These smoked venison recipes are going to inspire some seriously tantalized tastebuds.
Venison is a lean, healthy meat that can be absolutely delicious when prepared properly.
One particularly good way is to smoke the meat. Smoking venison gives it an earthy, smoky, deep flavor that compliments the wild game very well.
So bust out the smoker and bookmark this article because here are five of the most delectable smoked venison recipes to ever cross the keyboard:
1. Marinated Smoked Venison Tenderloin
Ingredients:
- 1 venison tenderloin
- ¼ orange juice
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine the citrus juices, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a small food processor until the garlic is reduced to small bits.
Place tenderloin in a Ziploc bag and pour the marinade in, and massage it into the meat. Refrigerate it overnight.
Preheat your smoker to 225 F. Remove the venison from the marinade, rinse, and pat it dry.
Smoke the tenderloin for approximately two hours, depending on its thickness. The internal temperature should be at 130 F for rare (or 140 F for medium rare).
When the desired internal temperature has been reached, remove the venison from the smoker and let it rest for 10 minutes. Serve with extra cracked black pepper on top.
2. Smoked Venison Roast with Bacon Pan Gravy
Ingredients:
Roast:
- 4 pound venison roast
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon each salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
- Pan to catch drippings
Gravy:
- 3 slices of bacon, chopped
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
To prepare the roast - Preheat the smoker to 225 F degrees. Brush the roast with olive oil. Combine all seasonings and rub it onto the roast. Cook it in the smoker for four hours, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 F degrees. Do your best to not overcook it. Let it rest under tented aluminum foil for 30 minutes before serving. Slice the roast against the grain and serve it with pan gravy.
To make the gravy - Cook three slices of bacon in a heavy frying pan until done, but not crispy. Sprinkle the flour in the pan, whisk for a couple minutes, and add the juices from the smoker pan. Slowly add the broth and cook it until it's thick. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Smoked Venison Ribs with Honey-Molasses Glaze
Ingredients:
- 1 side of venison ribs
- Salt and pepper
- 2 bay leaves
For glaze:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Directions:
To make glaze - Combine the molasses, honey, and soy sauce in a small saucepan, and stir to combine while heating to a gentle boil.
Preheat the smoker to 225 F degrees. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and smoke them for approximately two hours. Preheat an oven to 375 F degrees, then transfer the ribs to a roasting pan and cover with water. Add the bay leaves. Cover and cook it until it's tender, for approximately three hours.
Drain the ribs on a wire rack. The ribs are now cooked and it is time to add the glaze. Preheat the smoker to 300 F degrees. Slather the glaze on the ribs. Smoke the ribs, turning them periodically until they're crispy on the outside and warmed on the inside.
4. Reverse Seared Venison Steaks
Ingredients:
- any variety of venison steak cuts
- Butter for searing
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the smoker to 225 F degrees. Season the steaks with salt and pepper and smoke them for two hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 125 F degrees. Remove steaks from smoker. Sear in a cast iron pan with butter for three minutes per side. Let the steaks rest for 10 minutes and serve.
5. Smoked Barbeque Bacon Backstraps
Ingredients:
- Two pounds of venison backstrap
- Salt and pepper
- One pound bacon
- ½ cup barbeque sauce
Directions:
Preheat the smoker to 275 F degrees. Trim the fat off the backstraps, rinse them in cold water, and pat dry. Season the backstraps with salt and pepper, them wrap them in bacon.
Place the venison in the smoker and cook for one hour. Brush on the barbeque sauce and let the venison cook for an additional hour. Let the backstraps rest for 15 minutes before serving.
NEXT: VENISON ROAST RECIPES: 5 TOP PICKS YOU CAN REALLY DIG IN TO
