Venison Backstrap Steak Frites Recipe

Directions

• Venison Steak
• Make sure steaks are trimmed of any fat or silverskin. Pat dry with paper towel, and then coat steaks all over with a thin layer of olive oil.
• Season steaks generously with Kosher salt and black pepper, taking care to season all sides.
• Peel garlic and smash the cloves. Combine with butter in a small saucepan and heat on low to melt the butter.
• Grill steaks over medium-high heat, turning every 90 seconds. After each turn, use a bundle of thyme sprigs as a basting brush to baste the steaks with the melted garlic butter.
• Continue turning and basting steaks until they reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit (this is medium; cool less time for medium rare, or more for medium-well).
• Remove steaks from heat. Cover with aluminum foil and let them rest for at least 10 minutes.
• French Fries
• For skin-on fries, peeling is not necessary. If you don’t want skins, peel the potatoes.
• Using a french fry cutting machine or a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin French fries.
• Submerge raw fries in cold water and let them soak for at least 1 hour (up to several hours).
• Remove fries from water and pat them all dry with towels.
• In a deep fryer or large fry pot, heat vegetable oil to 325 degrees.
• Cook the raw fries in the oil for 6 minutes, and then remove them from the oil. Then heat the oil up to 350 degrees. Once the oil is at 350 degrees, fry the potatoes for a second time. Cook them until they are a rich golden brown color.
• Transfer the cooked fries to a wire rack, and immediately season with salt.
• Bearnaise Sauce
• In a small saucepan, combine the white wine, white wine vinegar, sliced shallot, and 2 tarragon sprigs. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced to about 1 1/2 Tablespoons. Then remove from heat.
• Using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the liquid out of the shallots and tarragon. Try to press or squeeze the solids to release as much liquid and flavor as possible. Set the strained liquid aside until ready for the next step (and discard the tarragon sprigs and shallot).
• Place 1 cup of butter in a microwave-safe container and microwave until butter is fully melted. Then let the container sit undisturbed for a few minutes to allow all the milk solids to sink to the bottom. If there is foam on top, skim it off with a spoon and discard.
• Carefully pour 1/2 cup of the clarified butter into a measuring cup, taking care to leave the milk solids behind.
• In a blender, combine the egg yolks, strained vinegar mixture, and a pinch of salt. Blend for 20 seconds to incorporate all of it.
• With the blender running on medium speed, begin very slowly drizzling in the clarified butter. Your blender will need to have a hatch or small opening through which you can do this. Be sure to add the butter VERY gradually. The blender needs to emulsify the butter as it is added, and too much all at once will cause the emulsion to break (which ruins the entire batch of sauce).
• Once you have added the 1/2 cup of clarified butter, turn off the blender. The mixture should be lightly creamy, and not super thin/watery. Transfer sauce to a bowl or other container.
• Stir 2 teaspoons of finely chopped tarragon into the sauce. The sauce is ready, and it’s best served immediately.
• Steak Frites
• Slice the backstrap steaks into thin medallions. Arrange them on a plate, and pile up hot French fries next to them. Drizzle the Bearnaise sauce across the medallions. Optionally, garnish everything with chopped parsley and chives.