Venison Backstrap Recipe - Brining, Best Way to Cook & Temperatures (2024)

I have always liked to shares recipes for foods that deliver the “Wow” factor and are not foods that you eat regularly. One of the best gems I have found is Venison backstrap. You can think of backstrap as the “other” type of red meat that’s often overlooked. Similar to beef in flavor and texture, venison backstrap recipes abound if you look for them directly.

Unfortunately, most people don’t consider venison in the same league as beef, but more and more chefs are discovering its appeal. According to EatThis.com, the top 10 food trends in 2019 include eating new cuts of meat and consuming foods that are hyper local. [1] You can’t get more local than hunting game and preparing the food you hunt.

So, in today's article, I have shared everything you need to know to make venison backstrap at home, including the meat selection process, brining, cooking and a few useful tips to have in mind.

Since venison backstrap is usually seasonal, it is crucial to know how to prepare it before cooking, so you eliminate any odd flavor and have the best results.

One of the most common ways to do this is soaking the backstrap in milk. This method should eliminate any lingering gamey flavor if your backstrap came from less-than-ideal-timing field dressing conditions. Brining the backstrap is a classic method of using salted and spiced water, known as brine, to flavor the meat and remove any gamey flavor. According to DeerAndDeerHunting.com, the following recipe for brine works well for backstrap: [2]

Many chefs don’t know how to handle game meat, but simplicity is best when cooking flavorful venison backstrap. Many experts consider backstrap to be the finest cut of meat in the world. Great chefs all over the world use similar techniques when preparing game, and the best ways to prepare backstrap include using a dry rub to enhance flavors and cooking the meat as quickly and simply as possible.

The recipe below is my recommended way to cook venison backstrap. You can find the selection, brining and cooking process below. Also, I have included a full dry-rub recipe in the next section.

Selecting the Best Venison Backstrap Cut

Raw Venison Backstrap Cut

You can brine the meat or soak it in milk if you’re unsure whether it was properly dressed in the field. Remove the backstrap from the soak, rinse and pat dry. Rub the backstrap with your favorite dry rub to enhance the flavor.

It’s best to choose a backstrap close to 3 pounds, and cut a 6-inch to 10-inch piece. You can cut the meat into smaller pieces if your pans won’t accommodate the whole backstrap but the upper mentioned cuts would give the best results, no matter what cooking method you use.

Best Way to Cook Venison Backstrap

We recommend searing the meat on top of the stove and finishing off the cooking process in the oven but you can also cook the backstrap on the grill or smoker.

In either case, using a trusty meat thermometer is critical for cooking the backstrap to your preferred level of doneness. Grilling over wood or charcoal adds pleasing flavor, but the accuracy of heat on a propane grill might make using one a better choice.

If smoking the backstrap, you need to use a reverse sear. Smoke the meat to about 5 degrees less than the desired temperature. Remove the meat from the smoker, and sear it on the grill or top of the stop to produce grill marks or a golden caramelized crust.

• Also Read: Ultimate Guide to Make Smoked Venison Meat

Sous Vide Venison Steak

You want to account for a slight rise in temperature as the meat rests once you stop the cooking process. Test the meat by inserting the thermometer halfway through the thickest part of the meat in the center. Rest the meat at least 15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to resettle throughout the meat.

The meat can be finished by drizzling extra virgin olive oil over the medallions or adding a bit of butter.

• 1 Teaspoon of Chili Powder
• 1/4 Cup of Hosker Salt
• 1 Tablespoon of Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
• 2 Teaspoons of Onion Powder
• 2 Teaspoons of Garlic Powder
• 3 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons for Smoked Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons of Espresso or Dark Roast Coffee

Directions: Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly and cover tightly in a container or store in a plastic bag.

Dried Cherry Reduction Recipe

The ingredients for the Dried Cherry Reduction include:

• 1 Tablespoon of Butter
• 1/2 Cup of Red Wine
• 1/4 Cup of Dried Cherries
• 1/2 Cup of Beef or Game Stock
• 1 Teaspoon of Brown Sugar
• Salt and Pepper to your Taste

Grilled Venison Backstrap Steaks

We like roasted round potatoes, baked with a balsamic glaze, as a simple but elegant accompaniment to the backstrap.

We recommend cutting several medallions of venison against the grain and propping them up for presentation. Spoon some of the sauce onto the plate, and garnish with whatever’s colorful and handy.

The venison medallions should be served with sauce on the side, the roasted red potatoes and a spicy arugula and shaved fennel salad. You can find the recipe below.

• 2 Cups of Arugula
• 2/3 Cup of Shaved Raw Fennel
• 1/4 Cup of Thinly Sliced Red Onion

• 2 Tablespoon of Whale Grain Mustard
• 2 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 4 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch of Salt and Pepper

• When you don’t know whether the meat was properly field dressed, soak the backstrap in milk for a few hours or brine it to remove an gamey flavors.
• Don’t overcook the meat because venison has a lower at content than beef and dries out quickly.
• When roasting the meat, sear all the sides quickly over high heat.
• When smoking the meat, sear the side after smoking the meat.
• Hunters should make a plan for harvesting deer meat that icldues field dressing the meat and delivering it where the meat can be processed quickly.

References:

[1] https://www.eatthis.com/hottest-food-trends-year

[2] https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-deer-hunting-pro-shop/taking-game-deer-meat