The venison that we serve at Mesa Grill is farm-raised and never gamey. It’s also incredibly lean—so don’t overcook it. I love to pair it with a sweet and spicy sauce such as this one as venison loves to be paired with big flavors. Tangerines are a great choice for the sauce because of their bright and slightly tart flavor.

Ingredients — Serves 4

Roasted Jalapeño Sauce:
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup white distilled vinegar
2 cups sugar
1 cup thawed tangerine juice concentrate
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, finely diced
4 jalapeños, roasted, peeled, and chopped
1 cup red wine
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Venison:
4 (8-ounce) venison steaks
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Roasted Jalapeño Sauce:
1. Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in the tangerine concentrate and cook until the mixture is thickened and reduced by half, stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and jalapeños and cook until onions are soft.

3. Increase the heat to high, add the wine and cook until reduced to ¼ cup. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, 20-25 minutes. Whisk in the tangerine mixture and cook until a sauce consistency, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain the sauce into a small saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

4. Whisk in the tangerine concentrate and brown sugar and cook to a sauce consistency; season with salt and pepper. Strain into a small saucepan and keep warm until serving.

Venison:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season the venison on both sides with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add venison and cook until golden brown and a crust has formed, 2-3 minutes. Turn over, place pan in oven, and continue cooking for about 2-3 minutes for medium-rare doneness.

3. Drizzle the venison steaks with the tangerine and Roasted jalapeño sauce.

Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook, by Bobby Flay. Copyright 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc.