Here’s a dish to really impress your dinner guests. And while you’re at it, you can rock their socks off with some recipe-related trivia: for example, this one comes from the sixth season of the British Columbian docuseries Moosemeat & Marmalade, starring Indigenous bush cook Art Napoleon and classically trained chef Dan Hayes. You can brag about knowing that the entire sixth season was filmed in B.C. You can also tell them that the series has already been greenlit for the next season, which will have only Indigenous woman directors. Heck yeah.

Don’t say all that with your mouth full, though. Here’s the recipe for pan-seared venison and salsa chimichurri from chef Dan Hayes.

Pan-Seared Venison with Salsa Chimichurri Recipe

Ingredients

  • Venison tenderloin, cut of backstrap or leg steak
  • ½ small white onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 small bunch parsley 
  • 1 small bunch cilantro
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp cumin 
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • Canola oil 
  • Salt

Homemade Cooked Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and Spices

Make It

1. To make the chimichurri, place all of your cilantro leaves and parsley leaves in the mixing container of a hand blender. You will want to be using something about the size of a 1L yogurt container.

2. Add peeled garlic, about white onion, red wine vinegar, sugar, cumin and chili into the blender. Pour in approx. 1/3 cup canola oil and a splash of water and blend until smooth.

3. For the venison, trim the sinew or silver skin from a tenderloin, cut of back strap or leg steak. Slice into thin 1/2 inch strips and lightly flatten and spread with fist, heavy knife or bottom of pan.

4. Heat a non-stick pan up till very hot – this will take a few minutes.

5. Meanwhile, rub the meat with canola oil on both sides then season with salt.

6. Lay the meat into the hot pan and sear until lightly brown. Turn over and turn off the pan. Do not move venison until sizzling has stopped. Then, put meat on a plate. Pour over any juice and serve with chimichurri.

Western Living

Western Living

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