Venison Loin with Red Wine Sauce
This Venison Loin with Red Wine Sauce recipe keeps Christmas lunch special without asking you to spend the whole morning beside the stove. Tender springbok or impala loin cooks quickly, while a small saucepan of wine, stock and thyme provides a proper sauce for spooning over the slices.
It is a good fit for a hot South African Christmas: serve modest portions with baby potatoes and a crunchy green salad rather than a heavy spread of roasted vegetables. Make the sauce base the day before, then cook the meat just before lunch. Venison is lean, so a meat thermometer is particularly useful here. Watch the temperature closely and give the loin time to rest before carving.
Ingredients
For the venison
For the red wine sauce
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 180 °C, or 160 °C fan. Pat the venison dry with kitchen paper and keep it refrigerated while you start the sauce.
- 2For the sauce, melt 10 g butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened, without browning heavily. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- 3Add the wine, stock, 2 thyme sprigs and apricot jam. Bring to a lively simmer and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until reduced to approximately 150 ml. Stir occasionally, particularly towards the end.
- 4While the sauce reduces, rub the venison with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear the loin pieces for 1–2 minutes on each broad side, then briefly brown the edges.
- 5Reduce the heat, add 15 g butter, the crushed garlic and 3 thyme sprigs, and spoon the foaming butter over the meat for about 30 seconds. Transfer the pan to the oven.
- 6Roast for approximately 5–12 minutes, depending on thickness, checking early with a meat thermometer inserted into the centre of the thickest part. Cook to an internal temperature of 63 °C; timing alone is not a reliable guide.
- 7Transfer the venison to a warm plate and rest for 8–10 minutes, loosely covered with foil. Keep the resting time at least 3 minutes after reaching 63 °C.
- 8Strain the reduced sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing lightly on the onion. Stir in the vinegar and any juices collected on the resting plate. Simmer briefly if necessary: the sauce should lightly coat a spoon rather than be thick like gravy.
- 9Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the 15 g cold butter a few cubes at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Slice the venison across the grain and serve immediately with a little sauce spooned over, offering the rest separately.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Protein
- 46 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Saturated fat
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0.5 g
- Sodium
- 460 mg
- Cholesterol
- 185 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Make the sauce through the reduction and straining stages a day ahead. Cool promptly, refrigerate in a covered container and reheat to a simmer before adding the vinegar, resting juices and finishing butter.
- For a hot Christmas lunch, pair the venison with baby potatoes, green beans served at room temperature and a crisp leafy salad. Keep dressed salads chilled until serving.
- Choose evenly thick loin pieces so they cook at a similar rate. If one is thinner, check it separately and remove it as soon as it reaches the required temperature.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room or outdoor temperature is above 32 °C. Keep the meat and sauce separately and use within 3 days.
Frequently asked questions
Which cut of venison should I buy?
Ask a reputable game butcher for boneless springbok or impala loin, sometimes called backstrap, with the tough silverskin removed. This recipe is not suited to shoulder or shank, which need longer, slower cooking. Tenderloin is smaller and will cook more quickly.
How do I stop venison loin from drying out?
Dry the surface well for quick browning, use a thermometer and avoid cooking longer than necessary. For whole-cut venison, this recipe uses a minimum internal temperature of 63 °C followed by at least a 3-minute rest. Colour alone cannot confirm that the meat is safely cooked; follow any stricter guidance supplied with your game meat.
Can I make the sauce without wine?
Yes. Replace the wine with 200 ml extra low-sodium beef stock and 50 ml unsweetened red grape juice. Reduce as directed, omit the jam initially and adjust the sweetness and vinegar to taste. The result will taste different but still suit the venison. Wine does not lose all its alcohol during this short cooking time.
