Alsatian

This feeds my family of five, provided they are rationed and eat other side dishes

1 venison backstrap, cut into 1/2" or 3/4" steaks
1/2 cup pinot noir red wine
thyme
6 juniper berries
1/2 cup heavy cream
butter
1/2 cup venison broth (or substitute clear, unseasoned beef broth)

Crush the juniper berries. Mix with about 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Place the backstrap steaks in a marinade container (I use a gallon zip-lock bag). Sprinkle the juniper berries, thyme, and pepper over the steaks. Pour the wine over the steaks. Close the marinade container and refrigerate overnight, occasionally turning the steaks in the marinade.

Take 1/2 stick of butter and melt it in a small pot or pan over medium heat. Skim off the scum that floats to the top of the melted butter. Pour off the clear yellow liquid into a cup, leaving the milky deposits in the bottom of the pan. This clear yellow liquid is "clarified butter" and will be used to cook the steaks at a higher temperature where non-clarified butter would burn.

Remove the venison steaks from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the steaks dry. Salt and pepper the steaks and then fry them in 1/8" of clarified butter in a small frying pan. Do this frying on high heat, about 90 seconds per side, maybe 2 minutes per side. You want the insides to be pink. When cooked, transfer the steaks to a heated plate, cover with aluminum foil, and place in a warm oven (heat the plate by turning the oven on for 5 minutes and then turning off). Add the marinade, being careful to include the thyme and juniper berries,and venison broth to the frying pan and boil rapidly, scraping loose any brown juices deposited by the steaks when they cooked. When the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 its original volume (I actually will pre-reduce both the broth and the marinade -- the steaks sitting on paper towels draining at this time -- before beginning the frying to reduce the time it takes for this liquid volume reduction action), add the heavy cream and cook until it is as thick as you like it. Serve the steaks with the cream sauce in a separate gravy bowl. This is really good, and every one I have served it to has loved it -- kids and adults.

Do not screw up and leave the oven on and then put the venison steaks into this oven! The steaks will continue to cook in there and become over done!!! You just want to keep the steaks warm, not cook them!!!