Chile-Rubbed Leg of Venison

Name: Chile-Rubbed Leg of Venison
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT2D0H0M
Total time: PT2D0H0M
Yield: 6–8
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds; 4 dried guajillo chiles; 1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes, preferably Calabrian; ½ cup kosher salt; ¼ cup finely chopped rosemary leaves; 3 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest; 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; One 15–20-lb. bone-in venison leg, trimmed and patted dry with paper towels

Feed a crowd—and wow them, too—with this gorgeous bone-in roast.

Serves
6–8
Time
2 days

PHOTO: GENTL & HYERS • FOOD STYLING: MARIANA VELASQUEZ • PROP STYLING: HELEN CROWTHER

By Matthew McClure

Published on October 29, 2024

Matthew McClure works as a chef in Vermont but grew up hunting white-tailed deer in Arkansas. No matter its provenance, a leg of venison is a big piece of meat—“from the rear of the animal; think of it like a ham,” he says—that makes a great centerpiece for a crowd. Unlike farm-raised deer, the wild stuff benefits from aging, which makes it more tender and flavorful. In this chile-rubbed leg of venison recipe, McClure goes for a fennel-salt cure before roasting whole legs in a wood-fired oven (aged oak, green pecan, and apple woods are best). A conventional oven also yields good results—just be wary of overcooking, lest the lean meat dry out.

Featured in "Any Night Can Be (Wild) Game Night" by Shane Mitchell.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
4 dried guajillo chiles
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes, preferably Calabrian
½ cup kosher salt
¼ cup finely chopped rosemary leaves
3 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One 15–20-lb. bone-in venison leg, trimmed and patted dry with paper towels

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Instructions

Step 1

In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the fennel seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar or spice grinder. To the empty skillet, add the chiles and toast, turning occasionally, until fragrant and darkened slightly, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. When cool enough to handle, seed and coarsely chop the chiles, then add to the mortar or grinder along with the chile flakes. Grind to a coarse powder. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the salt, rosemary, orange zest, lemon zest, and garlic.

Step 2

Rub the leg all over with the spice mixture, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2–3 days, turning halfway through curing.

Step 3

One hour before roasting, transfer the leg to a large roasting pan and set aside at room temperature. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300°F. Bake until lightly browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg reads 130°F, 3–4 hours. Remove from the oven and set aside for 1 hour.

Step 4

Turn the oven to 500°F and continue roasting the venison, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until crisped and cooked (130°F for medium-rare, 135°F for medium), 20–35 minutes. Rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before carving and serving.