10derized Jagerschnitzel

This great tasting recipe from Hank Shaw at honest-food.net is very versatile in that you can use just about any type of wild game meat you'd like. The term Jägerschnitzel means “hunter’s cutlets” in German, and the dish was originally made with thin pieces of venison or wild boar backstrap.

This is an ideal recipe for venison backstrap, but it will be just as great with wild boar medallions, wild duck breast - and venison heart. Yes, venison heart. You open up the heart like a book and trim away any vein-y stuff, then use the 10derizer on the heart until it is thin the same way you would with any other meat. It is absolutely delicious.

Traditionally you would not flour or bread a cutlet for jägerschnitzel, but sometimes a light coating of flour might be desired. Do not bread it, though. That's wiener schnitzel, or milanese. Both are good, just different. What mushrooms to use? Historically you would use regular button mushrooms plus chanterelles. You can use anything you want, but use a variety of mushrooms. I like those "chef's sampler" packs you can get in many grocery stores.

Ingredients

• 4 venison or wild boar medallions (or duck breasts, or venison hearts...)
• Salt
• 1 to 1-1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 5 Tbsp bacon fat (or lard, or butter) - divided
• Flour for dusting (optional)
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 cup venison stock (or duck stock, or beef stock...)
• 2 to 4 Tbsp cream
• Black pepper to taste

Instructions

Use the 10derizer on the meat until it is about 1/8 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.

Set a large sauté 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 or 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat and onions and stir-fry everything until the onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and onions and set aside.

Dust the cutlets in flour if you want to (optional). Add the remaining bacon fat to the sauté pan and let it heat up over medium-high heat. 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. (If you have a lot of them, set the plate in the oven and set it to "warm.")

Add the 2 tablespoons flour and mix with the fat in the pan. Turn the heat to medium and let the flour-and-fat mixture cook until it is the color of coffee-with-cream. Slowly pour in the stock, plus any juices that have come off the cutlets while they rest. 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 the mushrooms and onions back to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Pour this over the cutlets and serve at once.