Venison Wellington with a Mushroom Sauce

A luxurious, impressive meal perfect for special occasions. Tender venison wrapped in savory prosciutto, mushrooms, and puff pastry, paired with a rich red wine sauce.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the Wellington:

• 6–8 inches of venison backstrap (chateaubriand cut)
• 4 pints mushrooms (white and baby bellas)
• 6 large shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 box puff pastry
• Dijon mustard
• 1 pack thin prosciutto slices
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs, beaten (for egg wash)
• Rolfe Rub

For the red wine sauce:

• Trimmings from the backstrap
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions:

Prepare the filling:

1. In a food processor or with a knife, finely chop 3 pints of mushrooms, 4 shallots, and 4 garlic cloves.
2. Sauté the mixture in 2–3 tbsp of butter until softened. Drain excess liquid and set aside to cool.

Prepare the venison:

1. Bring the venison to room temperature and sprinkle all sides with Rolfe Rub.
2. Briefly sear the venison in a hot skillet to brown each side. Remove from the skillet and let cool.
3. Once cooled, coat the venison with Dijon mustard.

Assemble the Wellington:

1. Lay out plastic wrap on a flat surface. Arrange 3–4 slices of prosciutto in an overlapping layer.
2. Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the prosciutto.
3. Place the mustard-covered venison on top. Using the plastic wrap, tightly roll everything into a log. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
4. Roll out the puff pastry sheets until thin. Remove the log from the plastic wrap and place it on the puff pastry. Roll the pastry around the log, tucking the ends underneath.
5. Score the top of the pastry, return to the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then brush with egg wash.
6. Bake at 425°F for 35–40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Make the sauce:

1. In a skillet, sauté the remaining mushrooms, shallots, and meat trimmings until browned.
2. Add ½ cup red wine and 1 cup beef broth, simmering for 20 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid, return to the skillet, and whisk in flour and butter until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.

Assemble and serve:

1. Slice the Wellington into portions.
2. Plate with a drizzle of the red wine sauce for an unforgettable meal.
3. Enjoy and POW!