The Deer Standwich

How do you make the “best sandwich in the world” even better? Add venison.

- Jonathan Miles

The “shooter’s sandwich” became something of an Internet meme not long ago, triggered by a British food writer’s deeming it the best sandwich in the world. Loading a hollowed-out loaf of bread with steak, mushrooms, shallots, and a fat dose of horseradish yields a kind of portable beef Wellington—the pinnacle of British cuisine reinvented as a trail snack. Hunters like us (i.e., real shooters) saw the potential for a game version—an ideal pack-along for sustenance on a long day afield.

INGREDIENTS 

2 to 4 boneless venison steaks

1 sourdough boule, ciabatta, or any other unsliced loaf of bread

2/3 cup prepared mustard, divided

1/2 lb. bacon 

3 Tbsp. butter, divided

8 oz. shiitake or other mushrooms, diced

2 shallots, minced 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp. rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

Salt and pepper