Venison Egg Rolls with Sweet and Spicy Blackberry Sauce

One of my first prizewinning recipes was a Mexican egg roll. The prize? A year’s supply of egg roll wrappers. Needless to say, this provided me with a lot of opportunities to experiment, and my family ate a lot of egg rolls. We always have a freezer full of venison, so this venison egg roll has become a dinnertime staple in our house. If you’ve never made an egg roll before, don’t be intimidated. It is simply a rolled pocket for encasing all of your favorite ingredients, and it’s a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables. Shh! Just don’t tell them they’re in there. This egg roll combines venison sausage with finely julienned mushrooms, shredded sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and broccoli slaw. The sweet and spicy blackberry sauce acts as a dip and provides an unexpected kick.

Sweet and Spicy Blackberry Sauce

2 cups Blackberry Refrigerator Preserves (see recipe on page 21)

¼ teaspoon minced garlic

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

2 teaspoons finely chopped pickled jalapeño peppers

1 ½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Venison Egg Rolls

1 (6-ounce) venison sausage link

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, divided

½ teaspoon cornstarch

¼ teaspoon pure cane sugar, divided

¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper, divided

7 small Brussels sprouts

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ cup shredded sweet potato

½ cup broccoli slaw

4 large baby portobello mushrooms, sliced into matchsticks

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger or ½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry white wine

½ teaspoon sesame oil

⅜ teaspoon fine sea salt

7 egg roll wrappers

1 banana, 2 inches of the peel removed from one end

Canola or vegetable oil for frying

To make the sauce, combine the preserves, garlic, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and balsamic vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool slightly and thicken for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce in a blender jar and process until smooth. Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week

To make the egg rolls, remove the sausage casing and discard. Slice the sausage into halves lengthwise, then finely chop.

Combine ½ tablespoon of the soy sauce, the cornstarch, ⅛ teaspoon of the sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon of the black pepper in a small bowl. Place the sausage in the bowl and stir to coat. Let marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts, then cut into halves lengthwise. Place the halves cut side down on a cutting board and cut into thin slices.

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the venison sausage and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Push the meat to one side of the pan. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil, Brussels sprouts, garlic, shredded sweet potato, broccoli slaw, julienned mushrooms, and ginger. Stir-fry until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Add the wine, remaining ½ tablespoon soy sauce, remaining ⅛ teaspoon sugar, sesame oil, salt, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Return the pan to the heat and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Transfer the filling to a bowl.

Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean, dry surface. Spoon ⅓ cup of the filling near the bottom of one corner. Fold the corner over the filling. Fold the left and ride sides of the wrapper toward the center (like a burrito) and roll tightly until you reach halfway up. Rub the banana over the remaining surface of the wrapper to help seal it. Continue rolling and tucking the egg roll toward the top corner. Make sure it’s sealed well. Repeat the process with the remaining filling and wrappers.

Pour the canola oil into a large sauté pan to a depth of about ½ inch. Heat over medium-high heat. Place 4 of the egg rolls in the hot oil and fry, turning until golden brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes on each side.

Transfer the egg rolls to a paper towel–lined plate to drain, and repeat with the remaining egg rolls. Serve with blackberry sauce or soy sauce.

Makes 7 egg rolls and about 2 ¼ cups Sweet and Spicy Blackberry Sauce.

Note: Broccoli slaw can be found in the produce section of the grocery store.