Juniper Berry-Crusted Rack of Venison with Mostarda

Name: Juniper Berry-Crusted Rack of Venison with Mostarda
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups sugar; 1 ⁄ 2 cup cider vinegar; 3 tbsp. ground mustard; 3 tbsp. yellow mustard seeds; 1 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground cinnamon; 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries; 1 ⁄ 4 cup dried cherries; 1 ⁄ 4 cup dried currants; 2 firm pears, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" pieces; 1 (2"-piece) ginger, peeled and minced; Finely grated zest of 1 orange grated zest of 1 orange; 1 ⁄ 3 cup juniper berries; 1 ⁄ 3 cup olive oil; 2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste; 2 tbsp. whole black peppercorns, plus ground to taste; 1 tbsp. caraway seeds; 1 tbsp. coriander seeds; 1 tbsp. unsalted butter; 1 rack venison (with 8 bones), bones frenched

Serves
serves 4

BILL PHELPS

Searing the venison before coating it with spices ensures that the spices retain their potency but don't burn before the venison is cooked. A sweet and sour pear and berry mostarda is the perfect condiment for this lean roast.

Ingredients

For the Mostarda

1 ¹⁄₃ cups sugar
¹⁄₂ cup cider vinegar
3 tbsp. ground mustard
3 tbsp. yellow mustard seeds
1 ¹⁄₂ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¹⁄₄ cup dried cherries
¹⁄₄ cup dried currants
2 firm pears, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 (2"-piece) ginger, peeled and minced
Finely grated zest of 1 orange grated zest of 1 orange

For the Venison

¹⁄₃ cup juniper berries
¹⁄₃ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp. whole black peppercorns, plus ground to taste
1 tbsp. caraway seeds
1 tbsp. coriander seeds
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 rack venison (with 8 bones), bones frenched

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the mostarda: Whisk sugar, vinegar, ground mustard, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and 2 cups water in a 4-qt. saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients; boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until pears are tender and liquid is thickened, about 45 minutes. Let cool.

Step 2

Make the venison: Heat oven to 475°. Combine juniper berries, 1⁄4 cup oil, salt, peppercorns, and caraway and coriander seeds in a food processor; pulse into a wet, gravel-like consistency and set aside. Add remaining oil and the butter to a 12" ovenproof skillet; heat over medium-high. Season venison with salt and pepper; cook, turning as needed, until browned, 8–10 minutes. Coat rack with reserved juniper berry mixture; roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the rack reads 140°, about 30 minutes for medium-rare. Let venison rest 5 minutes before carving; serve with mostarda.

Make the mostarda: Whisk sugar, vinegar, ground mustard, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and 2 cups water in a 4-qt. saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients; boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until pears are tender and liquid is thickened, about 45 minutes. Let cool.
Make the venison: Heat oven to 475°. Combine juniper berries, 1⁄4 cup oil, salt, peppercorns, and caraway and coriander seeds in a food processor; pulse into a wet, gravel-like consistency and set aside. Add remaining oil and the butter to a 12" ovenproof skillet; heat over medium-high. Season venison with salt and pepper; cook, turning as needed, until browned, 8–10 minutes. Coat rack with reserved juniper berry mixture; roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the rack reads 140°, about 30 minutes for medium-rare. Let venison rest 5 minutes before carving; serve with mostarda.