Venison Shooter’s Sandwich
This classic sandwich was once named “The Best Sandwich in the World,” and its even better when you make it with venison backstrap
You might have heard of a Shooter’s Sandwich. It’s been around for around for a while. First made in England back around 1900, the sandwich was an attempt to make a version of a Beef Wellington that was transportable in a saddle bag. It was a good sandwich that remained moderately popular for the next hundred or so years. Then, in 2010, the Guardian Newspaper declared it “the best sandwich ever.”
The Shooter’s Sandwich was designed to be a portable version of a Beef Wellington.
Since then, the Shooter’s Sandwich has seen a rebirth of sorts. Recipes and variations have popped up everywhere. Most of them are similar to the original, a fairly simple affair where grilled steak and a blend of sautéed finely chopped mushrooms and shallot, known as duxelles, are placed into a hollowed out loaf of bread which then gets pressed to make it tough enough to stand up to being packed in a saddle bag (or hunting backpack).
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We make it with a 1.5 to 2 pound section of venison backstrap. Use whatever mushrooms you like. For this one we used a combination of shiitake and portobellos. While the original uses mustard as a condiment to more closely match a traditional Wellington, I prefer prepared horseradish sauce for a bit more spice.
INGREDIENTS
1.5 to 2 pound section of venison backstrap
1 loaf of freshly baked bread
8 ounces of your favorite mushrooms, finely chopped
2 shallots, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish sauce
1 tablespoon salt
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste for venison
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Start by melting butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced mushrooms and shallots. Salt well. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have released all moisture and the shallots are well caramelized.
Dice your favorite mushroom for the duxelles.
While the mushrooms cook, split the section of backstrap lengthwise to make two long steaks. Season the meat well with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Grill for 4-5 minutes per side to desired doneness. Rest the backstrap while you prep the sandwich.
Season the backstrap well before grilling.
Hollow out the bread to fit both sections of backstrap.
Hollow out a loaf of your favorite bread.
Slather horseradish sauce on the inner section of the top and bottom of the bread. Spoon half the mushrooms into the bottom section of the loaf and spread them evenly over the hollowed section.
Spread the loaf with horseradish then add half the duxelles.
Place the grilled backstrap steaks side by side.
Place the grilled backstrap on the sandwich.
Spread the remaining mushrooms over the steaks. Place the top of the loaf onto the sandwich.
Top the backstrap with remaining duxelles and bread.
Wrap the sandwich with wax paper or plastic wrap. Place the wrapped sandwich onto a platter. Place a pyrex dish filled with can goods on top of the sandwich for a press. Refrigerate overnight.
Wrap the sandwich with plastic wrap or paper, then add weight and refrigerate overnight before serving.
To serve, slice the sandwich into cross sections. Serve cold or at room temperature, or warm in an oven to serve hot.