Tenderloins from a deer or 1/2 pound venison tenderloin.
Salt
2 tablespoons clarified butter, regular unsalted butter, lard, duck fat or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, peeled and sliced root to tip
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 ounce dried mushrooms, wild if possible, reconstituted in 1 cup hot water
1/2 cup venison stock or beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup blueberries or huckleberries, fresh or thawed
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
Black pepper to taste
Malt or red wine vinegar to taste
Sugar optional

COLCANNON

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt
2 or 3 three tablespoons unsalted butter
1 or 2 heaping tablespoons of sour cream or heavy cream
1 cup chopped spinach or other greens

Take the venison out of the fridge and salt it well. Let it sit on the cutting board while you rehydrate the mushrooms and boil the potatoes for the colcannon.
Put the diced potatoes into a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender. Drain the potatoes and put them back in the pot. Turn the heat to low under the pot and let the potatoes steam for a few seconds.
Beat in the butter, sour cream and chopped vegetables. You want nice mashed potatoes with green streaks. Add salt to taste, cover the pot, turn off the heat and set aside.
Get a large saute pan and put 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter into it. Turn the heat to high and when the butter is hot, add the sliced onion. Saute over medium-high heat until browned along the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the onions and set aside.
Wipe the pan with a paper towel. Pat the venison dry and put the clarified butter into the pan. Set it over high heat until the butter is very hot, but not smoking. Add the venison and sear until medium-rare. If you don’t know how to tell when the meat is done, use the finger test for doneness. When the venison is done, move it to rest on a cutting board.
Return the onions to the pan, add the mushrooms and garlic and saute over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle some salt over everything and add the wine.
Boil this down until it’s almost gone, using a wooden spoon to stir up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and mushroom soaking water (strain the water if there is any debris in it) and boil this down by two-thirds.
Add the huckleberries or blueberries and cook another minute or two, Add black pepper, salt and vinegar to taste. If you want it sweet, add some sugar now; start with a teaspoon or two. Garnish with the rosemary.

Buy our Venison A Grade Tenderloin for this recipe.