Recipe of the Month

by Duane Radford

Venison Philly Dip

● 12-ounce venison rib eye or New York steak (or a combination of smaller size steaks – I used three rib eye moose steaks)
● salt and pepper
● 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil (for casserole) or aerosol canola oil
● 2 tablespoons butter
● 1 shallot (finely sliced)
● 1 green pepper (finely diced)
● 1 red pepper (finely diced)
● 1 jalapeno pepper (finely diced)
● 2 teaspoons prepared chopped garlic
● 8-ounce (250g) brick of cream cheese (at room temperature)
● 3/4 cup sour cream
● 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
● 2 cups (400g) French provolone cheese
● fresh parsley (chopped)
● 3-4 green onions (finely diced)
● French baguette

Many of you have probably heard about a “Philly Beef Dip” so, why not use a prime cut of venison and treat yourself to this classic dining room menu item. This particular recipe is an adaption of a “Philly Beef Dip” featured at the 2024 “Together Again” culinary extravaganza at the Jasper Park Lodge by Canadian celebrity chef Nik Manojlovich. A “Philly Beef Dip” may also be referred to as a “Philly cheesesteak style French dip”, which is a kind of sandwich or dip that combines the flavours of a classic Philadelphia cheesesteak with fundamental elements of a French dip. It typically features thinly sliced beef, melted cheese, and often sautéed onions and peppers, all served on a baguette. The sandwich or dip may be accompanied by a side of cheesy/onion/pepper au jus for dipping.

DIRECTIONS:
 
Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Season the venison steak(s) with salt and pepper to taste. If you wish, you could also season the steak(s) with your favourite steak seasoning (e.g., Keg, Montreal Seasoning spice, etc.).

Heat a cast iron skillet to medium or high heat. Sear the steak(s) to medium-rare about 2-3 minutes per side. Set the steaks aside on a serving plate to set up.

Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium. Melt the butter and then add the diced shallot, green, red and jalapeno peppers and prepared chopped garlic. Sauté these ingredients for a few minutes until they’re soft.

Place the cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and 2 cups of shredded French provolone cheese into a large bowl; fold to blend.

Slice the steak(s) into thin medallions and add them to the bowl of cream cheese, sour cream, provolone cheese and Worcestershire sauce.

Add the olive oil to the bottom of the casserole or spray it with canola oil.

Spoon the cheesy dip mix into a casserole baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is a golden brown.

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before garnishing with the diced green onions and chopped parsley.

Serve the venison Philly dip with a sliced baguette.

For a wine pairing, go for a medium-bodied or full-bodied red wine such as a Beaujolais or Claret, respectively.

An option is to serve the venison Philly dip with a salad or seasonal vegetables of your choice. Save the leftovers which will taste even better the next day after being warmed up in a microwave oven.