It is my distinct opinion any cut of venison if cooked medium-rare will taste amazing. Yes, that includes the blade roast (or charcoal steak cut) from the front shoulder. And truthfully, sometimes I’m in the mood for that texture, so I might cut up that roast and sear for fajitas or, in this case, some peppery pasta.

The sauce here is incredibly easy to make but like most sauce recipes I share, the hardest part is the waiting. From start to finish, with all the liquids reducing involved to ensure a very flavorful, creamy sauce — this timeframe will likely be an hour or more, so plan ahead. Then if you find you’re ahead of schedule and your sauce is perfect early, you can just turn the burner heat to very low until ready to serve.

Feel welcome to substitute the pasta selection or even the doneness level. I prefer my pasta more al dente, while others may like theirs more done. The choice is yours. Lastly, whenever searing meat, always make certain to never crowd the pan. A too-full pan (over half full) will steam and soften the exterior of nearby meat. If you have to sear your venison in shifts, that is what you want to do. I try to always stay under half full, in terms of skillet space, to avoid crowding the pan.

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 16 to 20 ounces any venison roast, cut into strips or small chunks
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Peanut oil (or similar high-smoke-point cooking oil)

Sauce:

• 2 cups Marsala cooking wine
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon Sambal chili paste

Pasta:

• 16 ounces penne, cooked al dente
• One medium yellow onion, cut julienne & grilled
• Two poblano peppers, cut julienne & grilled
• 8 oz. sliced or quartered baby bella mushrooms
• Optional for garnish: sliced scallions, grated Romano or parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Trim venison of fascia and silver skin and chop into approximate 1-inch-by-1-inch chunks or strips half-inch wide and at most 2 inches long. Lightly season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper and place in fridge until ready to cook. 

2. To make the sauce, add Marsala cooking wine along with salt, black pepper, and garlic to a medium saucepan and heat on medium. Once the wine has reduced by half, add the heavy whipping cream and continue to reduce until the saucepan contents are one-third the original amount (could take an hour or longer). Once thick and creamy, stir in chili paste, lower heat to low.

3. When the sauce is almost done, heat a large (preferably cast-iron) skillet on medium-high heat and add a thin layer of peanut oil (or similar high-smoke-point cooking oil). Sear sliced onions and poblanos together until slightly soften and brown. Add mushrooms and lightly salt and pepper. Once mushrooms are fully cooked, remove contents of skillet and set aside on a large plate or in a large bowl.

4. Once vegetables are cooked, use that same skillet heated on medium-high and add a bit more cooking oil. Sear venison no more than half a skillet full at a time (so do not crowd the pan, as too many pieces will steam and you won’t get a good crust on venison pieces). When venison has a nice crust on all sides (after 3-4 minutes of tossing and stirring to sear), remove and set aside.

Boil pasta for approximately 8 minutes, until al dente. Strain pasta.

5. To assemble pasta, add penne to each plate or bowl, top with venison and vegetables, ladle sauce overtop and garnish with sliced scallions or even grated cheese, if you’d like.

Enjoy! Reach out to me on Instagram (@WildGameJack) with any questions or comments.