Prep time
25 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 15 minutes
Course
Main
Skill level
Intermediate
Season
Fall
Serves
4 to 6
This stuffed venison roast utilizes garden herbs that survived the first few frosts of the season: mint, parsley, and oregano. Along with lemon zest, they lend this dish a summery, Mediterranean vibe while the olives and venison bring enough earthiness to bridge that gap to cooler weather. This roast is simple to prepare and cooks up in no time while providing an elegant presentation.
Use fresh herbs if you can—they make a difference in this dish. For that matter, make sure you're using fresh-ground black pepper as well. You want the stuffing to be robust. Also, because venison is so lean, you’ll want to use plenty of good extra virgin olive oil, and make sure you don’t cook it past medium rare.
I use a top round in this recipe, but bottom round or sirloin tip will work equally well. I cooked this roast in a Camp Chef pellet grill to add some smokey notes, but an oven will work just fine. Check the internal temperature of the roast frequently after the first 30 minutes and remember that the meat temperature will continue to climb by a few degrees as it rests.
Pair this roast with couscous or any of your favorite grains or pasta. The leftovers are great cold, sliced thin on pita bread with tzatziki sauce or layered on a white pizza.
Ingredients
- 1 venison top round roast (2.5-3 lbs.) trimmed of connective tissue and fat
- ½ medium onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted, minced
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp. fresh mint, minced
- 1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
- 2 tsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp. capers, minced
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Also works with
Preparation
- Preheat the oven or pellet grill to 350°F.
- Butterfly the roast then season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl, except the feta cheese, and mix.
- Spread stuffing mixture onto the butterflied roast. Roll the roast into a cylinder and tie with butcher's twine. Season the exterior with salt and pepper and cover liberally with olive oil.
- Place rolled roast directly on grates in a preheated grill. If using an oven, use a roasting pan to allow air to circulate under the roast.
- Cook for 40 to 60 minutes until internal temperature reaches 115 to 120°F. Remove from grill, loosely tent with aluminum foil or a large mixing bowl, and allow to rest on a sheet pan for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
- Garnish with feta cheese, mint leaves, and some more olive oil.
Olive-Stuffed Venison Roast
Prep time
25 minutes
Cook time
1 hour 15 minutes
Course
Main
Skill level
Intermediate
Season
Fall
Serves
4 to 6
This stuffed venison roast utilizes garden herbs that survived the first few frosts of the season: mint, parsley, and oregano. Along with lemon zest, they lend this dish a summery, Mediterranean vibe while the olives and venison bring enough earthiness to bridge that gap to cooler weather. This roast is simple to prepare and cooks up in no time while providing an elegant presentation.
Use fresh herbs if you can—they make a difference in this dish. For that matter, make sure you're using fresh-ground black pepper as well. You want the stuffing to be robust. Also, because venison is so lean, you’ll want to use plenty of good extra virgin olive oil, and make sure you don’t cook it past medium rare.
I use a top round in this recipe, but bottom round or sirloin tip will work equally well. I cooked this roast in a Camp Chef pellet grill to add some smokey notes, but an oven will work just fine. Check the internal temperature of the roast frequently after the first 30 minutes and remember that the meat temperature will continue to climb by a few degrees as it rests.
Pair this roast with couscous or any of your favorite grains or pasta. The leftovers are great cold, sliced thin on pita bread with tzatziki sauce or layered on a white pizza.
Ingredients
- 1 venison top round roast (2.5-3 lbs.) trimmed of connective tissue and fat
- ½ medium onion, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted, minced
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp. fresh mint, minced
- 1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
- 2 tsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp. capers, minced
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Also works with
Preparation
- Preheat the oven or pellet grill to 350°F.
- Butterfly the roast then season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl, except the feta cheese, and mix.
- Spread stuffing mixture onto the butterflied roast. Roll the roast into a cylinder and tie with butcher's twine. Season the exterior with salt and pepper and cover liberally with olive oil.
- Place rolled roast directly on grates in a preheated grill. If using an oven, use a roasting pan to allow air to circulate under the roast.
- Cook for 40 to 60 minutes until internal temperature reaches 115 to 120°F. Remove from grill, loosely tent with aluminum foil or a large mixing bowl, and allow to rest on a sheet pan for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
- Garnish with feta cheese, mint leaves, and some more olive oil.