pastrami spice-encrusted venison with huckleberry ketchup

prep time:  24 hours
cook time:  45 minutes
servings:  6

huckleberry ketchup ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium yellow onions- minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
12 roma plum tomatoes - seeded and quartered
3 pounds huckleberries
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 oranges - zested and juiced
8 juniper berries
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup gin

venison ingredients:
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons white peppercorns
2 tablespoons allspice berries
6 - 8 dried red chiles
2-inch piece dried gingerroot
2-inch piece cinnamon stick
6 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons salt
1 cup juniper berries
4 tablespoons sugar
1 4-pound venison loin - trimmed of excess fat
1/4 cup vegetable oil

huckleberry ketchup steps:
1.  in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat.  add the onions and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 6 minutes.  add the garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they start to release some of their moisture, about 5 minutes.

2.  add the huckleberries to the pot, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook for 5 minutes.  add the wine, vinegar, orange zest and juice, berries, thyme, pepper corns, bay leaves, sugar, tomato paste, and salt.  stew over medium heat until the mixture is thick and has reduced in volume by nearly 3/4, about 15 - 20 minutes.  stir in gin and cook and additional 3 minutes.

3.  strain ketchup into a small bowl and allow to cool.

venison steps:
1.  in a spice mill grind the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, white peppercorns, allspice berries, chiles, gingerroot, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt, juniper berries, and sugar into a paste.

2.  place the venison loin on a sheet of plastic wrap and lightly dust on all sides of with the pastrami spices, then wrap tightly.  refrigerate the wrapped loin for at least 12 hours.

3.  preheat oven to 400 degrees.  in a large saute or roasting pan heat the vegetable oil over high heat.  add the venison to the pan and sear quickly on all sides, being careful not to burn the spices.  place the seared venison in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 142 degrees.  remove the loin from the oven, and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes before carving.  serve with huckleberry ketchup.

- food network

caveman roasted leg of venison

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  tbd
servings:  tbd

ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh thyme leaves
8 garlic cloves - minced
1/4 cup rosemary - roughly chopped
3 tablespoons juniper berries - crushed
1/4 salt
1/4 cup cracked black peppercorns
1 whole venison hind leg, bone-in
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups beef stock

steps:
1.  in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, garlic, rosemary, juniper berries, salt and pepper until it resembles a course paste.  rub onto the venison, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2.  remove the leg from the refrigerator several hours before cooking to bring to room temperature.

3.  preheat oven to 350 degrees.  drizzle venison with vegetable oil, patting lightly to coat evenly, and place the leg on the rack of a large roasting pan.  roast, undisturbed, for 1 hour.

4.  heat the beef stock to a low simmer.  turn the meat.  using a baster, baste the meat with about half of the hot stock.  roast for another hour.

5.  turn the roast a second time and repeat basing.  after 15 minutes check the temperature of the meat and remove the roast when it reaches 120 for rare, 126 for medium rare.

6.  remove the roast to a large cutting board and allow to rest, tented with a few sheets of aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.  carve and serve.

- field & stream