Fried Deer Backstrap Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

2 pounds venison backstrap
cut into 8 equal slices

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

8 large eggs

4 English muffins
split and toasted

Smoked Paprika

 

Hollandaise Sauce

4 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup butter
melted

Dash white pepper

 

Egg poaching liquid

2 quarts water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

 

Cooking Instructions

Start by splitting and toasting four English muffins and slicing the backstrap into eight relatively equal slices.

Start by pounding the backstrap medallions flat with a meat mallet. Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Dredge the backstrap in the seasoned flour.

Heat ¼ inch of vegetable oil or lard in a cast-iron skillet over medium-heat. Fry the backstrap 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Move the fried backstrap to a warm platter and cover with foil.

Make the sauce by whisking egg yolks, water and lemon juice until blended. Cook on a double boiler or in a bowl over boiling water until the mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and temperature reaches 160°, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Very slowly drizzle in warm melted butter, whisking constantly. Whisk in the white pepper. Transfer to a small bowl if necessary. Place the bowl into a larger bowl of warm water to keep the sauce warm, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve, up to 30 minutes.

To poach the eggs, in a straight-sided shallow pan over medium heat, pour in the water, vinegar and salt. Bring the mixture to a heavy simmer and reduce the heat to hold it there. Break each egg into a shallow bowl and gently slide them one at a time into the simmering water. Repeat the process three times so that four eggs are in the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolk starts to just thicken. Gently remove the eggs to a warm plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat the process with the remaining four eggs.

To assemble the Eggs Benedict, start with a toasted half of an English muffin. Top with fried venison. Gently top the venison with a poached egg, then spoon over hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle over a pinch of smoked paprika to finish.