Venison Medallions
Venison medallions are lean, tender and quick: about 5 minutes in a hot pan, basted with garlic and rosemary butter, then a short rest. Because the meat has very little fat, timing is everything. Cook it until just pink in the middle and it stays soft and juicy, and a few minutes too long turns it dry and tough. This version serves two and needs only a frying pan.
- Total
- 40 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 345kcal
Buying and preparing venison medallions
Medallions are small, round slices cut from the loin or the saddle, the most tender part of the deer. Ask a butcher for pieces about 2.5cm thick so they brown on the outside before the middle overcooks. Thinner pieces cook through before they colour. Venison is sold as red, roe or fallow deer, and all three cook in much the same way. If you only have frozen medallions, thaw them in the fridge overnight and dry them very well before they go in the pan.
Salt the meat just before it goes in. Salting early draws out moisture and makes it harder to brown. Pat the medallions dry first, and do not rinse them.
Method for venison medallions
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Bring to room temperature Take the medallions out of the fridge before cooking, so the middle is not fridge-cold when it hits the pan. Pat them very dry with kitchen paper, then season both sides with the salt and plenty of pepper.
- Sear the first side Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat until it shimmers. Lay the medallions in the pan, leaving space between them, and cook for without moving them, until deep golden brown underneath.
- Turn and baste Turn the medallions with tongs. Add the butter, garlic and rosemary to the pan. When the butter foams, tilt the pan and spoon the butter over the meat for , until a thermometer in the thickest part reads 52°C for medium-rare.
- Rest Lift the medallions onto a warm plate, spoon over the pan juices, cover loosely with foil and rest for . The temperature will rise to about 55°C and the juices settle, so the meat stays moist when cut.
Serving and sides
Serve the sliced medallions with the pan juices spooned over, with mashed potato, red cabbage and green beans. A spoonful of redcurrant or cranberry jelly adds sweetness against the rich, earthy flavour. For a larger cut of the same meat, look at venison rump, or for a celebration meal, roast haunch of venison.
If you have any left over, slice it thinly and eat it cold in a sandwich or salad within 2 days.
Common problems and fixes for Venison Medallions
- The venison is dry and tough.
- Lean meat overcooks fast. Take the medallions off the heat at 52°C and let them rest. If you like them cooked a little more, stop at 58°C rather than leaving them for extra minutes.
- The medallions are grey rather than browned.
- The meat was damp or the pan not hot enough. Pat them dry, wait until the oil shimmers, and cook only as many as fit in a single layer with space around each.
- The butter burns before the meat is done.
- Butter burns at the heat needed to sear. Add it only after turning, when the pan is hotter than the butter likes, and lower the heat to medium as soon as it foams.
Frequently asked questions about Venison Medallions
How long do you cook venison medallions?
Cook 2.5cm medallions for 2 minutes on the first side, then 2–3 minutes on the second, until the middle reads 52°C. Then rest them for 5 minutes. Thinner pieces need less.
Should venison be served pink?
Medallions are a whole cut of muscle, so you can serve them pink. Venison mince, burgers and sausages are different and must be cooked until steaming hot, with no pink left and clear juices.
What temperature should venison reach?
Rare is 48–50 °C, medium-rare 52–55 °C and medium about 58°C, measured in the thickest part before resting. It rises by 3–4 °C while the meat sits.
What goes well with them?
Mashed potato or celeriac, red cabbage, buttered greens and redcurrant jelly all work well. A glass of red wine reduced in the pan after the meat comes out makes a quick sauce.
How did you like the recipe?
4.7 / 5 · 14 ratings
