Grilled Fajita Salad with Pronghorn Antelope Loin Recipe

Sometimes you come across an ingredient so delicious that you have to create a recipe just to use it. Tessemae’s Habanero Ranch is the ingredient that makes this recipe pop. It’s spicy, creamy, bright, and oh so good drizzled over this grilled salad with pronghorn loin. Keep reading to find out more about this summer favorite!

HOW DO YOU MAKE A GRILLED SALAD?

If you haven’t tried grilling romaine, you’ve just found a new way to up your salad game! Grilling romaine adds a distinct smoky flavor to this classic salad green. A little olive oil, salt and pepper, a hot grill, and a few simple steps are all you need:

1. Cut romaine hearts in half and rinse them thoroughly.
2. Lay a clean kitchen towel on a sheet pan and place romaine hearts, cut side down, on the towel. Cover with another towel to blot water off the outsides. Refrigerate for a couple hours (if you can) to let the water drain out.
3. Drizzle a little olive oil on both sides of the romaine and use a basting brush to cover them evenly. Don’t use too much or they will be greasy. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on both sides.
4. Place romaine hearts on a hot grill and grill each side for 1-2 minutes or until the romaine has good grill marks. Don’t cook too long or the romaine will be mushy. You want to still have that salad crunch but with added flavor from the grill.
5. Serve with your favorite veggies, dressing, and protein. (or follow the recipe below!)

WHAT IS ANTELOPE LOIN?

Aside from the tenderloin, the backstrap (also known as the loin) is usually the most prized cut of meat off any big game animal. The backstrap runs along the sides of the spine which is where ribeyes are cut from in beef cattle. The backstrap has very little connective tissue and is extremely tender and flavorful. This cut of meat is very tender in most animals because the muscle is not weight-bearing as opposed to muscles in the shoulder or hind quarter.
TIP: When processing, you can cut the backstrap into 1 lb sections instead of cutting into steaks. You can cook the larger section whole and then slice thinly or into steak size cuts after it has been cooked to a perfect medium-rare. Leaving the meat in a larger section leaves less room for error when trying to achieve a certain temperature (120°F plus 10 minutes resting time for medium-rare).

WHAT DOES ANTELOPE TASTE LIKE?

Pronghorn, commonly called antelope in the US, is a wild game meat with a unique flavor profile. Pronghorn are pure athletes so their meat is one of the leanest you can find. It has a texture similar to deer meat but a flavor similar to lamb or goat meat. Some people refer to antelope meat as being very gamey but it is just the natural flavor of the meat. It can take some getting used to but if you treat it right, it can be some of the best wild game meat out there.

Antelope meat is great without a marinade but marinades are a great way to complement the flavor of the meat. This recipe calls for a simple cilantro lime marinade to go with the other flavors of the dish. Antelope responds well to a short marinating time. I marinate it for no more than 3 hours. Any longer, and it can toughen the meat which is the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve. 2-3 hours of marinating will give your steak a zesty lime flavor without covering up the flavor of the meat itself. TIP: marinate meat in a glass container like these snapware containers for easy clean up and to minimize plastic waste.

WHAT ARE GOOD SALAD TOPPINGS?

Salads usually start with a green, in this case grilled romaine. But it doesn’t have to end there! The possibilities are endless but I usually like to think about adding a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. One way to add a little something extra to this salad is to roast some fresh corn and bell peppers together with a little chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Then I add some fresh cherry tomatoes for color, avocado for texture contrast, grilled meat (because meat, obviously), cotija cheese for flavor, and top it with my favorite Tessemae’s Habanero Ranch salad dressing. This salad is so full of flavor, it’s sure to become your new summer favorite!