Sous Vide Venison Saddle with Salsify and Cranberries

A refined venison dish featuring tender sous vide-cooked saddle, crispy salsify nests, and a rich coffee-infused sauce.

Tip: If quince vinegar is unavailable, substitute it with apple cider vinegar.

Preparation Time: 2 hours
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• Sous Vide Venison Saddle
• 500 g deer saddle, boned and trimmed
• 40 ml roasted argan oil (e.g., from Fargano)
• 30 g butter
• Maldon salt

Sauce

• 100 ml venison broth
• 10 Arabica Robusta coffee beans
• 3 Spanish allspice grains
• 1 sprig rosemary

Salsify Nest & Garnish

• 500 g black salsify, peeled
• 40 g dried cranberries
• 80 g Brussels sprout leaves, blanched
• 5 g finely chopped chives
• A splash of quince vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 20 g butter
• 20 g roasted pine nuts
• Peanut oil for deep frying

Equipment Needed

Sous vide stick & water bath
Vacuum sealer & bags
Mandoline slicer
Deep-frying pan

Preparation Method

Sous Vide Venison Saddle

• Cut the deer saddle into equal portions.
• Place the venison in a vacuum bag with the argan oil and seal it.
• Cook in a sous vide water bath at 65°C for 18 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the bag, pat dry, and sear briefly in hot butter until lightly browned.
• Sprinkle with Maldon salt and keep warm.

Sauce

• In a saucepan, bring the venison broth to a simmer.
• Add coffee beans, allspice, and rosemary, reducing it to the desired consistency.
• If needed, thicken the sauce with a little flour.

Crispy Salsify Nests

• Use a mandoline slicer to cut long strips from the thicker parts of the salsify.
• Heat peanut oil to 150°C and deep-fry the strips until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels and, while still warm, shape into small nests.

Salsify & Cranberry Mixture

• Finely chop the remaining salsify along with the cranberries and chives.
• Season with salt and quince vinegar.

Brussels Sprout Leaves

• In a pan with butter, lightly glaze the blanched Brussels sprout leaves and season to taste.

Plating & Serving

• Arrange the sprout leaves, salsify nest, and roasted pine nuts on the plate.
• Slice the venison saddle in half and place it on the plate.
• Drizzle the gravy over the meat.
• Spoon the salsify and cranberry mixture over the venison and garnish with crispy salsify strips.

This recipe is brought to you by Heiko Antoniewicz.