Herb-Crusted Venison Chops

Do you butcher your own deer? We do. And here’s why- unless you have a really, really top-rate butcher, you’re going to miss out on all kinds of delicious cuts.

You’ve already spent countless hours scouting, hiking, sighting in, checking trailcams, putting up stands… all things that add to the overwhelming sense of accomplishment when you finally get to pull the trigger and begin the process of getting your deer out of the woods. Why, then, are we so cavalier about letting someone else do all the hard work from the kill to the plate?

The thing is, when you drop your deer off to be processed, you’re leaving it in the hands of someone who is running a business. Nothing wrong with that, but as they say, time is money, and most aren’t going to spend a whole bunch of time futzing around with fancy chops. But you know who could find some time for that?

The same guy who spent a bunch of time futzing around with that new scope.

Check out this guide to butchering your own deer, and then this video on cutting bone-in venison chops.

herb-crusted venison chops

Prep time: 45 minutes active, 3 hours total

Serves: 4-6

Sous-vide dials in the perfect internal temperature & allows the meat to cool down completely before the second application of heat, preventing overcooking. The vibrant green herb coating contrasts beautifully with the uniformly burgundy meat for a pop of visual interest on the plate. We served ours with roasted squash, but this is a versatile entree that you can pair with any of your seasonal favorites.

Ingredients:

1 rack bone-in venison chops

1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsp butter

2-3 bunches of basil or flat leaf parsley (around ½ lb)

All purpose flour, for dredging

1 egg

¼ cup milk

Oil for frying

Salt & pepper

Butchers twine

Method:

Trim the chops of silver skin, extra fat, and french the bones. Use butcher twine to tie tight cylinders between each set of ribs. Season with salt and pepper, place in vacuum sealer bag with butter and seal. Cook in a sous vide bath at 130F for 1-2 hours.

While the meat is cooking, pluck leaves from basil or parsley, or a combination of both (fry separately). Fry herb leaves in hot oil (at around 375F) until the leaves turn dark green and slightly translucent (15-30 seconds). Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate or pan to drain off oil. As the herbs cool they should become crispy and resemble dark green stained glass. Work in batches until all the herbs are fried.

Place fried herbs in food processor with panko and pulse until the mixture is evenly dark green. Set aside.

When the cook time for the chops is over, remove them from sous vide bath & place in ice bath to chill. Remove them from the bag & dredge in flour (avoiding getting flour on bones). Shake off any excess flour and sear in large sautee pan with oil until flour is a golden brown, about 30-40 seconds each side. Use tongs to rotate the chops to evenly sear all sides. Remove from pan and place on sheet pan to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F. Mix egg with milk and use a pastry brush to coat all sides of the chop (avoiding getting the egg wash on the bones). Once coated, place in bowl with herb panko and press the panko onto the chops, making sure to coat all sides evenly. Place on baking sheet or roasting pan and bake at 425F until panko is crispy and just starting to darken (~5 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Cut the chops apart or serve the rack whole.