Last season, Rachel shot her first sika stag. A member of the elk family (and commonly confused with the Sitka blacktail of the Pacific coast, which they are not related to), this diminutive marsh deer is elusive, invasive, and most importantly, delicious. They are, frankly, the best eating venison we’ve ever had- whitetail venison just doesn’t hold a candle to a sika deer. The meat is just a little darker red, with an incredible woodsy flavor that is almost porcini-like in aroma. Just about every cut on these little deer is tender- we had some shoulder roasted medium rare, and you could have cut it with a spoon. 

These little deer are so tasty and hard to hunt that we’ve been hoarding the sika meat we have in our freezer. We don’t know when we’ll shoot our next one, and the thought of just carelessly burning through what we do have is enough to make me feel sick. When we do feel like busting out the sika deer, it’s not just for any workaday meal. We recently made an incredibly simple carpaccio with just part of a sika backstrap, and despite its simplicity, it might be the most standout dish we’ve had in a while. If you're looking for a way to savor a high value protein, look no further.

Like tartare, carpaccio is a simple dish- it's basically raw meat, prepared in a way that highlights it’s natural tenderness with complimentary and contrasting flavors and textures. Whereas tartare is usually finely diced or ground, and then mixed with the other ingredients, carpaccio is thinly sliced and usually pounded with a mallet to tenderize it. Afterwards, it’s topped with various fatty, acidic and salty elements. Carpaccio can be made with or without a quick sear to the outside before slicing. We enjoy both methods, but we find that a quick crust from searing adds depth of flavor and texture.

Sika Deer Carpaccio

Prep time: 50 minutes total, 10 active

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

Sika backstrap, trimmed of all connective tissue and fat

Sea salt

High quality EVOO

Capers (salt packed are best)

Real parmesan cheese, shaved thin

Porcini mushrooms, dried, ground fine into a coarse powder

Method

Season the backstrap liberally with salt and pepper, then dust with porcini mushroom powder. 

Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan to high heat with a little cooking oil or fat (reserve the olive oil for serving). Quickly sear the backstrap, just long enough to add a little color, 15-20 seconds, on all sides.

After searing, place the backstrap in the freezer for 20-40 minutes. You want it almost frozen, to make it easier to slice thinly and pound.

Remove the almost-frozen meat from the freezer and slice across the grain, ⅛” thick. Place the slices on a cutting board. At this point, you can layer the slices between two pieces of plastic wrap if you choose- this reduces potential splatter and allows you to easily peel the meat up off the board without tearing it. Use a meat mallet to pound the slices as thin as possible (almost translucent) without completely tearing the meat apart. Gentle, steady motion is what you’re looking for here. Remember, the meat is already sliced thin, so there is no need to go full caveman at this point.

Once the meat has been hammered out, transfer it to a large plate, then season with olive oil, salt, capers and slices of good parmesan. Enjoy over toast or right off the plate with your hands.