There is more than one way to cook venison backstrap.
When it comes to wild game meats, venison tenderloin and backstraps may be the two most popular cuts off a whitetail deer. This often generates some confusion with hunters. The thing to remember is the tenderloins are located inside the body cavity while venison backstraps run along the deer's spine on top of their body.
Today we are focusing on venison backstrap recipes. Because most hunters cherish this piece of deer meat over many others. This cut of meat is often one of the first things removed and cooked while butchering the animal.
Cooking venison properly can be challenging, but deer backstrap is one of the easier meals to prepare. Today we'll run down some of our favorite ways to prepare this dish each season. These are recipes you will return to year after year.
Grilled backstrap
For this simple recipe, you simply need two tablespoons of honey, one tablespoon of olive oil, two tablespoons of ground pepper, and two tablespoons of salt. Depending on your tastes, you can use 1.5 cups of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or even BBQ as the marinade of your choice. You could also do a dry rub if you prefer. Simply add all the ingredients into a dish and let sit for 45 minutes to an hour in the fridge before placing venison on a grill. Consider brining the meat in salt water and brown sugar up to 24 hours prior to help remove any gamey taste from the meat.
Once on the grill, cook times will vary. Most chefs will recommend cooking until medium rare and no further. Because it is easy to overdo the doneness on venison backstraps and loins and lose some of the taste. After cooking, let the meat sit for about five minutes before serving.
Cast iron skillet seared venison backstrap
This one is easy for even a novice cook to put together. Take your backstrap, trim off all the silver skin, season with black pepper, salt, or garlic powder if you wish. Then simply sear it on medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet with olive oil or vegetable oil in a pan. You can sear the backstrap as one large piece, but some prefer to cut it into medallions.
Once again, make sure you are watching carefully while cooking to make sure the meat is done medium-well. A thermometer is extremely helpful here for monitoring internal temperature. Most experts recommend cooking until it reaches around 130 degrees. Most people drizzle it with a glaze or stock before serving. We once saw Gordon Ramsey do a variant of this recipe using red wine and chocolate sauce.
Venison steak
Another incredibly simple way to prepare your backstrap or venison loin is to simply make a steak from it. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before adding olive oil and seasoning. Then simply cook the steaks until they are medium rare. This should take two to five minutes depending on the size of the backstrap. Let sit for five minutes and serve.
Consider preparing this with a salad for a slightly healthier alternative to a traditional steak. Another option is to make steak tacos from the meat. There is also the "caveman steak" recipe option that's great for pepping this meal on a camping trip. There are a lot of ways to get creative with this venison recipe. The only limits are your imagination.
Stuffed, bacon-wrapped backstrap
Of course, there's nothing wrong with going with a classic. Even if it takes a bit more prep time than some of the others on this list. All you need is a backstrap, bacon, and cheese. I personally prefer just the bacon and cheese, but you can add jalapenos and cream cheese depending on your preferences. Simply filet the backstrap open and lay it on top of some bacon strips. Stuff the inside of the backstrap with cheese, jalapenos, and whatever other ingredients you prefer. Some hunters like to add butter. Make sure to add some seasonings like garlic salt, rub, and black pepper to the venison.
Then you close the backstrap and wrap the bacon around it. Sealing the whole thing up with toothpicks to keep it together while it cooks. Some people like to put these on the grill, but you can also put it in the oven at 400 degrees. Cook until medium-well, cut up and serve. We promise they will not last long!
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For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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