-sealed. It is then cooked in a water bath at 129-131°F (54-55°C) for one and a half to two hours, depending on how thick the loin is. Because the meat is so lean, it is precisely the low, stable core temperature that makes the difference between a juicy loin and a dry disappointment.

When the loin comes out of the bag, it must be patted completely dry and browned quickly and hard in plenty of butter in a very hot pan. The browning is purely about color and flavor - the meat is already heated through - so it has to go fast, 30-45 seconds per side, to a golden crust.

The loin is pink and juicy all the way through, with a flavorful seared crust on the outside and a mild, slightly gamey flavor. Sous vide venison loin suits a celebration dinner or a Sunday when there’s time to make a little extra effort. Slice it thinly and serve it at once - ideally with a quick sauce made from the meat juices in the bag, potato cake, white asparagus with truffle hollandaise or a tart lingonberry or redcurrant jelly.

Ingredients

Serves 4

600 g red deer loin (tenderloin), trimmed of sinew and silverskin
6 g salt
freshly ground pepper
2-3 sprigs thyme (or rosemary), optional
4-5 juniper berries, lightly crushed, optional
1 clove garlic, lightly crushed, optional
25-30 g butter, for browning
1 tbsp neutral oil, for browning, optional

Directions

Take the venison loin out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking, and trim it of sinew and silverskin. If the loin is very uneven in thickness, it can be tied with kitchen string so it cooks evenly. Then season it evenly with salt and pepper, and add the thyme or rosemary, the crushed juniper berries and the garlic on top if using. Place the meat in a vacuum bag and vacuum-seal at maximum pressure.

Preheat the sous vide water bath to 129-131°F (54-55°C), and only put the bag in the water once the bath has reached temperature. Cook the loin for 1.5-2 hours - use the shorter time for a thin, tapered loin, and the longer for a thicker, whole tenderloin. Venison loin is very lean game meat, so stay within this temperature range; if the meat gets too hot or cooks too long, it quickly turns dry and tough.

Take the bag out of the water and open it. Pat the meat completely dry, and ideally save the meat juices from the bag for a quick sauce. Heat a pan well and add the butter - and the oil if using, which raises the smoke point. Brown the loin quickly and hard on all sides, about 30-45 seconds per side, to a golden seared crust. The browning must happen over high heat and go fast, because the meat is already heated through after the water bath - the aim is color and flavor alone.

Let the meat rest for 3-5 minutes. Then slice it thinly across the muscle fibers, and serve at once.

Notes

The meat juices from the bag can be reduced lightly and enriched with cream, red wine or juniper for a quick, robust game sauce.
Serve ideally with potato cake (pommes anna), white asparagus with truffle hollandaise, a root-vegetable purée or a tart lingonberry or redcurrant jelly to balance the strong game flavor.
For a more well-done result, the temperature can be raised to 133-136°F (56-58°C) - but be aware that the meat then turns dry more easily, because it is so lean.