Course
Main
Duration
12 to 24 hours
Serves
4
Smoked venison backstrap is a popular way to cook one of the most tender muscles on a deer, but it’s also one of the easiest things to screw up. I’ve been asked by a number of people why their smoked backstrap comes out dry, and the answer is usually because they set the smoker at too high of heat, didn’t season it ahead of time, or both.
In my humble opinion, the best way to smoke a backstrap is to pre-season it with a salty rub before smoking. This acts sort of like a dry brine that keeps the meat juicy and will also help it absorb the smoke better.
Another trick I use when making smoked venison backstrap is to sear the meat first over high heat to develop savoriness, then transfer to a low-temperature smoker to finish cooking. This is similar to pan roasting and the result is a deliciously juicy and smokey steak!
Ingredients
- 1½ to 2 lbs. venison loin (backstrap) *see note
- 1½ tsp. coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp. coarse black pepper
- ¾ tsp. granulated garlic
- ¾ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. brown sugar
- ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp. beef tallow or high-smoke point oil, such as avocado or grapeseed
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Stir the salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, sugar, and rosemary together in a small bowl. Sprinkle this all over the meat, keeping in mind that you’re not going to rinse this with water before cooking (you want it to stay dry), so season it like you would a steak, and don’t coat too heavily. You might not use it all. Ideally, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to a full day. If you do it for two days, you’ll get a cured, “deli meat” flavor (which is excellent sliced thin and eaten cold for sandwiches.) If you don’t have time to pre-season, don’t sweat it, it will still turn out good.
- Prepare a smoker using your choice of wood chips or pellets—I love oak, but hickory, pecan, or cherry work too. Aim for a low temperature around 200 to 225℉.
- Remove the venison for at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook. Pat dry with paper towels and preheat a large skillet over very high heat and add the beef tallow. Once melted, sear the venison for about 30 seconds on each side until it's golden brown on the outside. Remove from the heat immediately and insert a meat thermometer or probe into the middle of the meat so you can monitor the internal temperature. Cover the top with the melted tallow from the pan.
- Place the venison on the smoker and smoke for roughly 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 128 to 132℉; keep in mind that it will raise another couple of degrees while resting. Remove and transfer to a cutting board.
- Allow the meat to rest for 8 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Note: Choose the centermost piece of the backstrap where the meat is about the same size in width and thickness so that it cooks evenly. Save the ends for other steaks, slice them thin for stir-fry, or cube it for kabobs and steak tacos.
Smoked venison backstrap is a popular way to cook one of the most tender muscles on a deer, but it’s also one of the easiest things to screw up. I’ve been asked by a number of people why their smoked backstrap comes out dry, and the answer is usually because they set the smoker at too high of heat, didn’t season it ahead of time, or both.
In my humble opinion, the best way to smoke a backstrap is to pre-season it with a salty rub before smoking. This acts sort of like a dry brine that keeps the meat juicy and will also help it absorb the smoke better.
Another trick I use when making smoked venison backstrap is to sear the meat first over high heat to develop savoriness, then transfer to a low-temperature smoker to finish cooking. This is similar to pan roasting and the result is a deliciously juicy and smokey steak!
Ingredients
- 1½ to 2 lbs. venison loin (backstrap) *see note
- 1½ tsp. coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp. coarse black pepper
- ¾ tsp. granulated garlic
- ¾ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. brown sugar
- ¼ tsp. dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp. beef tallow or high-smoke point oil, such as avocado or grapeseed
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Stir the salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, sugar, and rosemary together in a small bowl. Sprinkle this all over the meat, keeping in mind that you’re not going to rinse this with water before cooking (you want it to stay dry), so season it like you would a steak, and don’t coat too heavily. You might not use it all. Ideally, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to a full day. If you do it for two days, you’ll get a cured, “deli meat” flavor (which is excellent sliced thin and eaten cold for sandwiches.) If you don’t have time to pre-season, don’t sweat it, it will still turn out good.
- Prepare a smoker using your choice of wood chips or pellets—I love oak, but hickory, pecan, or cherry work too. Aim for a low temperature around 200 to 225℉.
- Remove the venison for at least 30 minutes before you plan to cook. Pat dry with paper towels and preheat a large skillet over very high heat and add the beef tallow. Once melted, sear the venison for about 30 seconds on each side until it's golden brown on the outside. Remove from the heat immediately and insert a meat thermometer or probe into the middle of the meat so you can monitor the internal temperature. Cover the top with the melted tallow from the pan.
- Place the venison on the smoker and smoke for roughly 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 128 to 132℉; keep in mind that it will raise another couple of degrees while resting. Remove and transfer to a cutting board.
- Allow the meat to rest for 8 to 10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Note: Choose the centermost piece of the backstrap where the meat is about the same size in width and thickness so that it cooks evenly. Save the ends for other steaks, slice them thin for stir-fry, or cube it for kabobs and steak tacos.