Venison Negimaki Recipes

NEGIMAKI

Steps:

• Stir together the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in a pie dish or similar shallow container until the sugar is almost dissolved. Set the marinade aside.
• Cut the beef with the grain into 24 slices, each about 1/2 inch thick. Working in batches, arrange a few slices cut-side up on a piece of plastic wrap, leaving a few inches between each slice. Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until the slices are 1/8 inch thick or a little less.
• Lay 3 slices on a work surface parallel to you with the long sides slightly overlapping (by about 1/4 inch). Cut 3 pieces of scallion the same width as the beef and place them across the meat at the end closest to you. Tightly roll the meat around the scallions, starting at the end closest to you. Secure the roll with 2 toothpicks--1 placed horizontally along each of the 2 "seams." Repeat with the remaining beef and scallions. You will end up with 8 rolls.
• Place the rolls in the marinade, turn to coat and marinate, turning once halfway through, for about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate, letting any excess marinade drain off, and pat dry (reserve the marinade).
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rolls and brown on 4 sides, 3 or 4 minutes total (the middle should still be rare). When you flip the rolls the last time, reduce the heat to medium, add the reserved marinade and simmer, turning the rolls a few times, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. (The meat should still be pink in the middle at this point. If you prefer your meat more well done, simmer it a little longer; just be careful not to reduce the sauce too much. If that happens, thin it with a little water.)
• Transfer the rolls to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, remove the toothpicks. Using a very sharp knife, cut the rolls crosswise into pieces about 1 inch wide and serve upright on plates. Drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.

VENISON NEGIMAKI

Steps:

• Combine teriyaki sauce and sugar in a small saucepan and gently boil until it reduces by half into a syrup consistency, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cut scallions in half, separating the green tops and white/light green bottoms.
• Venison should be partially frozen to make slicing easier. Cut roast into approximately 3/8" thick, 4" by 2" long strips. Try to get the slices as uniform in shape and size as possible, but it's not the end of the world if that doesn't happen. (I ended up with about 30 slices.)
• Pound each piece of venison between two pieces of plastic wrap until they are about 3/16" thick.
• Lay 3 to 4 slices of venison side by side, slightly overlapping, to form a square-ish shape. If needed, I used odd-shaped pieces of meat to "patch" up areas. Lay two pieces of white/light green scallion bottoms, with the white ends sticking out, across the venison. Then add 2 to 3 pieces of green tops. Tightly roll the venison around the scallion and secure with 3 toothpicks. Repeat with remaining meat and scallion. I ended up with 9 rolls, but that could vary. Chill raw negimaki while you prepare the grill. Rolls may be assembled a day ahead.
• Prepare grill for direct, high-heat cooking. Lightly brush oil all over the negimaki before cooking. When grill grates become scorching hot, brush them with oil as well. Lay rolls on the hot grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the first side starts to char. Then turn the rolls over and brush the charred side with teriyaki glaze. Grill until the second side starts to char, then turn over and glaze again before you take the negimaki off the grill.
• Allow rolls to rest for a couple minutes before removing toothpicks and slicing into smaller, bite-size pieces. Drizzle leftover teriyaki glaze on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with hot white rice.

NEGIMAKI - JAPANESE BEEF AND SCALLION ROLLS

Steps:

• Prepare scallions: Blanch scallions in a pot ofboiling salted water 45 seconds, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Transfer scallions to paper towels to drain and pat dry.
• Prepare beef: Cut flank steak with the grain holding a large knife at a 30-degree angle to cutting board into 12 (1/8-inch-thick) slices (1 1/2 to 2 inches wide).
• Arrange slices 1 inch apart on a very lightly oiled sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap, then cover with another very lightly oiled sheet of parchment or plastic wrap (oiled side down) and pound slices with flat side of meat pounder until about 1/16 inch thick.
• Assemble rolls: Arrange 3 beef slices side by side on a fresh sheet of plastic wrap, overlapping slices slightly to form a 6-inch square with short ends of slices nearest you.
• Sprinkle square lightly with a pinch of salt, then lay 3 scallions (with some white parts at both ends) across slices at end closest to you and tightly roll up meat around scallions to form a log, using plastic wrap as an aid.
• Tie log with kitchen string at ends and where meat slices overlap. Make 3 more negimaki rolls in same manner.
• Marinate rolls: Stir together sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.
• Put rolls in a small baking dish and pour marinade over them, turning to coat. Marinate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, turning occasionally, 15 minutes.
• Cook rolls: Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. While skillet is heating, lift rolls out of marinade, letting excess drip off, and pat dry. (Save marinade.)
• Add oil to skillet, swirling to coat bottom, then cook rolls, turning with tongs, until well browned on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer rolls to cutting board.
• Add marinade to skillet and boil until slightly syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Cut off and discard strings, then cut each roll crosswise into 6 slices. Pour sauce into a shallow serving dish and arrange negimaki in sauce.