Recipe for: Grilled venison tenderloins in plum and cinnamon sauce - photo 1
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Recipe for: Grilled venison tenderloins in plum and cinnamon sauce

Spicy Valentine's Day Grilling Main dishes 90 min Medium 0 views ~41.76 PLN * - (0)
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Description

Delicate venison tenderloins served with a thick, aromatic plum-cinnamon sauce — a combination of game meat and sweet-sour plums with a warm hint of cinnamon and honey. The dish combines summer, fresh ingredients (grilled seasonal vegetables) with the warming character of spices, making it an ideal choice for a romantic Valentine's dinner. The meat retains its tenderness thanks to brief grilling, while the sauce adds depth and shine. Serve with buckwheat or spelt and fresh herbs; it pairs well with red wine and roasted vegetables. Visually: dark grill marks on the pink interior of the tenderloin, rich burgundy sauce, green mint leaves, and chopped nuts for a contrast of textures.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (19)

Servings:
4
  • Venison tenderloin 800 g
  • Plum 400 g
  • Honey 60 ml
  • Red wine 150 ml
  • Balsamic vinegar 15 ml
  • Butter 30 g
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Onion 1 pcs (~150 g)
  • Garlic 2 clove (~10 g)
  • Roasted buckwheat groats 240 g
  • Pepper 200 g
  • Zucchini 1.2 pcs (~300 g)
  • Tomato 2.5 pcs (~300 g)
  • 🌿 Spices
  • Cinnamon 2 g
  • Salt 0.2 pinch (~5 g)
  • Black pepper 4 pinch (~2 g)
  • Thyme 6 g
  • ✨ Optional
  • Walnuts 30 g
  • Fresh mint 0.3 bunch (~10 g)
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~41.76 PLN (10.44 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Marinade and meat preparation

1

Take the venison tenderloins out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before grilling to reach room temperature. Pat the meat dry with a paper towel — dry meat browns better. Rub the tenderloins with a tablespoon of rapeseed oil, evenly sprinkle with salt (about 1/3 of the prepared amount) and half of the pepper; gently rub with your hand. Sprinkle with half of the chopped thyme.

Ingredients: venison tenderloin, Rapeseed oil, Salt, Black pepper, Thyme
Use your hands or a kitchen brush to evenly spread the oil. Do not salt too early — salt can draw out moisture, so salt just before grilling (but you can lightly season earlier). A wooden cutting board and paper towels are essential.
2

Prepare a quick marinade: in a bowl, mix 20 g of rapeseed oil, 10 g of honey, and crushed garlic (10 g). Spread a thin layer of the marinade on the tenderloins. Set aside for 15–20 minutes at room temperature — the flavors will meld, but the meat should not sit for too long to avoid "cooking" from the salt.

Ingredients: Rapeseed oil, Honey, Garlic, venison tenderloin
Use a small bowl and a spoon for mixing. If you don't have a garlic press, finely chop and mash it with a knife on a cutting board.

Grilled vegetables

3

Prepare the vegetables: cut the bell pepper into quarters, remove the seeds; slice the zucchini into pieces about 1 cm thick; cut the tomatoes in half or into thicker slices. Drizzle the vegetables with a little canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat — it should be dry and very hot.

Ingredients: pepper, Zucchini, Tomato, Rapeseed oil, Salt, Black pepper
Use tongs and a silicone brush. If you are using a grill pan, heat it well for 5–7 minutes. By greasing the vegetables, you will prevent sticking.
9

Grill the vegetables on a well-heated grill for 3–5 minutes on each side: bell pepper until the skin starts to slightly blacken and soften, zucchini slices for 2–3 minutes on each side until grill marks appear, tomatoes briefly — for 1–2 minutes, so they don't fall apart too much. After removing, drizzle the vegetables with a little butter or oil and sprinkle with fresh thyme.

Ingredients: pepper, Zucchini, Tomato, Butter, Thyme
Use tongs to turn the vegetables; do not press them against the grill. A grill pan requires a shorter cooking time than an open grill.

Grilling meat

4

Place the tenderloins on a hot grill or grill pan. Grill for 3–4 minutes on each side for a medium doneness (core temp around 56–58°C). During grilling, turn only once or twice to achieve clear grill marks. After removing from the grill, set the meat on a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil for 5–8 minutes — the meat will 'rest' and the juices will distribute evenly.

