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Venison Medallions, Backstraps, Tenderloins

venison with caramelized onions on a plate
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

This is what Ted Nugent is obsessed with: The Great Venison Backstrap. What is there to say, really?

I mean venison loin and tenderloin are the primo cuts of meat on a deer, elk, moose or other four-footed cervid. They are lean, tender and requires nothing more than fire and salt as seasonings. Cooked medium-rare and seasoned simply is how I cook most of my backstraps, but I will often pair it with a sauce, a number of which are available here.

For the record, backstrap refers to a length of loin on the back of a deer, elk, moose, etc. It’s the ribeye in beef and loin in pork. Tenderloins are the two strips of very tender meat under the loin, behind the ribs. This is filet mignon in beef.

For general tips on cooking venison steak, here is an article on the subject I wrote for Petersen’s Hunting.

Below are the venison backstrap recipes I enjoy.

Venison steak Diane

Venison Steak Diane

A classic dish, this is my favorite fancy way to serve venison backstrap. It is a century-old recipe updated for the modern kitchen.

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Icelandic venison with blueberry sauce recipe

Venison Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

An Icelandic dish updated for the modern kitchen. This blueberry sauce (I used huckleberries) isn’t sweet and gloppy, unlike a lot of versions of this dish.

Read More about Venison Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

Venison Steak with Wild Rice Pilaf

Venison steaks cooked simply with a fun wild rice pilaf. This pilaf is all about teaching you how to freestyle in the kitchen.

Read More about Venison Steak with Wild Rice Pilaf

venison stroganoff recipe

Venison Stroganoff

Wild game comfort food at its best, and I am pretty proud of my rendition of this classic.

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Elk Tenderloin with Ancho Sauce

Simply seared tenderloin with an astonishingly deep and rich ancho chile sauce.

Read More about Elk Tenderloin with Ancho Sauce

Grilled venison steak with a summer salad on a plate.

Grilled Venison Steak

When the weather’s hot out, move outside. After lots of experiments, I’ve found that this is the best way to grill a venison loin.

Read More about Grilled Venison Steak

A platter of venison tacos.

Venison Tacos

I love making these tacos with venison or elk flank or skirt steak, but it’s just as good with grilled backstrap, too.

Read More about Venison Tacos

cumberland sauce with venison

Venison with Cumberland Sauce

Simply seared venison backstrap served with what is, for many, the ultimate wild game sauce.

Read More about Venison with Cumberland Sauce

venison with caramelized onions on a plate

How to Cook a Venison Steak

Combine three of my favorite ingredients — backstrap, caramelized onions and mushrooms — and this is what you get. Easy and really, really good.

Read More about How to Cook a Venison Steak

belgian venison medallion recipe

Venison Medallions with Gin and Juniper

Another venerable dish, this one combines the woodsy flavors of gin and juniper, which work perfectly with the venison.

Read More about Venison Medallions with Gin and Juniper

steak au poivre

Classic Steak au Poivre

Yep, this is that French version of pepper steak we all know and love. Great with venison backstrap, or, as in the case of this photo, duck or goose breast. It’s easy to make and wonderful.

Read More about Classic Steak au Poivre

venison souvlaki recipe

Venison Greek Souvlaki

Greek souvlaki is commonly served with lamb, but venison backstrap (or even leg meat) works great, too. It’s a little like Greek tacos, only with pita bread instead of tortillas, and tzatziki instead of salsa.

Read More about Venison Greek Souvlaki

Morel sauce with venison loin on a platter.

Morel Sauce with Venison

When life gives you mushrooms, make this recipe. It is best with fresh or dried morels, but any good mushroom works well here.

Read More about Morel Sauce with Venison

A bowl of venison tartare with an egg yolk.

Venison Tartare

Like beef tartare? You will LOVE venison tartare. This version uses a super-fresh egg and Northern European flavors.

Read More about Venison Tartare

Ethiopian tibs recipe in a bowl

Ethiopian Tibs

Funny name, but this is a super easy – yet exotic – hybrid stir fry and stew you make in minutes, using venison loin or sinew-free leg meat.

Read More about They Called Me Mr. Tibs

venison stir-fry recipe

Venison Stir Fry

A basic stir-fry that teaches you a vital Chinese trick to keep lean meats tender called “velveting.”

Read More about Venison Stir Fry

venison and broccoli

Venison and Broccoli

A perfect dish for slices of backstrap, this is just like the Chinese takeout version.

Read More about Venison and Broccoli

Chinese venison with cumin

Chinese Venison with Cumin

Cumin? In Chinese food? You bet. It’s a thing in northern China, and you’ll want to taste this dish, which is mild yet exotic-tasting.

Read More about Chinese Venison with Cumin

Kung pao venison recipe

Kung Pao Venison

The Chinese restaurant classic made with venison instead of chicken. Yep, it’s just as good. Easy to make, too.

Read More about Kung Pao Venison

chimichurri sauce recipe

Venison Backstrap with Chimichurri

Grilled or seared venison backstrap smothered in a garlicky, herby Argentine sauce called chimichurri.

Read More about Chimichurri with Venison

A plate of jagerschnitzel

Classic Jaegerschnitzel

A German dish meaning “hunter’s schnitzel,” this is a cutlet — venison, duck, boar, etc — pounded very thin, barely dusted with flour and served with a mushroom sauce. Chanterelles are traditional, but button mushrooms are fine, too.

Read More about Classic Jaegerschnitzel

Venison with Fire-Roasted Red Peppers

The bright, acidic sweetness of fire-roasted, preserved peppers, buzzed into a sauce, really works well with venison tenderloin or backstrap.

Read More about Venison Tenderloin with Roasted Red Peppers

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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw. I am a James Beard Award-winning author and chef and I focus my energies on wild foods: Foraging, fishing, hunting. I write cookbooks as well as this website, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild game, fish, or edible wild plants and mushrooms, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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