Mediterranean Venison Wellington Recipe

Mediterranean Venison Wellington Recipe, wrapped in puff pastry, with a wine reduction, mushroom pate tucked between the venison tenderloin and pastry. 

What’s Not To Love With Mediterranean Flavors And Lean Venison

This venison Wellington recipe, with mushroom duxelles — which is really just a polished way of saying mushroom pate — makes an impressive dinner party centerpiece without a lot of fuss.

My Brit hubby says this is an iconic British dish, and it’s often served with black pudding. 

So why not bring it to our next dinner party and maybe skip the black pudding this time?

Did You Know Mediterranean Food Is NOT A Diet

That’s right, we Americans love turning just about anything into a “trending” diet. But Mediterranean Food Is Not A Diet; it is a lifestyle and a cuisine rooted in some of the healthiest ingredients around the globe!

Meat in Mediterranean cooking often comes from animals raised on open pasture.

Here in America, deer season gives us those beautiful cuts of lean venison meat, and more and more farms are starting to raise this very healthy meat too.

Classic Beef Wellington

Yes, my first taste of the idea came from a classic, traditional Beef Wellington, with a gorgeous tenderloin wrapped in crisp puff pastry. 

I’ve never been much of a filet mignon person because, while it’s wonderfully tender, it has almost no fat, and to me that means not much flavor. 

But after taking a Master Class course with Gordon Ramsay and seeing how he builds a beef Wellington, I knew I had to try the idea with venison.

Pros and Cons With Beef Wellington

What’s not to love about a beautiful, classic, total showstopper beef Wellington? The first time I made one was for a family Christmas dinner, so I went all in, using herb crepes, a portobello mushroom pate, and everything Gordon Ramsay recommended, even the timing. 

The problem was that the meat came out far too rare and had to go back into the oven, even though all the sides were already done.

The lesson? Sear the meat well on every side long enough to build a crust on the outside and give the interior a head start before it’s wrapped.

Beef Wellington vs Venison Wellington

When you’re making beef or venison wrapped in pastry, your best ally is a reliable meat thermometer.

The second time I made beef Wellington, I cut the center portion of a beef tenderloin into individual servings, which was much easier than slicing it at the table.

Using the same method as the full-sized Wellington, it turned out beautifully — much easier to manage, and it works just as well for beef or venison Wellington.

Kid Friendly Wellington

I even tried making individual portions that are more ‘kid friendly’! The nice thing about a venison Wellington compared with beef is the size. 

It’s much simpler to figure out the cooking time for a handsome cut of venison, and the flavor is fantastic! 

Let’s Talk About Venison

Venison is an extremely lean meat, with far less fat than most other red meats, so you’ll need to add your own fats when cooking it.

Nutritionally, venison is packed with iron, several B vitamins, and plenty of protein.

The one drawback is the chance of lead contamination in animals hunted with lead bullets, so it’s important to buy your venison form a trusted source.

Pate

What exactly is pate, you ask? Usually, we think of pate as a smooth blend of liver — duck, goose, or chicken — mixed with herbs and spices that round it out.

Duck, goose, or chicken liver pate is often used under a Wellington, but I felt that would pile on too many competing flavors. I wanted the venison to shine on its own instead of being overshadowed by another meat.

Chicken liver pate has a strong taste, and faux gras does too — which, I’ll admit, just isn’t for me — so I went with mushroom pate. 

A lovely pate made from a mix of mushrooms — or even just a generous pile of your favorite variety — gives the venison wrapping a deep, meaty flavor without bringing in other meats.

Mushrooms In Wellington

Who doesn’t love the earthy taste of mushrooms with meat, especially when the mushrooms have been sauteed in plenty of butter, herbs, and a splash of wine!

Homemade mushroom pate is so simple to make, you may wonder why you don’t do it more often for all kinds of dishes.

Easy Mushroom Pate Recipe

A very large — really large — pile of mushrooms goes into a big skillet with a bit of butter, garlic, a splash of wine, and fresh herbs. 

It’s simmered down until the mushrooms soften and release that deep, savory flavor we all love. Once they’re gently cooked, they’re pureed, and that’s basically it. 

Be sure to save any leftovers — freeze them if you need to — so you can stir them into winter soups later, especially soup made from homemade bone broth for a little extra immune support in colder months. 

Yes, Venison Is Deer Meat

I still don’t get why so many Americans have trouble eating venison or rabbit — though plenty still do. Thanks a lot, Disney! 

Both venison and rabbit are common in the UK, and many British Chefs have shared wonderful recipes for these leaner meats, both high in protein and low in fat.

Healthy Venison – Yes Americans, Venison!

The truth is, if you eat meat, venison is a top-quality protein source and a much leaner, lower-saturated-fat option than other red meats. 

