Grilled venison with crushed juniper, rosemary, cloves served with sweet potatoes… wow.
I’ll not only show you how to cook the venison, but butcher and trim it as well.
The sweet potatoes cooked right over the coals are a total game-changer, and the first step you’re going to want to take when making this meal. They don’t take a lot of active attention, just time.
When you’re making the pepper relish, don’t be shy about selecting a wide range of varieties. And don’t worry about a few seeds ending up in the pot… it will be fine.
Watch me make this recipe here.
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Pan-Seared Venison with Coal Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pepper Relish Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 5 medium sweet potatoes
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons smoked brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons goat butter
For the Pepper Relish:
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- Several fresh bay leaves
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups chopped mixed hot and sweet peppers
For the Venison:
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Pepper
- Salt
- 1/4 cup juniper berries, crushed
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 pounds trimmed tender cuts from the venison leg, loin or backstrap (or roughly 10 ounces pre-cooked trimmed weight per person)
Instructions
First, make the sweet potatoes. Create a tray out of aluminum foil, and lay the sweet potatoes in it before placing them directly over hot coals. Roast for about an hour, or until completely cooked through. Once the potatoes are tender, peel the skin off, place potatoes in a mixing bowl and mash with salt, smoked brown sugar and goat butter. Reserve.
Meanwhile, combine onions, peppercorns, bay leaves, nutmeg, cloves, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and simmer gently over medium heat while you chop your peppers. Add the chopped mixed peppers and season with salt. Simmer slowly until the liquid is syrupy and thick, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Next, prepare the venison. In a mixing bowl, combine smashed garlic cloves, olive oil, fresh ground pepper, salt and juniper. Add the venison and toss to coat. You can marinate it in this mixture for up to 24 hours.
Prepare your fire for grilling over high direct heat. Grill the venison pieces for 6 minutes per side or until just past medium rare, depending on their size, then let them rest for at least 10 minutes.
Serve with the mashed sweet potatoes and pepper relish.