Venison Saddle with Chocolate and Chili
The noble venison saddle is enhanced with an unusual yet harmonious rub of dark chocolate and chili, which develops a deep, complex crust during smoking. The bitterness of the chocolate and the heat of the chili complement the intense game flavor excellently. Oak wood lends the meat a robust, long-lasting smoky note.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Preparing Rub & Coating Meat
20 minutesMix all rub ingredients thoroughly. Generously coat all sides of the cleaned venison saddle with the rub, lightly massaging it into the meat. Rest covered in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
Smoker Preparation & Tempering
60 minutesPreheat smoker to 100-110 °C and add oak and cherry wood chips. Remove the venison saddle from the refrigerator 30-45 minutes before smoking and allow to temper.
Smoking
4-6 hoursPlace the venison saddle in the smoker and smoke at a constant 100-110 °C. Carefully monitor the temperature to prevent the chocolate from burning. Smoke until a core temperature of 60-65 °C is reached.
Resting & Carving
15 minutesRemove the saddle from the smoker, loosely wrap in butcher paper, and rest for 15 minutes. Carve into even slices across the grain and plate immediately.
Pro Tip
Use real dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) and grate it finely – no cocoa powder substitutes. The chocolate burns at too high a temperature, so do not exceed the smoker temperature.
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