A great meal connects us to our friends and family, and every cook needs a signature dish for significant occasions to celebrate with their special someones. For my last special family function, I cooked Grilled Venison Chop with Fried Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sauce. Needless to say, it was a hit and will be a meal shared at future events.
Ingredients for Grilled Venison Chop with Wild Mushroom Sauce
- Venison Chops
- Mixed Wild Mushrooms
- Polenta
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Beef Broth
- Apple Juice
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Cornstarch
- Salt and Pepper
The centerpiece of the wild mushroom sauce is hedgehog mushrooms. These cousins to chanterelle mushrooms grow in many of the same places where you would forage for chanterelles but are more common and easy to spot. They are abundant in Oregon, growing everywhere from coastal forests to the Cascade range. On the southern coast of Oregon, you can even find them well into the winter months. If you decide to forage for your mushrooms to make your wild mushroom sauce, remember to check local permit rules and regulations for the number of mushrooms you can collect.
Hedgehogs have a sweet and nutty flavor, making them great for roasting, stews, stirfries, and of course, sauces. These mushrooms can be preserved by dehydrating or freezing after sauteing.
To finish off the wild mushroom sauce, I also added oyster and king trumpet mushrooms in smaller quantities. This adds complexity to the flavors and a variety of textures. These mushrooms are also favorites of mine for dishes like my Mixed Mushroom Soup.
How to Identify and Forage for Hedgehog Mushroom for Wild Mushroom Sauce
- Color/ Texture: Light brown to orange, with distinctive spikes underneath the caps
- Season: September to December, March to April
- Odor: Fruity
- Habitat: Found near beech, birch, spruce and western hemlock trees
Day-to-day, I mainly eat dishes focused on seafood and/ or vegetables, so for special occasions, I like meat. I often choose venison, elk, or wild boar vs. beef or pork. While this may seem exotic, game meat (especially hunted game) lives a more humane life and is not treated with antibiotics and hormones. And, of course, I’m addicted to the rich flavor of game meat.
Like beef, I like to cook my venison on the grill or campfire over an open flame. When cooking, remember that game meat is low in fat and can dry out quickly while cooking. These chops only need 3-4 minutes per side and should be served rare to medium-rare.
FAQs
- What exactly is a venison chop?
Venison chops are cuts of meat that include a portion of the rib or backbone. Venison chops are typically bone-in cuts and can be prepared in a manner similar to lamb or beef chops.
- What temperature should a grilled venison chop be cooked to?
I prefer my venison on the rare or mid-rare side. If you are using a meat thermometer, that means about 145 degrees F. If you are looking for something slightly more well done, you can go up to 160 degrees F. Cooking past this point could cause the meat to dry out,
Grilled Venison Chop with Wild Mushroom Sauce is an easy yet elegant meal that will leave your loved ones impressed. Not only is it tasty and simple to make, but this dish looks amazing on a plate. With the sweet, nutty flavor of the hedgehog mushroom accompanied by savory venison chops, each bite will be nothing short of heavenly.
Did you try this recipe for your special occasion? Leave a comment below and let me know how it went!
Grilled Venison Chops and Fried Polenta with Wild Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
For the Polenta…
- 1 cup yellow polenta
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- vegetable spray
- 1/4 cup olive oil for frying
For the Venison…
- 4 venison chops
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
For the Mushroom Sauce…
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 ounces hedgehog mushrooms
- 2 ounces oyster mushrooms
- 2 ounces king trumpet mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Combine water, polenta, and salt in the top of pan of a double-boiler. Cook polenta for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Spray a quarter sheet pan with vegetable spray. Spread polenta evenly in the pan. Chill for 2 hours.
- While polenta is chilling, bring venison chops to room temperature. Season with salt and coat with olive oil. Heat grill to high heat (500-550 degrees).
- Over low heat, heat olive oil to cook mushrooms. Add butter and melt. Cook mushrooms until lightly browned. At the same time, mix together garlic, thyme, beef broth, apple juice and cornstarch. Add to pan. Cook mixture for another 2 minutes and season with salt and pepper.
- Add venison chops to a hot grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes under foil.
- Heat oil to fry polenta in a pan over medium-high heat. Cut polenta into the desired shapes. Working in batches fry polenta into until golden brown on all sides.
- Place cooked serving of polenta on a plate. Add two chops per serving and garnish with mushroom sauce.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @bewildeats on Instagram and hashtag it #bewildeats.
Love hedgehogs mushrooms!!!!
This meat looks rare to me. Is that how it is supposed to be?
Great observation! Yes, venison should be cooked rare. Especially if you would compare it to cooking beef. Venison is so lean that even cooking it to a medium can really dry it out.