I’ve heard people say, “I don’t know how to build flavor into venison since it’s so lean,” and because of that, this excellent cut of meat gets overlooked. 

But once it’s brushed with olive oil, stuffed with a few slices of garlic, and seared in butter with herbs, venison can quickly become your new favorite red meat.

Flavor Enhanced Venison

As with any lean cut — rabbit, chicken breast, or lean fish like tilapia, cod, flounder, or sole — the answer is to add the right kind of fat. 

For this venison recipe, I kept it simple with olive oil, butter, and cream. Of course, any liver pate or bacon would also add more richness inside the pastry. 

Fresh Herbs Add Flavor To Venison

And let’s not forget how much fresh herbs, smoked spices, and garlic matter. 

The smokey, sweet, and gently hot flavor of Aleppo pepper is one of my favorite ways to boost flavor in all kinds of recipes. 

What To Serve With Venison Wellington

We all have our favorite sides for a festive meal, and that usually means some beloved potato recipe.

When I serve beef Wellington during the holidays, I usually pair it with Fancy Fondant Potatoes and individual Green Bean Bundles. 

Both of those festive sides would be great with venison Wellington, but if you want to stay closer to Mediterranean flavors, you might prefer my Mediterranean Orzo salad recipe, full of olives, roasted peppers, and feta.

Inspiration Behind The Side Dishes To Serve With Venison

Still, being the playful cook I am, I couldn’t help thinking, while preparing the venison, about how hard I work to keep deer out of my vegetable garden. 

So I served my Garden Inspired Carrot Risotto and Brussels Sprouts with Onion Jam Sliders beside the venison wellington as a little tribute to nature’s bounty.

Deer In My Garden?

Carrot risotto is one of my favorite things to make with deer wellington, and on the plate it even looks like a carrot, with the tops sitting proudly on top.

And yes, those are the carrot tops I spend so much time protecting from the deer in my garden!

Last but not least, since venison is enjoyed much more often in the UK, why not add a little English mustard on the side!

Equipment Needed

• Large saute pan, preferably cast iron to get the best heat source for searing the outside of the venison.
• Cutting board and a sharp chopping knife
• Tongs, which make it much easier to turn the meat in the hot pan instead of using a fork, since a fork can pierce the flesh and let those rich juices escape and evaporate in the pan.
• Food processor or blender to puree the mushrooms after they’ve been sauteed and softened.
• Whisk, preferably stainless steel, for whisking the gravy in the hot pan.
• Measuring cup and spoons
• Meat thermometer, the most reliable way to know the meat has reached the right temperature while hidden inside a pastry crust.
• Rolling pin to roll out the puff pastry, and while I’m sure you have a rolling pin, this one is my favorite because it also comes with a pastry mat with measuring aids so I can roll the dough to the perfect size for whatever I’m making!
• Basting brush, for spreading the mushroom pate over the venison and the egg wash over the pastry.
• Metal spatula, the easiest way to lift the hot, freshly baked Wellington from the dish and onto a cooling rack so the pastry doesn’t end up with a soggy bottom.
• Stovetop or burner, where the venison will be seared, the mushroom pate is sauteed and the gravy is made.
• Oven, where the final package of wrapped venison wellington will be roasted to perfection.

Ingredients Needed

• Venison tenderloin, from a reliably sourced wild game provider
• Milk, preferably whole milk to both soak the meat in, which aids in removing some of its gamey flavor.
• Aleppo pepper is my pepper of choice for this Mediterranean infused venison because it is not too hot and has a slightly smoky and luscious flavor.
• Salt, both coarse salt to sprinkle across the venison and across the pastry once egg wash has been brushed on, and crushed salt to season the mushrooms and gravy.
• Black pepper, is the perfect choice of pepper for the mushroom pate and gravy.
• Thyme is my herb of choice because it imparts a slightly strong flavor than oregano, which can also be used.
• Garlic, lots and lots of garlic for the meat, pate and gravy.
• Olive oil, one with a flavor you prefer, as they all have a slightly different taste.
• Butter, will be used to impart the needed fat for the very lean venison meat, as well as be used in the mushroom pate and gravy.
• Mushrooms, any type of mushroom of your choosing, or mix of varied types of mushrooms.
• Red wine, one that is light in flavor, to be used in the mushroom pate.
• Flour, needed to make the roux, which is the base of most gravies.
• Cream, for a rich gravy.
• Dijon mustard, or an English mustard both having a bit of heat and acidity.
• Puff pastry, a reliable brand that will hold up when baking, keeping the luscious juices of the venison and mushroom pate, inside.
• Egg wash, simply an egg and a drizzle of water or milk, to brush the outside of the pastry for a beautiful golden finish.