Because First Light venison comes from young animals it is delicate and should be treated accordingly. Here are a few tips and tricks to give it that extra 5% of magic.
It’s lean, don’t over cook it
Venison is very low in fat and is best served medium-rare. This equates to an internal temperature of 57°C/135°F if you’re using a meat thermometer.
Don’t cook cold
Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking it.
Oil the meat, not the pan
When grilling, barbecuing or pan-frying steaks, first brush each side of the meat with a little oil, before searing for one minute each side per cm thickness.
Roasting — salt plus heat equals crispy & delicious
When roasting larger cuts, first sear all sides of the meat to seal in the juices. To achieve a medium-rare roast, cook at 180°C/350°F for 15 minutes per 500g.
Keep stir-fry moving
Venison stir-fry only takes a couple of minutes cooking on a high heat — just remember to keep the meat moving in the pan or wok to avoid over-cooking.
Rest it
After cooking, let your venison rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to evenly disperse.
Venisons best friends are…
Venison works well with lots of interesting ingredients including anchovies, bacon, celeriac, mushrooms, red wine, thyme and tomatoes. But possibly not all in the one dish.
Cooking your farm-raised venison
| Venison cut | Suggested method | Approx. cooking time (rare) |
|---|---|---|
| Steaks and medallions | Pan-fry, bbq | 1 minute each side per cm thickness at high heat |
| Stir-fry | Hot pan or wok | 1 or 2 minutes over high heat |
| Roasts | Sear, then oven roast at moderate temperature | 15 minutes per 500g @ 180C |
| Diced venison | Sear, then gently casserole at low temperature | 1 hour @ 100C |
| Frenched racks | Sear, then finish in the oven at 180C | 10 minutes per 500g @ 180C |