This venison backstrap recipe is a fun smoky twist on the classic grilled backstrap. With its tender texture, smoky essence, salty goodness, and unique flavor, this is the perfect way to enjoy this great cut of meat. Give it a try today!
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Why This Recipe Works:
This recipe uses a few simple ingredients and the magic of smoking with indirect heat to turn this prized cut of venison into a taste sensation. Wild venison is a lean meat so brining it before smoking helps lock in the natural moisture of the meat.
The brine has the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and savory flavors that complement the taste of the meat beautifully. With a touch of natural wood smoke, this steak is packed with flavor!
Ingredient Notes:
- Venison Backstrap: This recipe uses a 1 lb portion of venison backstrap but you can use a whole backstrap instead. You can also use other venison steaks or roasts. But, the brining and smoking time will vary depending on the size of the cut of meat you choose.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is often used for brining because it doesn't have any additives and its flaky texture dissolves easily in water. But, you can use regular salt instead.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds a bit of umami flavor to the brine. A similar flavor can be achieved with soy sauce as well.
Equipment Notes:
- Wood Pellets: If you're using a pellet grill, you can use just about any smoking wood pellet for this recipe and it will turn out great. If you're using a traditional smoker, you can use mild woods like fruit woods.
- Wire Rack: An oven-safe wire rack is helpful for elevating the meat off of the grill grates for better airflow. But, you can place the meat directly on the grill grates as well.
- Pellet Grill: This recipe is written for a pellet grill but the same method will work with any smoker. You can also use a regular grill at a low temperature with a smoker tube.
- Meat Thermometer: A good meat thermometer is essential for smoking your steak to the perfect internal temperature. An external probe thermometer for continuous monitoring works great.
- Large Container for Brining: I like using Cambro containers for brining because you can fit a lot in them. But you can also use a glass bowl or nonreactive pot.
- Aluminum Foil: Making a loose tent out of aluminum foil helps keep the meat moist during the smoking process. If you choose not to use aluminum foil, you can also spritz the meat with some water occasionally to keep it moist.
What is Backstrap?
Venison backstraps (also referred to as deer loins) are the long muscles that run alongside the side of the spine of deer and other wild game animals. They start at the shoulder, rest on top of the ribcage and end at the pelvis. The muscle fibers run lengthwise down the back of the deer. There is very little connective tissue inside the meat which is what makes backstraps so desirable.
This prized cut of meat is also referred to as the venison loin. Backstraps are often cut into 1 lb portions or into butterfly-style steaks. For cooking deer backstrap in a cast iron skillet, follow this cast iron venison backstrap recipe. Or check out this recipe on how to grill venison backstrap.
Backstraps are often mistakenly called tenderloins. However, tenderloins are smaller cuts of meat located in the abdominal cavity under the spine. The backstrap and tenderloin are generally considered to be the most tender cuts of meat on big game animals. Check out this simple venison tenderloin recipe for more ideas on how to cook these tender cuts of deer meat.
Step by Step Instructions:
How To Brine Venison Backstrap:
This simple wet brine is packed with flavor and can be used in a variety of ways. See below for how to make it!
To a medium saucepan, add 1 quart of water, salt, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Boil until the salt and brown sugar dissolve, about 2-3 minutes.
Add 4 cups of ice and enough cold water to make 1 quart of liquid to the brining container.
Pour the brining mixture into the brining container. Stir to combine. Place the brine in the fridge or freezer to cool completely.
Once the brine is 41°F or colder, add in the backstrap. Cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Pro Tip: This brine will work for more meat than the recipe calls for. You can definitely add a few more pieces of backstrap to the container if you'd like!
How To Smoke Venison Backstrap:
Once your meat has been brined, the smoking process is fairly simple! Follow the simple steps below and you'll be well on your way to a smoky, juicy, and delicious steak.
Preheat a pellet smoker to 180-200 degrees F. Remove the backstrap from the brine and rinse under cold water.
Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
Place the meat on an oven-safe wire rack and loosely tent the meat with aluminum foil.
Place the rack with the meat on the side of the grill away from the heat source. Rotate the rack 180° halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 125°F for medium-rare, about 1.5-2 hours. The smoking time will depend on the thickness of the backstrap and your desired level of doneness.
Remove the meat from the grill and heat the grill to 350 degrees F. Drizzle with olive oil and use a basting brush to cover the meat in oil. If you want to add a little more flavor to the meat, you can add some black pepper or your favorite spice rub at this point. But, keep in mind that the meat will already be salty from the brine.
Grill both sides for 30 seconds to 1 minute directly over the flames on the grill grates or until desired grill marks are achieved.
Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before serving.
