3 DAY CURED VENISON LOIN
This is a simple, old-school way of quickly curing a venison loin. The flavors are reminiscent of the holiday season. An easy way to expand your charcuterie boards.
Ingredients
- Venison loin (10-14 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt, (smoked salt works excellent)
- 3 cups sugar
- 12 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8-10 Juniper Berries, (crushed)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- ground black pepper (as needed after the cure)
Instructions
- Mix the salt and sugar together.
- In a non-reactive dish (Pyrex), lay half of the rosemary, black peppercorns, and juniper berries on the bottom, followed by half of the salt and sugar mixture.
- Lay the venison filet on top of the mixture.
- Lay the remaining rosemary and juniper berries on top of the venison, followed by the rest of the salt and sugar.
- The venison should be fully covered. If not, simply make more of the salt-and-sugar mixture, using a 40:60 salt-to-sugar ratio.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for three days.
- Remove the venison from the mixture and rise under cold water and dry very well.
- Sprinkle the venison with ground black pepper on both sides. For a more robust flavor, dust with a little ground juniper as well. Slice thinly and enjoy. If not eating immediately, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. It will last up to a week in the refrigerator.
NOTES
- Use a whole loin if possible. A 10 to 14 ounce venison loin or backstrap section works best. Small pieces cure too fast and can get overly salty or dry. Top round or bottom round can also work, but eye of round and tenderloin are too small for this method.
- Trim it down clean. Remove all silver skin, sinew, and fat before curing so the finished loin slices taste cleaner.
- Bury the meat completely. The venison should be fully covered in the salt-sugar cure. If it is not, make more using the same 40:60 salt-to-sugar ratio.
- Give it the full 3 days. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 3 days so the loin firms up properly before slicing.
- Rinse and dry it well. After curing, rinse under cold water and dry it very thoroughly before adding black pepper. Any surface moisture will soften the outside.
- Slice it to the texture you want. Slice across the grain with a sharp knife. Cut it about 1/8 inch thick for a more tender bite, or closer to 1/4 inch if you want a little more chew.
- Store it correctly. Wrapped, it keeps in the refrigerator for about 1 week. For a drier texture, leave it uncovered in the fridge for 1 to 2 days before wrapping. Do not freeze it, this will change the texture.
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 151g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 42442mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 150g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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