I have a couple of walks that I like to take in the summer, those walks skirt woodland, fields, and a riverside. The reason that I love this short walk is that it provides me with several different habitats to forage, it’s a great walk, a short one, but a great one. As well as the fact that it is near my favourite butchers. This butcher shoots and butchers their own game, their speciality is venison.
Walking the walk, I have several spots where I am guaranteed to find several wild items. In the spring I forage wild garlic by the river, in the autumn I know where the wood blewits are, and in the early summer months the fields and woods are packed with sorrel.
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Knowing I was in the immediate vicinity of the butchers, and with a pocket of sheep’s sorrel, common sorrel, and wood sorrel I decided that it was time for a BBQ and that both venison and sorrel would be on the menu.
Cooking Venison Rump on the BBQ:
I simply love Venison and it can be a little tricky to cook. The BBQ makes it a little trickier, but it is easy to overcome and the smoke drastically and direct heat really improves the flavour. Here's a few tips to make your venison juicy and perfectly cooked.
Make sure your BBQ is hot when you are cooking venison rump on it. This will ensure that the meat gets a good sear and cooks evenly.
Place the venison rump directly on the grill grates and sear it for about 2-3 minutes on each side. This will help to lock in the juices and create a nice crust on the outside.
Once the venison rump is seared, move it to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat to medium-low. This will allow the meat to cook more gently and prevent it from becoming overcooked or dry. Alternatively, you can also finish cooking the rump in the oven at a low temperature if desired.
Venison is best enjoyed when cooked to medium-rare or medium. The internal temperature should reach around 55-60°C (130-140°F) for medium-rare. Use a meat thermometer to check the doneness and avoid overcooking the meat.
Once the venison rump is cooked to your desired doneness, remove it from the grill and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute and results in a more tender and delicious meat.
After resting, slice the venison rump against the grain into thin slices. This helps to ensure tenderness.
Note: Remember, cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of the venison rump and the heat of your grill, so it's always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to gauge the internal temperature for desired doneness.
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BBQ Venison Rump with Wild Sorrel Pesto Recipe
Ingredients:
2 venison rump steaks
Salt and pepper, to taste
30 ml olive oil
For the sorrel pesto:
160 grams wild sorrel leaves, washed and stems removed
60 grams walnuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
60 grams grated Parmesan cheese
120 ml extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Get your barbecue hot with the coals turned nearly completely grey, push the coals over to one half of the BBQ so that you can cook the rump on both direct and indirect heats.
For the sorrel pesto, in a small food processor or blender, combine the sorrel leaves, walnuts, garlic, and grated Parmesan cheese. Pulse until roughly chopped.
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil until the pesto reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Season the rump steaks. And place on the direct heat (the half of the BBQ with the coals under it) for 2 to 3 minutes each side.
When seared, move to the indirect heat side of the BBQ (with no coals under it), close the lid and cook and smoke the venison for another 5 minutes.
When cooked, remove the venison rump steaks from the grill and place on a warm plate to rest for five minutes. Occasionally spooning the juices that come from the meat back over the steaks.
Once rested, slice the venison rump steaks into thin slices, season lightly with salt and serve with a generous dollop of sorrel pesto on top.
BBQ’d Venison goes great with grilled asparagus and a chive laden potato salad.. Plus, a very 'extra' large spoon of that delicious wild sorrel pesto!
Just delicious!
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