Venison Medallions with Wild Mushroom Cabernet Sauce

These venison medallions will impress the pickiest of dinner guests, even those misguided people who make faces when you tell them you’re cooking deer meat. Who wouldn’t want to tuck into this elegant dish with its rich, creamy cabernet mushroom sauce? Our cat sure is hoping for a taste.

Whether you’ve got the boss coming over for dinner or you’re just having a casual backyard barbecue, there’s always room for wild game, as long as you know how to cook it. If you’ve had venison that tasted off — you know, gamey — the problem may have been the way it was handled in the field and/or in the kitchen.

Before making venison medallions or any other deer meat dish, check out my Ten Tips to Know When Preparing Venison.

Where do venison medallions come from?

My venison medallions recipe uses a backstrap cut of meat. You may see this dish referred to as venison tenderloin medallions, but in fact, the backstrap and tenderloin are two different cuts of meat. Backstrap runs along the top of the deer next to the spine, while tenderloin refers to abdominal cuts. To add to the confusion, “medallions” is often used to refer to leg rather than saddle cuts of deer.

Cooking venison takes some forethought. If you are using a tougher cut of this naturally lean protein, you may want to brine or marinade the meat ahead of time. It’s so worth the effort!

How to Make Venison with Cabernet Sauce

This rich, elegant dish with its creamy mushroom sauce is not at all hard to make. It just looks like you slaved in the kitchen! The main piece of equipment you’ll need is a large cast-iron skillet.

1. After dividing half a venison backstrap into 6 steaks or medallions, you will briefly sear the medallions in a large skillet at high heat before lowering the temperature to medium-high heat. Cooking time is 3-4 minutes on each side. Then you’ll move the venison to a separate pan and place it in a warm oven.
2. You’ll then make the mushroom cabernet sauce in the same skillet you cooked the medallions in. First, sauté the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and thyme in 2 tablespoons of butter for 2-3 minutes or until the mushrooms and onions are lightly browned. 
3. Add the red wine and boil down the mixture until it’s reduced by half. Then add the beef broth and return to a boil. Continue boiling the mixture, stirring occasionally, until you have about 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
4. Add the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and cook until you get the desired thickness. Finish with salt and pepper. 
5. Remove the medallions from the oven and plate them. Spoon the mushroom cabernet sauce over the top of the medallions and sprinkle with chives.

Give this recipe a try with a cut of venison backstrap. Let me know in the comments how it turns out!

Venison Medallions with Mushroom Cabernet Sauce

This rich, elegant venison dish with creamy mushroom sauce is surprisingly easy to make.

5 from 2 votes

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

  

• ½ Venison Backstrap cut into 6 steaks
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Olive oil for sauteing and browning
• 2 cups mushrooms morels, chanterelles, shiitake, or button
• ½ onion minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 ½ cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other full bodied wine
• 1 ¾ cups low-sodium beef stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon chives chopped

Instructions

 

• Season the medallions all over with salt and pepper.
• In a heavy cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil is almost smoking, put the medallions into the pan and lower the heat to medium-high. Cook the medallions for about 3 to 4 minutes then turn the steak and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the medallions to a warm oven.
• In the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter, and saute the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and thyme until the mushrooms and onions are lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the Cabernet into the skillet and boil until the mixture is reduced by half. Add the beef broth and return to a boil. Boil until the mixture is reduced to 1 ½ cups stirring occasionally. Add the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and cook until you get the desired thickness. Finish with salt and pepper.
• Plate the medallions and spoon the sauce over the top of the medallions. Sprinkle the chives over the sauced medallions.

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Click for all my Venison Recipes, grouped by cut of meat.