Beer Blanc
12 ounces Shiner Bock or any bock beer
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 canned chipotle chiles, seeded if you wish and chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
juice of 1 lime
2 sticks butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
salt and white pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, reduce beer to 1/4 cup (takes 35 to 40 minutes). Add shallots, garlic, chipotles, and cream and simmer until volume is reduced by half. Add lime juice and continue heating until liquid returns to a simmer. While mixture is still very hot, pour into a blender and purée, adding butter one piece at a time. Season to taste. If not using immediately, keep hot in an insulated container such as a thermal pitcher.

Venison
1/4 cup finely ground espresso coffee beans
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds venison boneless loin
lump crabmeat, cooked (optional)

Note: You will need a stove-top smoker such as the approximately 15-inch-by-11-inch one made by Camerons, available from Central Market, cookingfearlessly.com/store.htm (the Hudson’s Web site), or amazon.com. It comes with wood chips, but feel free to use different woods such as apple or pear or throw in a sprig of fresh rosemary or other herb you would enjoy. Smokers may be used on gas or electric ranges; if you have a flattop electric stove, consult smoker’s instruction manual.

Thoroughly combine first 4 ingredients. Coat meat with mixture an hour before smoking. Pile about 2 tablespoons of wood chips in middle of smoker pan. Place smoker drip tray over chips and put the wire rack on top of it. (Hint: To aid cleanup, spray rack with vegetable oil and spray tray as well or cover it with foil.) Put venison on rack.

Slide lid closed and center smoker on a stove burner over high heat. The wood chips will slowly burn, smoking the venison as it cooks. Continue cooking until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in middle of venison reads 130 degrees, 15 to 18 minutes (140 degrees, 18 to 20 minutes for pork). Remove meat and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch slices. Fan 3 slices across each plate and top with Beer Blanc and crabmeat. Serves 6 to 8.

Espresso-Rubbed Venison With Shiner Bock “Beer Blanc” is a recipe from Hudson on the Bend’s second cookbook, Fired Up! More Adventures and Recipes From Hudson’s on the Bend, and was featured in Got Game in Texas Monthly’s July 2005 edition.