Pan Roasted Venison Tenderloin with Shallot Portabella Port Reduction

Black Powder seasons starts on October 31. That means it's time to break out the venison recipes. This recipe from Gourmet Magazine was the inspiration for this dish, I didn't have brined green peppercorns or specific Madeira so I used portabellas and regular port - it turned out great. I served it with hasselback potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 Venison Tenderloin - Trimmed of all silverskin/fat

Paprika

Salt

Pepper

1 Tablespoon Butter

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Carton (8 oz.) Portabella Mushrooms

2 Shallots - Sliced

1/4 Cup Port Wine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Set out tenderloin and liberally cover in paprika.

Sprinkle and rub both sides with Salt and Pepper and let tenderloin come to room temperature while pan is heating up.

Place an oven safe pan over medium high heat and place butter and olive oil in pan.

Once pan is hot, and butter has melted, sear venison about 90 seconds on each side - you just want to brown the meat, not cook it on the stove top.

Insert a digital kitchen thermometer into the center of the meat and place the pan in the oven.

Roast until internal temperature has reached 115 degrees.

Remove tenderloin from oven and place on a cutting board, make a tent out of aluminum foil and cover meat - temperature will continue to rise as meat rests. Let rest until internal temperature has reached 130.

While tenderloin is resting, return pan to stove top over medium high.

Place sliced shallots and mushrooms in pan and stir. Place port in pan and deglaze (scrape all brown bits from the bottom of the pan - this is very easy when liquid is added to a hot pan) Reduce heat to medium and let mixture reduce by half.

Slice tenderloin and top with shallot portabella reduction.