My last two posts highlighted a succulent, butter-tender venison steak (the deer it came from was taken by my brother Randy with a .308 Browning and a single 150-grain bullet). (See Maple Marinade for Venison and the Ultimate Venison BLT) It may have required a mustered dose of self control to resist devouring the maple marinated steak right off the bat. If you managed that, or if you’ve been waiting to give it a try with a premium cut from your fresh harvest, here’s one last simple and great tasting recipe featuring those juicy slices. It just goes to show that a single properly prepared cut of excellent harvested game meat can be used in different ways and can be stretched out for multiple meals. Combine the last of our venison steak with fresh local ingredients to make killer venison sliders that are sure to please.
Sandwich Ingredients
6 small pretzel buns
¾-pound seared and sliced Vermont Maple marinated venison
7 ounces of your favorite double or triple cream cheese (we used readily available Brie)
6 leaves bibb lettuce
6 red onion rings for garnish
Softened butter for buns
Slaw
¾ cup sliced purple cabbage
¾ cup thinly sliced regular cabbage
1 medium carrot cut into thin matchsticks
½ of a sweet red pepper cut into thin matchsticks (membrane and seeds removed)
4 green onions cut on a ½ inch diagonal
1-minced shallot
Slaw Dressing
3 tablespoons Wild Plum Preserves (with peppered bacon) or substitute
1-2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Begin by slicing up the cabbages, carrot, red pepper, green onions, and mince the shallot.
Add wild plum preserves with peppered bacon (recipe here) or a good plum or blackberry jam to the veggies. Now is the time to toss in the olive oil, vinegar, and salt an pepper, too. Mix the slaw well to combine with the wild plum preserves. Let it sit while you prepare the sandwich.
Next up, we slice up the steak that has already been marinated and seared. Slice the double or triple cream cheese you have selected to the desired thickness. No magic here, just whatever you prefer.
Spread some butter on the inside of the pretzel buns and toast on the grill, or on a cast iron griddle. I have two that I love. Both are American-made from Lodge Cast Iron in Tennessee. One is the Pro-Grid Reversible Grill/Griddle. And the other is the Double Play reversible. More on those later.
Build the sandwich by laying on the lettuce, softened cheese, and a bundle of crunchy slaw. By now, the sweet and smokey jam will have combined with the tang of vinegar and the smooth fat of the olive oil.
Stick with small wooden skewers and make like horseshoes throwing on a round of red onion. (If anybody is watching their carb intake, the sliders also work well as a lettuce wrap.)
Serve on your cutting board and watch them slide out of sight.