Roast Venison (a German Recipe)

A lean roast handled the German way, with bacon threaded through the meat and a cultured-cream baste standing in for the fat the animal does not have. The whole method turns on that fat replacement, and on not overcooking.

• The cutThe recipe does not say which cut; the method suits a haunch (leg) or saddle, and a joint of that kind will feed a large table. A boned loin works with the same treatment but roasts in a fraction of the time.
• "Flay off the skin"Most likely the fell or silverskin, the tough pearly membrane over the muscle, rather than the hide itself. Slide a thin knife under it and strip it off in sheets; it will not soften with cooking and it pulls the meat out of shape as it shrinks.
• "Beat it well"A period tenderising step for older wild animals hung some days. Farmed venison and young deer do not need it. If the beast is unknown or the meat is dark and firm, a day or two in buttermilk or a red wine marinade does more good than pounding.
• LardingLardons cut a little over two inches long and about a quarter-inch square, drawn through the meat with a larding needle at intervals of an inch or so. Without a needle, cut deep slits with a thin blade and push the bacon in with the handle of a spoon. Barding, wrapping the outside in bacon or sheets of pork fat, is the easier substitute and nearly as effective.
• Oven and temperatureThe recipe gives no heat and no time. In a modern oven, start at 425F for 15 minutes to colour the surface, then drop to 325F. Cook to an internal temperature of 130-135F for medium rare and rest 20 minutes. Venison has almost no intramuscular fat and goes dry and livery above about 145F, so the thermometer matters more than the clock.
• The sour cream basteThe baste -- The recipe offers a choice: sour cream, or butter and milk. For the cream version use full-fat sour cream or creme fraiche, brushed on every 15 minutes; creme fraiche is less likely to split. The cream browns and catches, so use a roasting pan you can deglaze and watch it in the last half hour.
• The saucePour off the pan juices, let them settle, skim the fat, then loosen the browned residue with water or stock and strain. Season with pepper, salt and lemon juice off the heat. If it is thin, reduce it rather than thickening it, and a spoonful of extra sour cream stirred in at the end below a simmer keeps the sauce from breaking.