Venison Fillet & Wild Mushroom Duxelle Suet Roly Poly Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Wipe or very lightly rinse mushrooms and pat dry. Finely chop mushrooms by hand or pulse briefly in a food processor until they are in small, uniform pieces but not a paste.

Heat 2 tbs unsalted butter in a wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallot and cook 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the chopped mushrooms and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid and that liquid evaporates, about 8–12 minutes. The mixture should become fairly dry and concentrate in flavor.

Stir in 2 tsp chopped thyme and 2 tbs white wine or sherry. Continue cooking until the alcohol evaporates and the mixture is almost dry, 1–2 minutes. If using, stir in 1 tbs cream and cook 30 seconds. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and cool completely. Chill the duxelle for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle during assembly.

Bring the venison fillet to near room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel and season all over with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Heat 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter in a heavy frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Sear the fillet on all sides until well browned, about 2 minutes per side, using tongs to roll it for even color. The internal temperature will still be rare after searing — that’s fine because the fillet will finish cooking inside the roly poly.

Remove the fillet to a plate and let rest while you roll out the pastry and assemble. Reserve any pan juices and deglaze pan with a splash of water or wine to scrape up fond; set aside for basting if desired.

Place 300 g flour and 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large bowl and mix. Add 150 g finely chopped fresh suet and rub the suet into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of suet remaining.

Stir in 2 tbs chopped parsley if using. Gradually add about 150 ml cold water, mixing with a knife or spatula until a rough dough comes together. You may not need all the water — add until the dough just holds together when pressed. Avoid overworking.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring together gently into a smooth ball. Flatten into a disc, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 20–30 minutes to firm up (this makes rolling easier).

Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled suet dough into a rectangle about 35 x 25 cm (13 x 10 in) and roughly 3–4 mm thick. Use extra flour as needed to prevent sticking but keep the dough slightly tacky so it seals.

Spread the chilled mushroom duxelle in an even layer down the center third of the dough, leaving a 2 cm border at each long edge and 3–4 cm at each short end.

Place the seared venison fillet on top of the duxelle, centered lengthwise. If you like, spoon a little of the reserved pan jus over the fillet (1–2 tbs) to add moisture.

Brush the exposed dough edges with beaten egg. Fold one long side of the dough over the fillet, then fold the other side over to overlap, sealing the seam tightly by pinching and pressing. Tuck the short ends under the fillet to create a neat roll. If needed, use a little water to help seal. Trim excess dough to make a clean roll.

Place the roly poly seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the outside with beaten egg and, if you like, make 3 shallow diagonal slashes in the top to allow steam to vent. Optionally tie gently with kitchen twine in 2–3 places to help keep shape; remove strings after cooking.

Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes, then reduce oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake a further 12–18 minutes for medium-rare (internal venison temperature ~55–58°C / 130–136°F). For medium, cook a further 5–8 minutes. Total baking time will be about 35–45 minutes depending on oven and fillet thickness.

Remove from oven and brush with 1 tbs melted butter. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute and for carryover cooking to finish.

Slice the roly poly into 2–2.5 cm thick rounds using a sharp knife. If you tied with twine, remove before serving. Serve warm with roasted root vegetables, a red wine jus or game gravy, and a green vegetable.