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venison tartare

Venison Tartare - Steak House Style

Author: Larry White
This venison tartare is folded with mayo, Dijon, crispy shallots, chives, and a touch of olive oil, and served with skillet-fried Johnny Cakes. A bold, elegant appetizer perfect for showcasing premium cuts like venison loin, top round, or even heart.
5 from 4 votes

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Servings: 4 people
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients 

Tartare Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Venison Loin, Top Round or Heart
  • 3 tablespoon Minced Red Onion
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons Chopped Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley
  • 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Minced chives
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • Ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 egg yolk (for serving)
  • 2 tablespoons Canned fried shallots or onions (for garnishing)

Johnny Cake Ingredients

  • 2 cups Cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 3/4 Buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons Rendered Bacon Fat

Instructions

Cut the Venison

  • With a sharp knife, slice the venison into thin, long strips around 1/4 inch in thickness. Then dice the venison into small quarter-inch squares.

Make the Sauce

  • Add all of the tartare ingredients (except the meat and yolks) to a large bowl. Stir until just combined.

Fold in the Venison

  • Add the diced venison to the bowl and fold it into the sauce. Chill in the refrigerator while you cook the johnny cakes.

FOR THE JOHNNY CAKES

  • Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk and egg together. Add the milk and egg mixture to the large bowl with the cornmeal mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth.
  • Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon fat. Once the fat is hot, place around two-inch-sized dollops of the batter into the pan and cook on both sides for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Plate and Serve

  • Shape the venison tartare on a large platter in any shape that you like. Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley and fresh-cut chives. Top with the fried onions if using.
  • Make a slight indentation in the top of the tartare. Place the egg yolk in the indentation. Place the Johnny cakes around the tartare.
  • Break the yolk so that it runs down the tartare. Have each of your guests place a small amount of the tartare and yolk onto the johnny cake and enjoy.

NOTES

 
  • Use only the cleanest cuts. Venison loin, top round, or deer heart are the best fits because they are lean, mild, and easy to trim clean for tartare. Trim away all silver skin, sinew, and fat before you start.
  • Keep everything cold and clean. Keep the meat refrigerated until you are ready to cut it, and sanitize your knife, board, and hands before handling. The post also says not to use meat from a gut-shot deer or one that was not cooled quickly.
  • Hand-chop the venison. Slice it into thin strips, then dice it into small pieces with a sharp knife. Do not use a grinder or food processor, because the texture is better when chopped by hand.
  • Mix the sauce first. Stir together the tartare ingredients except the venison and egg yolk, then fold in the chopped meat gently just until coated. Overmixing will make the texture less clean.
  • Chill while cooking cakes. Once the tartare is mixed, keep it cold in the refrigerator while you cook the Johnny Cakes. Serve the tartare cold, not room temperature.
  • Cook the Johnny Cakes hot. Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat with the bacon fat, then cook small dollops in batches for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Do not crowd the pan.
  • Serve it right away. Shape the tartare, top it with the egg yolk and fried shallots, and serve immediately with the Johnny Cakes. The notes specifically say this dish should be eaten fresh and not saved as leftovers.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1113mg | Potassium: 575mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 416IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.

Keywords: Raw, Venison
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!