Love it or hate it, the somewhat controversial meat on meat combination of bacon wrapped venison will always be at the dinner tables of hunters across America. Tender, richly colored and lean wild meat wrapped in smoky fatty pork; what's not to love? I’m on the side of the fence in which I don’t think the bacon is there to mask the flavor of the venison. It’s simply there as another weapon in your steak cooking arsenal that just so happens to add a little fat, chew and smoke to the eating experience. 

In this recipe I take things a smidge bit further by adding a little earthiness to the meat by rolling it in ground toasted sesame seeds before adding the bacon. The combination of seeds/nuts (especially walnuts) and venison have always been something that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed for years. So this time I wanted to actually crust the steaks with ground sesame seeds instead of just serving them on top to achieve a different flavor profile. You can grind them yourself in a spice/coffee grinder, purchase them online, or at your local Asian market if you have one.

Chef's Notes

• This recipe lends itself well to the reverse sear technique. After its tightly wrapped in the bacon, cook it in your oven until the internal temperature reaches around 120 degrees F and then crisp the outer layer of bacon in a skillet until you reach an internal temperature between 125 degrees F and 130 degrees F.

• I recommend not attempting this recipe with a small venison loin or the tail end of the loin. Your odds of overcooking the meat by the time the bacon has crisped is a lot higher.
• I also highly recommend the use of a digital thermometer for this recipe. It’s a good idea to check the doneness of the steak after the bacon has been crisped to gauge whether you can finish cooking it in the pan or in the oven.
• If wrapping the venison in the bacon is too time consuming, simply cook them separately. Cook the bacon until crispy and reserve the fat. You can then roll the venison in the ground seeds and then sear in a pan over medium heat in the reserved bacon fat until the seeds have browned. Transfer to an oven and finish cooking until your desired internal temperature has been reached.

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Ingredients

Steak

• 1 venison loin, cut into about an 8 inch piece 
• 1 twelve ounce package of thin sliced bacon
• ¼ cup ground toasted sesame seeds
• Finely ground salt and ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil

Ginger Scallion Sauce

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 cup thinly cut scallions
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sugar 
• Salt to taste

Directions

Ginger Scallion Sauce

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, peppercorns and chili flakes. Cook for about 2 to 3 mintues. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add salt if needed. 
4. Let cool slightly and pour the mixture into a container. If you’re going to eat this sauce cold, I recommend checking for seasoning as cold food tends to need more salt.

Steak

1. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees F.
2. On a food work surface, lay out about a 2 foot by 2 foot sheet of plastic wrap.
3. On the plastic wrap, lay out the bacon while overlapping the edges of the bacon by about a ¼ inch. Depending on the width of your bacon, you may not need the entire package.
4. Season the venison with finely ground salt and black pepper.
5. Place the venison on a cutting board and dust all sides of the meat with the ground sesame seeds. Roll the meat around on the cutting board and ensure that the entire steak is coated. Shake off and excess. 
6. Place the venison on top of the bacon towards the end that's closest to you. Use the plastic wrap to help roll the bacon around the meat. You can gently stretch the bacon around to help secure it.
7. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and add the cooking oil.
8. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the meat to the pan with the bacon seam side down and cook until the bacon is browned on that side. Gently roll the meat over and brown on all sides. 
9. If you haven't already reached your desired internal temperature, transfer to the oven seam side down to finish cooking. Keep a close eye on the meat so that it does not overcook.
10. Let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes. Slice and serve with the ginger scallion sauce.

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