In Siem Reap, I savored Cambodian roast chicken marinated in soy and fish sauce, garlic, fire-roasted, and glazed with oyster sauce. It was charred to perfection and enjoyed with delectable pepper sauce. These sweet, salty, funky, umami bomb flavors inspired this recipe. It’s an interesting way to showcase the flavors of Cambodia combined with some modern techniques.
For this recipe, I would recommend following the sous vide method, but you can prepare it in the oven or over a grill just fine. I also recommend buying Kampot pepper. It may be pricey, but it is by far the best pepper in the world.
Method
Preheat your sous vide bath to 120°F (50°C; see note). In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, and pepper until combined. Spread it all over your backstrap/tenderloin.
Transfer the tenderloin to a zip-top plastic bag or vacuum-seal bag and seal. Add the bag to the water bath and cook, undisturbed, for 3 hours.
Meanwhile, make the Tuk Meric (Cambodian pepper sauce). Toast the Kampot peppercorns until they become fragrant. Transfer to a heatproof mortar and pestle and roughly crush. In a small bowl, combine the salt, sugar, and lime juice. Whisk until no particles remain. Stir in the pepper and set aside.
Next, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, seasoned rice wine vinegar, garlic, and sugar.
Remove the bag from the water bath using tongs. Open the bag and lather the venison with the glaze. Finish the backstrap over hot coals, constantly brushing the glaze.
Once the venison reaches an internal temperature of 130 to 135°F (55 to 60°C), it’s done! Slice and serve on a platter or large plate with the Tuk Meric in a bowl in the middle.
Notes
- No sous vide? No worries! Preheat your oven to 225°F (110°C) and add the venison to a baking dish or sheet and cook until the internal temperature reads 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 to 75 minutes (a Bluetooth meat thermometer comes in handy here).
