Roast Venison Loin with Blackberry, Juniper & Red Wine Sauce

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

Rosy, silky venison loin with a glossy, deeply savoury sauce of crushed juniper, red wine and burst blackberries. It looks like it came from a tasting menu, but the whole thing lands on the plate in well under an hour.

Per serving: 475 kcal · 42.0g protein · 13.0g carbs · 26.0g fat

Ingredients

• 700g venison loin (haunch or saddle fillet), trimmed, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil
• 40g unsalted butter, plus 20g for the sauce
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp juniper berries
• 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
• 150ml full-bodied red wine (Syrah or Merlot)
• 250ml good beef or game stock
• 200g blackberries
• 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. Pat the venison completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Lightly crush the juniper berries in a mortar or under the flat of a knife.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over a high heat. Sear the loin for 5–6 minutes total, turning to colour all sides deeply.
3. Add 40g butter, the thyme and garlic. Baste continuously for 2–3 minutes, until a probe reads 52–54°C at the thickest point for medium-rare.
4. Lift the venison onto a warm plate, spoon over the pan butter, cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes — this is essential, don't rush it.
5. Pour off most of the fat from the pan. Add the shallot and crushed juniper and cook gently for 2 minutes until softened.
6. Pour in the red wine, scraping up all the sticky bits, and boil until reduced by two thirds. Add the stock, bay leaf and redcurrant jelly and simmer for 8–10 minutes until lightly syrupy.
7. Add two thirds of the blackberries and press a few against the pan to release their juice. Simmer 2 minutes, then strain through a sieve into a clean pan, pushing gently to extract the pulp.
8. Return to a low heat, add the vinegar and the remaining whole blackberries, then whisk in the last 20g cold butter to gloss the sauce. Taste and season.
9. Carve the loin into thick slices across the grain, adding any resting juices to the sauce. Spoon the sauce over and around, and serve with celeriac purée and buttered greens.