Cold smoked venison - muntjac back strap steaks - Butter.
Do you ever wander through the shops and see food that is cold smoked, but not for the home cook?When I offer cold smoked food to friends for supper parties, I have had a lot of raised eyebrows.They have looked between alarmed and politely interested before they bite.Save for people who think you have smoked a vegetable.You might get your head bitten off if you try it on one of them.It is very worth the effort, and it is a lot easier than you might think.Nick Weston of Hunter Gather Cook inspired me to give cold smoked venison a shot.HGC has wonderful recipes and inspiring shots.
I told a friend who keeps venison in his freezer to bring some over for a barbecue after I spied some cold smoked venison joints on his feed.I came up with a plan after a few muntjac back strap steaks and some great tips from Nick.
The muntjac was frozen in the morning and I spent the day curing it.They smoked before 9pm and were done before breakfast the next day.We had some absolutely delicious venison at hand after the smoke had settled.
We were completely surprised by the texture and flavour.A subtle gamey flavour with a little smoke and a hint of spices was completed by a smooth texture similar to smoked salmon.
I will be doing this again and trying out a few dishes when I get my hands on more.
I used the Thuros smoker but a cardboard box with shelves would suffice for a bbq.
Finely chop your bay leaves and mix them with the salt and sugar in a bowl.
Half of the mixture should be placed in a container large enough for your muntjac.Put your meat on top and pour the rest of the mix over it.All the meat needs to be covered.Put your container in the fridge for 90 minutes.
Remove the curing mix from the fridge and pat it dry.It is cured and ready to smoke.
Level below the top of the maze with wood dust.If there is any heat from the dust, place the meat on the shelf above the smoker at the bottom.
Wrap the smoker and vac pac in clingfilm and place in a bag.Before tasting, put it in the fridge for 24 hours.