Whiskey. Beer. Deer. That's all you really need to whip up a delicious St. Paddy's Day feast. Ok, so you need a couple more ingredients but those are the basics. Corned meat with cabbage is really an Americanized celebratory meal but we still enjoy it every year anyways. We like to kick it up a notch by braising the corned venison in beer and glazing it with a delicious whiskey mustard glaze. If you're looking for a fun meal to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, you've come to the right place!
Jump to:
- Ingredients Needed:
- Equipment Needed:
- What is corned venison?
- Is there a brisket on a deer?
- How to cure venison:
- How to cook corned venison:
- What to make with corned venison:
- Can you make corned venison without nitrates?
- How to freeze corned venison:
- Putting it all together:
- Beer-Braised Corned Venison
Ingredients Needed:
Corned Venison:
- Venison Roast (bottom round works best)
- Curing Salt
- Pickling Spice
- Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Sugar
- Water
Other Ingredients:
- Beer (Amber Ale preferred)
- Onion
- Whole Grain Mustard
- Honey
- Whiskey
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lard
- Cabbage (optional)
- Baby Gold Potatoes (optional)
- Small Carrots (optional)
- Parsley (optional)
Equipment Needed:
- Stockpot
- Cambro 6 qt Container (or other curing vessel)
- Medium Saucepan
- Small Saucepan
- Sheet Pan
- Pastry Brush
- Instant Pot (optional, for vegetables)
What is corned venison?
Corned venison is venison that has been cured in a solution of curing salt, salt, sugar, and spices. The name "corned" comes from the original use of large grain rock salt that is about the size of corn kernels. The long brining time cures the meat and also tenderizes it. As the meat sits in the brine, it absorbs the salty liquid and the muscle cells expand to hold more moisture. The additional moisture in the meat makes it very flavorful and tender. Traditionally, corned beef is made with brisket. Corned venison is often made with roasts from the hind quarter instead of brisket.
Is there a brisket on a deer?
All hooved animals have a brisket because it is the muscle that lines the lower chest. But, the size and anatomy of a deer are much different than that of a cow so the brisket may not be what you expect. The brisket on a deer is very lean and thin while the brisket from a cow is fairly thick and has a layer of fat on it. While it may be different than beef (like every cut of venison is), you can definitely still enjoy it!
How to cure venison:
Making corned meat is actually a pretty simple process. It only takes a few simple ingredients (curing salt, pickling spices, garlic, salt, sugar, and water) and not a lot of technique. The key ingredient is time. From start to finish, it takes about 5-7 days depending on the size of your roast. You'll also need a large container to store it in while it's curing.
How to cook corned venison:
What sets this corned venison recipe apart from others is the braising process and the glaze. Corned meat of any kind definitely needs some low and slow cooking after the curing process to break down the connective tissue and tenderize the meat a bit more. You have to boil it anyways, so you might as well boil it in something that will add an extra layer of flavor. Is it worth it to "waste" 2 beers to boil some meat in? Yes, yes it is. Trust me on this one.
Once the meat has been cooked in all that beer, you might as well add some whiskey, right? The mustard glaze is really the icing on the cake here. Three simple ingredients (whiskey, mustard, and honey) make the perfect sweet, tangy glaze for your corned venison. Since venison doesn't have a layer of fat like a corned beef brisket, it needs a little help in the moisture department. I like to cover the roast in some lard to seal in the moisture before placing it in the oven to caramelize the glaze. I also try to keep the oven time to a minimum to protect from moisture loss.
What to make with corned venison:
Corned venison (or corned beef) is often the centerpiece for a St. Patrick's Day feast. Alongside the meat, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots are often served. I like to put them all together in an Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) along with the braising liquid from the corned venison. It's super simple to make and the vegetables turn out very flavorful and tender. As an added bonus, you can "set it and forget it" while you focus on glazing the venison. It's a win-win!
Can you make corned venison without nitrates?
Corned venison can absolutely be made without nitrates (from the curing salt). While it will still taste delicious, the meat will be more of a brownish-gray color instead of that beautiful pink color that is usually associated with cured meat. You can use the same recipe but omit the curing salt if you'd like.
How to freeze corned venison:
If you're going to go through the work of brining some venison, you might as well get the most bang for your buck. You can brine a few roasts in the same amount of curing liquid and have many delicious meals in your future. Once the meat has cured for 5 days, rinse it off and vacuum seal it. Then, freeze it for up to 6 months. Once you're ready to enjoy it, thaw the meat and follow the recipe below.
Putting it all together:
Alright you have your corned venison and sides (theoretically), now all that's left to do is eat and enjoy! You can top the vegetables with a little fresh parsley to brighten it up. If you want to spice it up a bit, horseradish is a great pairing with the meat as well. Serve it with your favorite beer and enjoy!
Beer-Braised Corned Venison
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Cambro 6 qt Container (or other curing vessel)
- medium saucepan
- Small Saucepan
- sheet pan
- Pastry Brush
- Instant Pot (optional for vegetables)
Ingredients
Corned Venison
- 1 ½ lb venison bottom round roast
- ¾ oz curing salt (instacure #1)
- ½ cup pickling spice
- ¾ cup salt (I used Kosher)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 quarts water
Beer Braise
- 24 oz beer (I used amber ale)
- 1 onion, halved, then quartered
- 1 teaspoon pickling spice
Whiskey Mustard Glaze
- 3 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 3 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoon whiskey
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon lard, room temperature
Vegetables (optional)
- cooking liquid from corned venison
- 1 small cabbage, quartered, core intact
- 1 lb baby gold potatoes
- 1 lb small carrots, peeled
- chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Curing the Meat:
- Combine curing salt, pickling spices, garlic, salt, sugar, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Cool completely and put curing mixture into a large container. I use a 6 qt Cambro translucent container. Add meat to curing mixture. Place a piece of plastic wrap gently on top of the liquid to keep it air tight. Place lid on container and refrigerate for 5 days.Note: this amount of brining liquid will work for more than one roast. If you have room in your container, you can brine another roast at the same time.
Cooking the Corned Venison:
- Rinse the brine off the meat. To a medium pot, add beer, onion, pickling spice, and cured meat. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 hours. Add water if the liquid level gets below the level of the meat. You want the entire piece to be submerged for the whole cooking time.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine mustard, honey, whiskey, and salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Heat until boiling and slightly thickened.
- Remove meat from braising liquid. Strain and save the liquid if you are making the vegetables below.
- Place meat on a foil-lined sheet pan. Spread lard all over the corned venison. Baste with whiskey mustard glaze.
- Place in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, basting with glaze every 2 minutes until it is slightly browned and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Vegetables:
- Before putting venison in the oven, place vegetables in Instant Pot. Place potatoes in the bottom, carrots in the middle, and cabbage on top. Pour meat braising liquid over vegetables. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Do a quick pressure release and that's it! It will likely take around 15-20 minutes to come to pressure and cook which is approximately the same amount of time it will take the venison to cook with the glaze and rest. Serve with corned venison.
Freezing Instructions:
- After venison has cured for 5 days, remove it from the curing liquid. Rinse the brine off the meat and place in a vacuum bag. Seal with a vacuum sealer. Be careful to not let the vacuum sealer suck in the liquid. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw and follow cooking instructions above.
Nutrition
Jump to:
- Ingredients Needed:
- Equipment Needed:
- What is corned venison?
- Is there a brisket on a deer?
- How to cure venison:
- How to cook corned venison:
- What to make with corned venison:
- Can you make corned venison without nitrates?
- How to freeze corned venison:
- Putting it all together:
- Beer-Braised Corned Venison
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