Marinated Venison Backstrap
Tender, juicy, flavorful venison backstrap that is marinated then pan seared or grilled until nicely browned on the outside and lightly pink on the inside. Super easy to make, melt in your mouth venison without the gamey taste!
Ingredients
- 1 pound venison backstrap
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Marinade
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Marinade
- Mix together the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish or a ziploc bag. Add the backstrap and place in the refrigerator. Marinate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, flipping halfway through.
- 30 minutes before you're ready to cook, remove the venison from the marinade, rinse off and pat dry. Set on a clean plate and allow to come to room temperature.
Pan seared and oven finished:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat an oven-safe cast iron skillet or staineless steel skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the backstrap and sear on all sides until a nice brown crust forms, including the ends by using tongs to stand the backstrap in the pan.
- If using an oven-safe skillet, transfer the skillet with the backstrap to the preheated oven. If your skillet isn't oven-safe, transfer the backstrap to an oven-safe dish with a little olive oil. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 130-135 degrees F. for medium-rare. Keep in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise once removed from the heat. Transfer the backstrap to a plate and loosely tent with tinfoil for 5-10 minutes before slicing. While resting, the temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees bringing it closer to medium doneness.
Grilled:
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the backstrap on the hot grill and cook for 6-8 minutes, then flip and continue to cook another 6-8 minutes.
- The backstrap is done when a meat thermometer reads 130-135 degrees F. for medium-rare. Keep in mind that the internal temperature will continue to rise once removed from the heat. Transfer the backstrap to a plate and loosely tent with tinfoil for 5-10 minutes before slicing. While resting, the temperature will rise another 5-10 degrees bringing it closer to medium doneness.
Notes
Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the venison.
- Rare: 125 degrees F.
- Medium-rare: 130-135 degrees F.
- Medium: 135-140 degrees F.
- Medium-well: 140-145 degrees F.
- Well: 145-150 degrees F.
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