Smoked Venison Roast
A smoked venison roast that's been brined, slow-cooked until fork-tender, then smoked low and slow with a sweet, tangy glaze. It's perfect for sandwiches, platters, or your next deer camp dinner.
Equipment
Ingredients
Venison Brine
- 3 to 5 pound venison roast
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup Morton Coarse Kosher Salt (230 grams by weight)
- 1 teaspoon pink salt, instacure #1 (optional)
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ cup honey (or sorghum)
- 1 teaspoon Black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
For Braising
- ½ onion (chopped)
- 1 head garlic
- 1 large carrot (chopped)
- Water as needed
- Dijon Glaze
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey (or sorghum)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Make the brine: Heat 1 quart of the water to a simmer. Pour it into a container large enough to hold the venison. Add the coarse kosher salt, pink salt (if using), brown sugar, honey or sorghum, black pepper, and thyme. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add the remaining 3 quarts of cold water and refrigerate until completely cold.
- Brine the venison: Submerge the venison completely in the cold brine. Weigh it down if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 4 days.
- Place the venison in the slow cooker: Remove the venison from the brine and rinse it with cold water. Place it in a slow cooker or deep roasting pan. Add the onion, garlic, and carrot. Pour in enough water to come about three-quarters of the way up the roast.
- Braise the roast: For the slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8 to 12 hours. For the oven, cover tightly and cook at 325°F for 5 to 6½ hours. The roast is ready when a fork slides in easily and the meat is beginning to pull apart while still holding together.
- Smoke the roast: Preheat the smoker to 180 to 225°F. Carefully transfer the hot roast from the braising liquid to a smoker-safe tray or baking pan. Reserve the liquid. Smoke for 1½ to 2 hours, basting with the reserved braising liquid about every 30 minutes.
- Make the glaze while the meat smokes: Combine the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, honey or sorghum, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar. Warm gently until the brown sugar dissolves and the glaze is smooth.
- Glaze the meat. Brush the glaze generously over the roast. Smoke for another 30 minutes, until the glaze is shiny, tacky, and set.
- Rest and shred: Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest briefly. Pull the meat apart with tongs or two forks and serve with extra glaze if desired.
NOTES
Best roasts to use: Shoulder and neck give you the softest pull-apart texture. Sirloin tip also works well. You can use top and bottom round (enough to equal 3 to 5 pounds), but expect them to be a little less juicy.
Information on salt: This recipe was developed with Morton Coarse Kosher Salt. If you're using a different brand or type of kosher salt, use 230 grams by weight instead of replacing it cup-for-cup.
Go by tenderness: Cooking times are ranges. Stop the braise when a fork slides easily into the meat and the roast is just beginning to pull apart.
Don't braise too long: Don't continue braising until the roast completely collapses. It still needs to be transferred to the smoker. Braising liquid: Add enough water to come about three-quarters of the way up the roast rather than completely covering it.
Wood: Pecan is my first choice. Hickory, oak, maple, and cherry also work.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 165°F before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 739kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.3g | Protein: 105g | Fat: 11.5g | Saturated Fat: 4.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 386mg | Sodium: 1337mg | Potassium: 1524mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 16mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!