I LOVE Wild game. Especially venison. It's organic, its packed with nutrients and it's delicious!
We are going to use a take on the reverse sear method to create amazing individual venison chops. This is a technique where we will smoke an entire rib rack to 120 degrees internal temperature. Then we will slice the rack into individual chops (or double chops) and sear them quickly on a hot cast iron surface to get some char on the outside of each chop while finishing then in a butter bath with fresh garlic and herbs.
Ingredients
- Venison Rib rack, whole
- Meat Church Holy Cow (Holy Gospel also great)
- Coarse cracked black pepper
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- Fresh herbs for finishing – rosemary, thyme oregano
- 3 – 6 cloves of garlic
- Olive oil
- Tools
- Cast iron skillet or griddle for searing
- Instant Read Thermometer
Prepare your Smoker or Two Zone Fire on a Charcoal Grill
Prepare your pellet grill or smoker at a temperature of 250 degrees. We love hickory, mesquite or oak for this cook, but you can certainly use the wood or pellet of your choice.
If you do not have a pellet grill or smoker you can create a two-zone fire setup where you move the charcoal to one side of the grill and cook step 1 on the cooler side (not above the charcoal).
Prepare the Rib Rack
Remove any excess fat or silver skin from the rib rack. Removing the silver skin will remove some of the "gamey" taste some folks may pick up on. Apply a light coating of olive oil to the meat to act as a binder for the seasoning.
Season the rib rack moderately with Meat Church Holy Cow. Optionally, then add some coarse cracked black pepper all around the meat as well. Let the seasoning adhere for at least 15 minutes.
Cook the Rib Rack Step 1
Our goal is a medium rare finish (130 – 135 degree internal). I really don't want to go past 130 with venison because it is lean and we don't want to dry it out. Adjust to your personal preference. In step 1 we will be cooking to 120 internal temperature. Place the rib rack directly onto the cooking grate. If you are using a two-zone grill setup you will place the rib rack over the cooler side of the grill. Cook until it reaches an internal temperature of 120. At 250 degrees this should take 35 – 45 minutes depending on the size of the rack. Pull the rib rack after it has reached an internal temperature of 120 degrees in the middle. Let it rest 10 minutes lightly tented with aluminum foil while you move on to the next step.
Cook the Rib Rack Step 2
Prepare a cast iron skillet over medium to high heat. This can also be done directly over the cooking grate without the skillet if you choose. Slowly melt the butter in the skillet while adding the garlic and herbs. Don’t get the pan too hot or the butter will burn. Alternatively you could use a little peanut oil. Slice the rib rack into chops and sear them individually on each side in the pan. Each side will take 30 – 60 seconds depending on your desired finish. Use a spoon to baste and coat the chops in the butter.
Remove the shops, allow to cool. Slice and enjoy!
