Smoked Venison Leg Roast
A simple smoked venison leg roast you can carve and eat like a roast, or save to slice thin for sandwiches, etc. Pass the horseradish!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 lb venison leg roast trimmed of sinew, or multiple, smaller roasts. I like the sirloin for this one, the long rectangle with the visible grain
Brine
- 2 3 inch strips lemon peel use a vegetable peeler to do this
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 10 Tbsp kosher salt this is 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons
- 2 qt water
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic crushed with the back of a knife
- 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- A few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme optional, use a good pinch of dried if you don’t have fresh
Instructions
Brine
- Bring the brine ingredients to a boil then cool completely. Submerge the venison roast in the brine in a small pot or similar container where it can fit snugly (or a thick plastic bag set into a flat tray or Tupperware to prevent spills). You may not need all of the brine. Refrigerate the venison roast in the brine for at least 12 hours, and up to 5 days. I like to aim for a solid 24 hours.
Smoking
- Remove the roast, then cold smoke at 225F until an internal temperature of 130-135 F. Remove the roast, pat dry, and prepare to sear it.
Searing
- Heat a heavy cast iron skillet, grill or other surface until nearly smoking hot, brown the roast on all sides until golden with a drizzle of oil, about 1 minute per side, then remove and rest in a warm place for AT LEAST 15 minutes before slicing. After resting, this should give you about a medium-rare to medium doneness.*see note