Balsamic Marinated Grilled Venison Backstrap

Grilled Venison Backstrap that’s been marinated in a balsamic sauce is both easy and delicious. You may find it hard to choose between this grilled method and our Easy Venison Backstrap with onions. Either way, you can’t go wrong. But if you’re looking for something tangy, sweet, and a touch of heat, this is the recipe for you.

How to store & thaw venison

When we get a deer, it’s usually a 2 day event. The first day includes cleaning and draining the deer in cold weather. Cold meat is easier to harvest than warm meat. The next day, while still cold, the deer is portioned out. Once all the meat has been harvested we use a vacuum sealer to package the larger cuts of meat and the ground venison after it has been mixed with a pork butt for fat. Once everything is packaged, it can be frozen and typically used within a year. To thaw any of the frozen meat, we allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight if I’m planning ahead. Otherwise, place the frozen vacuum sealed meat into a cold water filled sink or large bowl for about 4 hours. This will help it to thaw slowly. Rapid thawing of meat can result in bacteria growth. Not something to have on your dinner plate!

How to Marinade Venison Backstrap

Being that venison backstrap is much like a pork loin in that it is long and slender, you can do a marinade relatively quickly. This backstrap sat in an oval Dutch Oven for about 4 hours in the refrigerator, flipped once and that was it. The key is really the ingredients. Making sure your marinade has a good amount of acid to really penetrate the meat, remove any gamey flavor, and help breakdown connective tissue, as well as seasonings that will help flavor the meat is important.

How to Grill Venison Backstrap

Once your venison has marinated 4 to 24 hours and has come to room temperature, heat the cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop and add a bit of avocado oil. Once the pan is quite hot, might even be slightly smoking, cut the backstrap in half and lay on the grill pan. You should hear a sizzle. DO NOT move it! Give it about 7 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your backstrap, before flipping. Note that if your backstrap is sticking to the grill pan, it’s not ready to flip.

Grill the other side of the backstrap for another 7 minutes, checking with an instant read thermometer by sticking in horizontally at the end into the middle, thickest portion of the backstrap. You’re looking for about 120F internal temperature. If close, remove from the grill pan and set on a plate, covered with tinfoil. It will continue to cook slightly as it rests. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes for the juices to redistribute before slicing into medallions.

Is venison backstrap the same as venison tenderloin?

There are two backstraps on a deer. Just as the name suggests, the backstrap runs along both sides of the backbone of the deer. In comparison, tenderloin runs along the inside of the body cavity. While similar, not exactly the same.

How to make your venison taste like beef

If you have friends or family that aren’t exactly on board with the gamey flavor of venison, or the thought of venison, preparing in this method may be just the ticket to changing their minds. Brining or marinating venison through acidic means or in a buttermilk solution, will help to remove the gamey flavor. The backstrap, I liken to filet mignon on beef. It is tender, juicy, and best served on the rare side. Being sure not to overcook it and remove the gamey flavor, is the best way to get your venison tasting more like beef.

Cooking Venison Backstrap

Backstrap is such a delicious cut of meat. Don’t squander it by chopping and putting into a stew. The risk is much higher that you will over cook it and it will become hard to chew. With less fat and more protein than a chicken, this is a very easy cut of meat to overcook. Seared and cooked to a rare perfection, you’ll see why this is often the most coveted cut of meat to come from a deer.