The Feast Day of St. Hubert: A delicious and fitting wild game dinner nodding to the patron saint of the hunt.
Story by Chef John D. Folse and Michaela D. York | Recipe by Chef John D. Folse
I come from a long and storied line of outdoorsmen. My dad always taught me and my siblings that whatever we harvested from the swamps was to be food for the table. Every bit of the animal—who gave its life for our sustenance—was meant to feed the family. While my brothers were (and are) great marksmen, my preference has been cooking wild game. The complexity of game meat complemented with the nuanced flavors of wild fruits makes incredible eating.
As my repertoire of wild game recipes grew over the years, so did my faith. But it was not until I was working on my wild game cookbook, After the Hunt, that I discovered St. Hubert, patron saint of hunters and hunting. Hubert, born about AD 658, served in the court of the passionate hunter Pépin of Héristal. According to legend, Hubert—a passionate hunter himself—got lost in the forests of the Ardennes while hunting on November 3. As he tramped through the underbrush, he happened upon a beautiful stag with a radiant crucifix between its antlers. Stunned by his beauty, Hubert heard a voice telling him to cease from unrestricted hunting and to proclaim his Christian faith. Realizing the particular cruelties of hunting prevalent at the time, Hubert denied worldly affairs and became a monk and later Bishop of Liège.
Today, St. Hubert is worshipped as the Apostle of the Ardennes. When he was canonized, his remains were taken to the Benedictine monastery in the Ardennes. The St. Hubert Basilica was built on the foundations of the old monastery church and the Abbey of St. Hubert became a popular pilgrim destination. Interestingly, it was at the Abbey of St. Hubert that the famous monastery gun dogs were consecrated and branded with the golden St. Hubert key. The abbot was required to provide the French king with six trained guide dogs annually from the monastery pack.
St. Hubert became the patron saint of hunters in the 10th century, with his feast day celebrated every November 3. While the day remains a festival of the huntsman in Western Europe, the day commences with the celebration of Mass. In Eastern Europe, there are hunts and shooting parties that usually conclude with a splendid dinner.
For Thanksgiving this year, I am serving Loin of Venison with Blackberries over Mixed Greens. It seems a fitting tribute to St. Hubert’s faith and the stag that inspired the stewardship of wildlife conservation.
Loin of Venison with Blackberries over Mixed Greens
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 (1½-pound) trimmed venison tenderloin
- Coarse salt, ground black pepper, and granulated garlic, to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, diced
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 8 ounces mesclun greens
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Pat meat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and thyme. Rub mixture onto meat.
- In a large cast-iron skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add meat to skillet, browning evenly on all sides. Transfer to the oven, and roast for 10 to 15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135° to 140° for medium-rare to medium. Remove meat from oven; set aside and let rest.
- Using same skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté shallot until caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and berries, stirring gently until berries are warm. Pour berry mixture over mesclun greens, and toss to coat. Divide greens among individual serving plates.
- Slice meat into ½-inch slices, and arrange over greens. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