Slice into ½" slices. Serve and enjoy!
Pro Tip: The process of cooking the backstrap at a low temperature and then searing it at a high temperature is called reverse searing. The searing step at the end isn't essential, but I like the extra grill flavor and the appearance of the grill marks.
More Backstrap Recipes You'll Love:
- Grilled Venison Backstrap
- Venison Backstrap with Cherry Sauce
- Elk Backstrap with Mushrooms
- Venison Backstrap Arroser
What To Serve with Smoked Venison Backstrap:
This smoked backstrap can be sliced thick and served as a steak or sliced thin for sandwiches. If you're serving it as a steak, it goes great with simple sides like grilled potatoes and a green salad with honey mustard dressing and homemade croutons.
Smoked venison makes a great substitute for these mini steak sandwiches too. No matter how you serve it, you're going to love how delicious this smoked venison is!
Recipe FAQ's:
Soaking venison in a wet brine helps lock in moisture during the smoking process. You can also make a loose tent of tin foil around the meat while it smokes to keep it from drying out.
Venison does well at a smoking temperature of 180-200 degrees F. If you're smoking a backstrap, it's best cooked to 125-130 degrees F for medium-rare.
Tenderloin and backstrap are not the same cuts of meat. The backstraps run along the back of a deer while the tenderloin is tucked inside the abdominal cavity under the spine. Backstraps are often mistakenly called tenderloins, likely because the backstraps are also referred to as loins. Backstraps and tenderloins are both prized cuts of meat because of their tenderness and lack of connective tissue.
Other Recipes You'll Love:
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Recipe:
Smoked Venison Backstrap with Wet Brine
Equipment
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 lb venison backstrap
- 1 ½ quart water, divided
- 4 cups ice
- ½ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Brining:
- To a medium saucepan, add 1 quart of water, salt, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, and garlic cloves. Bring to a boil. Boil until the salt and brown sugar dissolve, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add 4 cups of ice and enough cold water to make 1 quart of liquid to the brining container. If your brining container has measurements on the side, add the 4 cups of ice and fill it up with cold water until the 1 quart line is reached. Otherwise, use a liquid measuring cup to measure the ice and then add enough cold water to get to the 4 cup/1 quart line.
- Pour the brining mixture into the brining container. Stir to combine. Place the brine in the fridge or freezer to cool completely.
- Once the brine is 41°F or colder, add in the backstrap. Cover and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Smoking:
- Preheat a pellet smoker to 180-200°F.
- Remove the backstrap from the brine. Rinse the meat and pat it dry.
- Place the meat on an oven-safe wire rack and loosely tent the meat with aluminum foil.
- Place the rack with the meat on the side of the grill not directly over the flames.
- Rotate the rack 180° halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 125°F, about 1.5-2 hours. The smoking time will depend on the thickness of the backstrap.
- Remove the meat from the grill and heat the grill to 350°F. Drizzle with olive oil and use a basting brush to cover the meat in oil.
- Grill both sides for 30 seconds to 1 minute directly over the flames or until desired grill marks are achieved. Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before serving.
- Slice into ½" slices. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe uses a 1 lb portion of venison backstrap but you can use a whole backstrap instead. You can also use other venison steaks or roasts. But, the brining and smoking time will vary depending on the size of the cut of meat you choose.
- Kosher salt is often used for brining because it doesn't have any additives and its flaky texture dissolves easily in water. But, you can use regular salt instead.
- Worcestershire sauce adds a bit of umami flavor to the brine. A similar flavor can be achieved with soy sauce as well.
- If you're using a pellet grill, you can use just about any smoking wood pellet for this recipe and it will turn out great. If you're using a traditional smoker, you can use mild woods like fruit woods.
- An oven-safe wire rack is helpful for elevating the meat off of the grill grates for better airflow. But, you can also place the meat directly on the grill grates as well.
- This recipe is written for a pellet grill but the same method will work with any smoker. You can also use a regular grill at a low temperature with a smoker tube.
- A good meat thermometer is essential for smoking your steak to the perfect internal temperature. An external probe thermometer for continuous monitoring works great.
- I like using Cambro containers for brining because you can fit a lot in them. But you can also use a glass bowl or nonreactive pot.
- Making a loose tent out of aluminum foil helps keep the meat moist during the smoking process. If you choose not to use aluminum foil, you can also spritz the meat with some water occasionally to keep it moist.
- This brine will work for more meat than the recipe calls for. You can definitely add a few more pieces of backstrap to the container if you'd like!
- The process of cooking the backstrap at a low temperature and then searing it at a high temperature is called reverse searing. The searing step at the end isn't essential, but I like the extra grill flavor and the appearance of the grill marks.
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