Venison Carne Asada

As I mentioned in my first blog post, some recipes work really well when using strongly flavored meats, and this recipe is one of them.  I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan that deer meat ever had.  In my experience early season deer are usually pretty mild, but by the later rifle hunts all but the youngest bucks can be really strong (not bad, just strong).  


I don't have any evidence to back it up, but I think a lot of traditional Mexican recipes were developed using venison before beef was widely available in this hemisphere.  Regardless of where they came from, these recipes often compliment venison very well.  Carne asada, literally translated means "roasted meat" and is one of my favorite whole meat venison recipes.  


The term "carne asada" is also used as an equivalent expression to the social definition of the English word "barbecue", and this is an easy and sure to please recipe if you're inviting friends and family to dinner.  It's an awesome way to introduce more "domesticated" people to venison and wild game.


Unless you process your own meat, your venison steaks are probably cut about twice as thick as you want them for carne asada.  About 1/4" to 5/8" is a good thickness.  This a good recipe for particularly tough or thin cuts, such as round steak, flank steak, or brisket.


If you're trying to cover up a strongly flavored deer, you want to lean toward thinner slices and marinate longer so the marinade-to-meat ratio goes up.  I use a jerky board to cut my processed steaks to the right thickness.

It's important to use a plastic, glass, or clay bowl to marinate the meat because the marinade is going to be strongly acidic and metal bowls will affect the flavor.  Once the meat is cut, chop a big handful of cilantro, including some of the stems (there is a lot of good flavor in the stems, which will soften up during marination and cooking).  

Mince a couple of cloves of garlic plus some jalapeno and toss those in.

The English word "marinade" traces back to the French word "mariner," (which means "to pickle," or "to marinate") but probably originated with the Italian word "marinare." The Latin root is "marina," meaning "seawater," "brine," or "pickling." In English, it amounts to a liquid with ingredients that usually include oil and an acid such as vinegar or citrus seasoned with herbs and spices.  The purpose of an acidic marinade is two-fold: to season and to tenderize. 


This carne asada marinade consists of 2 parts white vinegar, 2 parts lime juice, and 1 part olive oil.  Season with salt, coarse black pepper, white sugar (not pictured), and cumin.  For 2 pounds of steak I used about a 1/3 cup each of vinegar and lime juice, and 1/4 cup of olive oil.  I used about half a tablespoon each of salt, pepper, and cumin and 1 teaspoon of sugar. I'm guessing at those amounts but don't be afraid to experiment with the quantities of any ingredient, or even to add or substitute ingredients, according to your personal preferences--you're cooking dinner, not building a bridge so there isn't any exact formula.

The marinade will actually start to cure (pickle) the meat, so don't worry that it starts changing color almost immediately.  Put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but you could marinate all day if need be.  The longer the meat marinates the stronger the seasoning (especially from the garlic and jalapeno in this recipe) and the more tender the meat so adjust as necessary. 


When the time comes, make sure the grill is nice and hot.  The traditional preparation of carne asada is over an open fire, so I think it's best to cook uncovered when using a grill.  That means cranking the knobs full tilt on a gas grill like mine.  As I mentioned, the meat is partially cured from the acetic (vinegar) and citric (lime) acids and salt, and the cuts are thin, so it won't take long to cook.  Even outside in 30-degree weather, mine took about 4-5 minutes per side with the grill lid open and the gas on high.

Meanwhile, whip up some sides including pinto beans, Mexican rice, and tortillas.  I can't think of anything I'd rather have with carne asada...  Top it off with an avocado and a cervesa (Modelo Especial or Pacifico are great with this) and enjoy!

So in summary, you'll need the following (roughly):
Venison steaks (round, flank, skirt, or brisket; cut 1/4" to 5/8" thick) (2 lbs for 3 people)
White vinegar (1/3 cup)
Lime juice (1/3 cup)
Olive oil (1/4 cup)
Cilantro (handful chopped)
Garlic (2 cloves minced)
Jalapeno (3/4 to whole; seeded, minced)
Ground cumin (1/2 Tbs)
Salt (1/2 Tbs)
Coarse ground black pepper (1/2 Tbs)
White sugar (1 tsp)
Mix all the above in a plastic bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.  Longer marination time results in stronger flavor and more tender meat, so adjust ingredients (especially garlic and jalapeno) accordingly.  


Grill open over high heat for 2-5 minutes per side--I look for the edges to just barely start to char.  Serve with beans, rice, avocado, and tortillas.  Leftovers make amazing burritos or tacos, or try leftover carne asada with eggs and salsa for breakfast.


Now I'm hungry.