VENISON BUFFALO BITES WITH RASPBERRY ROCKET-POP DRIZZLE
Words and Photos by: JACK HENNESSY
When it comes to deciding what to grill for the 4th of July, it’s usually a no-brainer: burgers, brats, and dogs. Perhaps you have ground game and venison links taking up space in your freezer and the Independence Day holiday is the perfect occasion to make room for fall. But what about your guests who are tired of the same-old menu, year after year?
This holiday should be a big celebration, not a day to rest on one’s grilling laurels. If you’re the type to always pick out something new and exciting at the fireworks stand, chances are you’re open to a fresh idea for what to put over the fire.
After dogs and burgers, the next most-American menu item has to be buffalo sauce. Any worthwhile restaurant or tavern in America has some form of buffalo-sauced dish on their menu. Here, with this recipe, we are using venison chunks instead of chicken wings. We are pairing it with a raspberry sauce drizzled overtop, a concept that serves as a nod to the 4th of July holiday itself—a hot day accompanied by a bit a sweetness, whether in the form of an ice-cold beverage or watching kids’ faces light up as they stare in awe at explosions in the sky.
This recipe is incredibly simple, because on the 4th of July you should be relaxing versus working the in kitchen or manning a fire. You’ll want to cut your venison chunks from a hindquarter roast (either sirloin tip, top or bottom round, ideally not eye of round) or even backstrap. The goal is approximate 1-inch-by-1-inch chunks cooked hot and fast that results in a medium cook and tender bites. Yes, you could use chunks from the front quarter or neck or even trim, but you’ll likely find, even when cooked to medium, those pieces will be a bit chewier.
The raspberry drizzle is indeed sweet. You may want to serve it on the side versus overtop, and let guests decide if they want to dip their buffalo bites in the raspberry sauce. Some folks may just want the heat and no sweet, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Don’t have any venison and want to make this with upland game or wild turkey? You can do just that, but make sure to cook that breast meat to 155, and legs and wings closer to 180. Yes, you can also use beef for this. Top-round chunks should work best.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- 2-pound venison roast or backstrap, cut into 1-inch-by-1-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Sunflower or peanut (or similar high-heat) cooking oil
Buffalo sauce:
- 1 cup Frank’s RedHot
- 1 tablespoon pureed chipotle in adobo sauce (more if you want spicier)
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- Raspberry Rocket-Pop Drizzle:
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries
- 1/4 cup Bonne Maman (or another brand) raspberry preserves
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 ounce fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For garnish:
- Bleu cheese crumbles
- Fresh basil, cut chiffonade
To prep the venison, cut your roast or backstrap into approximate 1-inch-by-1-inch chunks and lightly salt and pepper (coarse, freshly cracked black pepper is best here). Let the chunks sit in the fridge overnight. A half hour prior to cooking, pull the venison chunks and lightly dap off even excess juices with a paper towel, as dry meat sears better. Allow the chunks to sit out at room temp for a half hour.
To make the buffalo sauce, puree a small can of chipotles in adobe sauce. In a medium saucepan heated on low, add the Frank’s RedHot sauce and freshly minced garlic along with 1 tablespoon of pureed chipotle. You can indeed add more chipotle if you’d like, but I’d recommend testing spice at the end before adding more chipotle. Once the sauce is warm, gradually stir in the butter. Let the saucepan sit on very low until ready to serve.
To make the raspberry drizzle, puree all ingredients and add to a squeeze bottle. If possible, and let it sit in the fridge until ready to serve.
To cook venison chunks, heat a (preferably cast-iron or mild steel) skillet or flat top to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a grill with a narrow-enough grate so chunks won’t fall through, you can use a grill. As long as it can get up to 600. Do not crowd the grill while searing the venison chunks. (meaning don’t fill past 50% capacity) The meat will steam and soften the crust on nearby chunks if overcrowded.
Rub a very, very thin layer of cooking oil over the chunks and add to the grill. Grill each side approximately 30 seconds, just enough to add a crust. You want that hearty sear, a caramelized exterior, on all sides, ideally. Error on the side of undercooking. Once you pull the chunks, which were cooked hot-and-fast, carryover will occur. Meaning the interior of the meat will continue to cook due to a hot exterior crust.
Allow the chunks to rest in a large bowl for 5-10 minutes. Add the buffalo sauce after resting and serve immediately with crumbles of bleu cheese overtop. Fresh basil, as a garnish, is optional. It’s your call whether you want to drizzle the raspberry sauce overtop or serve on the side. Enjoy!
Get Cooking!
Good luck this fall and remember to send any success pictures or stories from the field to [email protected] and you could be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article or any of our articles have helped you become a better hunter or conservation steward, consider becoming a member of the Mule Deer Foundation for only $35 dollars a year. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/
Jack Hennessy:
Jack Hennessy grew up south of Chicago, started hunting at the age of 26 when attending graduate school in Spokane, Washington. Since then he has combined his love of cooking with the outdoors. He lives in south-central Kansas where he hunts whitetails and chases roosters with his Wirehaired Vizsla, Dudley. Reach out to me on Instagram (@WildGameJack) with any questions or comments.
