Venison Steak with Creamy, Cheesy, Bacony Barley
By: Adam Berkelmans
Anyone who has tried a venison and barley soup or stew knows that those two ingredients go together like peas and carrots.
Barley and venison soups and stews are a part of what gets me through the long winters up here in Canada.
When it comes to it though, despite being great, there is more to barley than just soups and stews!
Take this creamed barley for instance. Just as easy to make as any pasta or rice dish, the hearty grains of barley get coated in a creamy, cheesy sauce studded with bacon. What more could you ask for?!
Oh yeah, venison.
Okay, perfectly seared venison loin (backstrap) steaks, perched on top of creamy, cheesy, bacony barley. Now we’re talking!
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 4 venison loin steaks
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup pearl or pot barley
- 4-6 slices bacon, cut into strips
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken or game stock
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4oz cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives or parsley
- 1 tablespoon oil or lard
Preparation:
Season the venison steaks generously with salt. Set aside.
In a medium pot, cover the barley with lots of water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Keep an eye on the water level so that it doesn’t get too low.
Meanwhile, add bacon to a skillet over medium heat and cook until crispy. Remove bacon, leaving grease in the skillet.
Add onions and cook until edges begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Next comes the stock and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Add the drained barley.
Whisk the milk and cornstarch together in a bowl and add to the skillet. Add the black pepper and shredded cheese and whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 of the bacon and 1/2 of the chives, stirring them in. Take off of heat.
Heat the oil or lard in a separate skillet over high heat. Add the venison steaks and sear until browned on all sides and done to your liking in the middle. I like medium rare with an internal temperature of 130°F. Season with black pepper.
As the steaks rest, mix the cooked and drained barley into the cream sauce. Taste and add salt if necessary.
Slice the steaks. Portion out the creamed barley onto plates and garnish with the leftover bacon bits and chives. Serve with the steak. Enjoy!
Get Cooking:
As always, Good luck this spring 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 or the Blacktail Deer Foundation or both. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/ or https://www.blacktaildeer.org/
Adam Berkelmans, also known as The Intrepid Eater, is a passionate ambassador for real and wild food and a proponent of nose to tail eating. He spends his time between Ottawa and a cozy lake house north of Kingston, Ontario. When not cooking, he can be found hunting, fishing, foraging, gardening, reading, traveling, and discovering new ways to find and eat food.
