Best Venison Marinade (For Steaks, Backstraps & More)

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Best Venison Marinade (For Steaks, Backstraps & More)

This easy venison marinade is the perfect way to add bold flavor while keeping venison tender and juicy. Whether you're grilling venison steaks, pan-searing backstrap, or making kabobs, this all-purpose marinade works with just about any cut of venison. You'll also find simple flavor variations in the recipe, including smoky, garlic herb, citrus herb, and sweet & savory options.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Dinner / Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: serving

Calories: 575kcal

Author: Rachel Kochlin

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ tablespoon dijon mustard
3-4 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a jar or bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined.
Place the venison in a large bowl and pour the marinade over the meat, making sure it's all coated. Cover and refrigerate.
Marinate according to the cut. If you're short on time, even 1-2 hours will still add up great flavor.
Steak, backstrap and tenderloin: 4-12 hours (no longer than 24 hours).
Cubed meat or kabobs: 4-8 hours.
Thin slices: 2-6 hours.
About 30 minutes before you're ready to cook, remove the venison from the marinade and let any excess drip off. Set on a clean plate and allow to come to room temperature. Cook as desired.
For detailed instructions, try my Marinated Venison Backstrap or Venison Steak with Mushroom Cream Sauce.

Notes

Easy venison marinade variations:

Use the base marinade as your starting point, then customize it with one of the variations below!

Garlic herb: 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, thyme and/or your favorite herbs
Sweet & savory: 2 teaspoons honey, maple syrup or brown sugar
Smoky: 1 teaspoon smoked paprika + ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Citrus herb: Swap lemon for 1 tablespoon lime juice, and add 2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice + 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

You can also combine flavors! For example, combing the smokey and citrus herb would be great for fajitas or carne asada tacos.

Ingredient substitutions:

Olive oil. Avocado oil is a great substitute.
Tamari or soy sauce. I typically use organic tamari in our home, but either works. For a soy-free option, use coconut aminos - just note it's more sweet than salty, so you may want to add a pinch of salt.
Balsamic vinegar. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work well as substitutes, though they're a bit sharper.
Fresh lemon juice. Fresh is best, but bottled will work in a pinch.
Dijon mustard. Stone ground mustard works well as a substitute.

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