Quarantine at Home Series: Venison Stroganoff

Beautiful 150 lb Oklahoma 8 point

      Getting along past the middle of summer now.  We're starting to skip venison in the menu rotation due that we're getting down towards the last of it.  This has been an excellent deer;  grain fed and superb butchering.  It has lasted since November, no complaints.  I decided to take a couple of backstrap steaks and use them for Stroganoff.  We still have plenty of dried Morel Shrooms as well so this was an easy decision.  I keep my dried shrooms in an airtight jar so it's just a matter of picking out a few good ones and resealing the rest.

Dried Morels, the heart of Venison Stroganoff

      Now I'm sure there are as many good recipes for stroganoff as there are noodles and perhaps even a few more for venison.  I keep mine simple, yet tasty.  The morning of the meal I take a handful of shrooms and place them in a jar with enough sour cream to cover and place in the refrigerator.  This will not only rehydrate the shrooms, but give the sour cream a jump start on flavor as well.  These can sit for 4-5 hours if needed.   NOTE:  I picked up the nutmeg idea from the mother of a former student of mine.  It adds a very nice taste you wouldn't expect with venison. 

1 pound of good venison (I used backstrap, but round steak works well too)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef consume' or stock

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. nutmeg (that's right, nutmeg) 

2 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning 

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sour cream, divided. 

3 cups no yolk egg noodles

of course, the mushrooms

Trimmed 1" Venison Cubes

       Cut venison into 1/2" pieces and season with Montreal Steak Seasoning.  Let rest for about 15 minutes.  Heat deep cast iron skillet to medium.  Add butter and olive oil.  Dredge the meat into the flour to cover and then place in skillet (preferably cast iron) when hot.  Simmer while stirring and turning till browned, about 5 minutes; then add onion, garlic, salt, and nutmeg.  Stir.  Add the red wine and beef stock.  Continue to stir while turning heat to low.  Add a bit of water if necessary to keep things from burning or sticking. Simmer for an hour.  Prepare the noodles per instructions, drain and rinse.

Initial simmering

   

       Add the Worcestershire Sauce and continue to stir.  Return heat to low and add the mushroom infused sour cream and stir gently.  Stir in and then add then add any remaining needed sour cream.  Continue to simmer and stir for about 20 minutes, adding scattered parsley towards the end.

Adding the mushroom infused sour cream

The final simmer

      Serve warm over the noodles.  You can add garlic bread, regular rolls, or just a plain salad.  It's all good.  I always appreciate a good venison dish as no matter what any hunter says, YOU DON'T GET ONE EVERY YEAR.  A tribute to Mother Nature, it is the best of comfort food.

Plated for supper
Thank God for the bounty

"Beef Stroganoff originates from the French chefs working for the famous Russian Stroganov family.  I am proud to help make America great again as I made them share it with us as well as made Mexico pay for it" 

Donald Trump

(Quote awaiting SNOPES, CNN, MSNBC, ABC, and CBS validation)

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