Recipe: How to Make Corned Venison

September and early October were very, very good to me. I put an elk in the freezer, my girlfriend added and an antelope, and while I didn’t fill my Nebraska antelope tag, I was able to shoot a nice buck in Wyoming last week. That’s a lot of meat in the larder. So much, in fact, that I’m shopping for a second freezer since there’s still a lot of hunting season left.

I’m also spending some time preserving a bunch of meat—jerky, sausage, and, this week, some corned elk. Just about any roast-sized cut of venison will work for this recipe, but I like using the bottom round flat, which is shaped much like a traditional beef brisket. It is nearly uniform in thickness so the corning brine will penetrate at the same rate throughout the length of the cut, plus it makes a nice presentation when boiled and sliced.

Ingredients
3-4 lb. venison roast
½ cup Morton’s Tender Quick
½ cup Canning Salt
¼ cup Sugar
2 quarts Water
3 Tbsp. Pickling Spices
12 black peppercorns
6-10 garlic cloves

Directions
In large pot, add the Tender Quick, canning salt, and sugar to the water and bring to boil. Once the sugar and salt are dissolved, transfer the brine to the refrigerator to cool completely.

Pour the cooled brine over venison roast in a plastic, glass or other non-reactive container. (The Briner works great for this.) Add the peppercorns, pickling spices, and garlic cloves. You may have to weigh the roast down with a plate or board to keep it submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days, stirring the brine every other day.

Remove the venison from the brine and rinse well. Discard the brine. Place the roast in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for at least 3 hours.