Ingredients: venison tenderloin
It is best to use a kitchen thermometer for accuracy. A pan with a diameter of 26–28 cm or a stable grill will provide even heat. Do not pierce the meat with a fork — it will lose its juices.

Plum and cinnamon sauce

5

In a wide skillet, heat 10 g of butter and 10 g of canola oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion (150 g) and sauté for 4–5 minutes until it becomes translucent and slightly golden. Add the remaining garlic and sauté for 30–40 seconds until you can smell the intense aroma, being careful not to burn it.

Ingredients: Butter, Rapeseed oil, Onion, Garlic
Use a pan with a diameter of 24–28 cm. The translucence of the onion means it is soft and clear — it does not need to be brown.
6

Add quartered plums (400 g) to the pan, sprinkle with cinnamon (2 g), and pour in red wine (150 ml). Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums soften and some of the liquid evaporates. Reduce the heat, add balsamic vinegar (15 g) and honey (50 g) — cook for another 4–6 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens to a glaze-like consistency.

Ingredients: Plum, Cinnamon, Red wine, Balsamic vinegar, Honey
You can recognize the sauce's thickness by the fact that a wooden spoon coated with the sauce will leave a clear line when drawn through it. If the sauce is too sour, add a teaspoon of honey; if it's too thick, thin it out with 1–2 tablespoons of water.
7

Remove the pan from the heat and add the cold butter (remaining 20 g) piece by piece, stirring vigorously with a spoon until the sauce becomes silky and shiny. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. If you want a smooth consistency, strain the sauce through a sieve or blend it with an immersion blender until smooth.

Ingredients: Butter, Salt, Black pepper
Adding cold butter at the end creates an emulsion (thickens and adds shine to the sauce). Use a metal or silicone spoon for mixing.

Buckwheat

8

Prepare the buckwheat: pour the buckwheat (240 g) into a sieve and rinse under running water. In a pot, bring 480 ml of water to a boil (ratio 1:2), add 1/3 teaspoon of salt, add the buckwheat, and cook covered on low heat for 12–15 minutes until the grains absorb the water. After cooking, let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Ingredients: Roasted buckwheat groats, Salt
Use a pot with a well-fitting lid. After cooking, let the groats 'rest' so they become fluffy, not sticky.

Assembly and serving

10

Slice the tenderloins after resting into pieces about 1–1.5 cm thick. On a plate, arrange a portion of buckwheat, place a few slices of tenderloin next to it, and generously drizzle with plum-cinnamon sauce. Add grilled vegetables as an accompaniment. Sprinkle the dish with finely chopped walnuts (optional) and garnish with fresh mint (optional) and a sprig of thyme.

Ingredients: venison tenderloin, Roasted buckwheat groats, Plum, pepper, Zucchini, Tomato, Fresh mint, Thyme
Use a sharp knife for even slicing of the meat. The internal temperature of the meat after slicing should be pink in the middle; if it is too rare, return it to the pan for a brief sauté (30–60 seconds).

Finishing

11

Before serving, check the taste of the sauce and season with a little salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately to keep the tenderloins juicy and warm, and the sauce shiny and sticky.

Ingredients: Salt, Black pepper, Butter
It's best to serve Danie immediately after preparation. Use warmed plates if serving on a cooler evening.

Fun Fact

💡

In Polish cuisine, game meat has traditionally been paired with sweet and sour additions — jams and fruits — to soften the character of the meat. Plums have been a popular addition to game meats since the times of noble courts.

Best for

Walentynki Romantyczna kolacja Specjalne okazje

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the tenderloin sliced, drizzled with sauce. A dry red wine (e.g., merlot) or a lightly smoked beer pairs well with the dish. Pay attention to the contrast of textures: crunchy nuts and soft grains complement the meat perfectly. For a nut-free version, use roasted sunflower seeds.

🥡 Storage

Store the sauce separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cooked meat can be stored for up to 24 hours, preferably chilled; reheat briefly in a pan over medium heat, drizzling with the remaining sauce to prevent drying out. Freezing cooked meat with sauce is not recommended.

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