It’s that time of year again—the evenings are cooler, the days are shorter, and you know how much I enjoy cooking over an open fire. That means it’s time to fire up the firepit and put it to good use. While digging through the freezer, I came across a few packs of backstrap medallions left over from last deer season. With this year’s season already underway, it feels like the perfect opportunity to clear out the old and make room for the new bounty that’s soon to come. There’s no better way to honor last season’s harvest than by sizzling those backstraps over the flames and enjoying them the way they were meant to be. So here we go!
Ingredients
1 venison backstrap
½ stick butter (plus extra for sautéing)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ripe peaches, sliced
¼ cup beef stock
¾ cup red wine
Instructions
1.Prepare the pan:
Place a cast iron skillet over your firepit until hot.
2.Sear the backstrap:
Add ¼ stick of butter to the pan. Place the backstrap in the skillet and brown it on both sides. Remove and set aside.
3.Build the sauce:
Add ¼ stick of butter to the skillet, then sauté the garlic until fragrant. Toss in the sliced peaches and cook until they begin to soften.
4.Deglaze and simmer:
Pour in the beef stock and let it simmer briefly. Then add the red wine, stirring gently. Allow the mixture to reduce until it thickens into a sauce.
5.Finish the dish:
Return the backstrap to the pan, coating it with the reduction. Let it warm through to your desired doneness.
Serving suggestion:Slice the backstrap into medallions and serve hot, topped with the peach-wine reduction. Perfect for a rustic campfire feast.
