Venison Roast With Savory Mushroom Ragout

For Ragout: Rinse dried mushrooms quickly under running water to remove grit. Place them in a dish with enough warm water to just cover.

When mushrooms have rehydrated, about 30 minutes, remove and chop coarsely. Carefully pour soaking liquid in another dish, leaving behind any grit or dirt released by the mushrooms. Reserve clear liquid and discard any residue.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add olive oil and half of the butter. Heat until blended and barely bubbling.

Season pork with salt and pepper. Cook pork and/or pork fat in olive oil and butter mixture until gently browned and fat is slowly rendered, about twenty minutes.

Add onions, garlic, and bay leaves, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook for another ten minutes, until onions and garlic become fragrant.

Add remaining butter, pine nuts, mushrooms, thyme and rosemary, and cook for another ten minutes, until mushrooms wilt. Add balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, reserved mushroom soaking liquid, honey, wine and red pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until liquid is slightly reduced and ingredients are well mixed, about ten minutes.

Add truffle oil, stir and remove from heat. Mixture should be moist but not soupy, soft, but with some body, highly seasoned, but evenly so. Check and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Turn ragout out onto jelly roll pan to cool, about thirty minutes.

For Roast: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Lay venison roast out on large surface. Using a sharp, thin knife, carefully "lay open" roast, keeping meat intact. Cut to approximate 1/2" thickness throughout. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Spread cooled mushroom ragout all over roast.

Roll, taking care to contain mixture inside roast. Add additional ragout as needed to fill in. Secure roast with twine. Rub olive oil all over surface of roast and season again with salt and pepper.

In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Brown roast on all sides, turning carefully to retain ragout. Remove roast to roasting rack placed on shallow pan. Lay bacon slices over roast.

Place in oven and bake until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F, about an hour and a half. Baste roast occasionally with pan juices.

Remove roast from oven and let sit for fifteen minutes before carving. Remove bacon; chop and reserve for garnish, if desired. Cut twine and slice roast crosswise to maintain "jellyroll" effect. Defat pan drippings and spoon over roast. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and lemon zest.

Any additional mushroom ragout can be heated in a saucepan and combined with stock to make a sauce to serve with the venison. It can also be used as a delicious sauce for grilled or pan-fried meats, such as steaks, pork chops or chicken.