4 venison medallions (back strap filet)
Salt
1 to 1 1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons bacon fat, lard or butter, divided
corn meal / Flour for dusting (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup venison, beef, or chicken stock
2-4 tablespoons cream
Black pepper to finish on top
1. Place the venison medallion between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound until the meat is about 1/4 inch thick. Do this firmly, but don’t wail on the meat or you will tear it. Trim the cutlets to an even shape if you want.
2. Pour the stock into a small pot and bring to a simmer.
3. Set a large saute pan over high heat for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms to the hot, dry pan. Shake them around so they don’t stick too much and cook the mushrooms until they give up their water, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and onions and stir-fry them until the onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and onions and set aside.
5. Dust the cutlets in corn meal / flour if you want to. Add the remaining bacon fat to the saute pan and let it heat up over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Do not let it smoke. Sear the cutlets for 90 seconds on the first side. Keep them from curling up with a spatula. Flip the cutlets and sear another 90 seconds for medium doneness. Remove the cutlets to a plate.
6. Add 2 tablespoons flour and mix with the fat in the pan. Turn the heat to medium and let the flour and fat mixture cook for 3-4 minutes, until it is the color of coffee-with-cream. Whisk in the hot stock, plus any juices that have come off the cutlets while they rest.
7. You should have a thick gravy. If it is thin, let this boil down a minute or two. If it is really thick, turn off the heat, wait for the sauce to stop bubbling and stir in the cream. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
8. Add the mushrooms and onions back to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Pour this over the cutlets and serve at once.
