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Roast Venison

This roast venison is easy to make.  It's adapted from a Joy of Cooking recipe that has been a fail-safe, go-to recipe for beef prime rib, but works well for venison, with some modifications. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Per Pound18 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Keyword: venison, venison roast
Servings: 2
Author: M. H. Bonham

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs boneless venison roast round, shoulder, or rump
  • 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Set venison roast in roasting pan.  Use paper towels to dry it. (Throw away paper towels.)
  • Pour olive oil over the roast.  Be sure it is completely covered so there is a thin layer of olive oil over it.
  • Sprinkle nutmeg, garlic power, kosher salt, and pepper all over the roast. Use more spices and salt if the amount is not enough to cover the roast.
  • Put roast in oven and turn down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Roast for 18 to 20 minutes per pound for medium rare. Roast longer until desired doneness. Use a cooking thermometer and cooks until the meat registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit throughout to remove all pink and chance of bacterial infection.
  • Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes.  Carve and enjoy.

Notes

This recipe is for a small roast, but you can easily double, triple or more the amounts for just about any red game meat you desire.

On Doneness

The FDA recommends that all meat should be cooked until there is no pink left, to avoid contracting bacteria and parasites. This requires your meat to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit throughout. That being said, the medium rare temperature above is just a guideline.  You'll have to watch the meat and cook it to the desired doneness.  Use a meat thermometer until the temperature registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. I've noticed that it takes about 30 more minutes of cooking time for two pound roasts. 
Meat from animals such as bear and boar which harbor dangerous parasites should be cooked to medium well to well -- until there is no pink left in the meat. Obviously  meat that has not been handled properly or that has had contaminants such as dirt, grass, and hair, should be rinsed and cooked until there is no pink to avoid getting sick.