There’s something special about cooking venison backstrap — it’s rustic, comforting, and a little bit luxurious all at once. The recipe begins with preheating the oven to 350°F and trimming any silver skin from the meat. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper is all it takes to let the natural flavor of the venison shine. In a cast iron skillet, a tablespoon of butter melts over medium heat before the backstrap is seared on all sides until deeply browned. This step takes about ten minutes and fills the kitchen with an incredible aroma.

Once the venison has that perfect crust, the skillet goes straight into the oven to roast for around 15 minutes. For a rare roast, it’s best to pull it at about 120°F, though it can be cooked longer if preferred. After roasting, the venison rests on a plate under a loose cover of foil to keep it warm and juicy.

While the meat rests, the pan sauce comes together right in the same skillet. A couple of tablespoons of soy sauce, a third of a cup of balsamic vinegar, a teaspoon of dried thyme, and a bit of black pepper are added and simmered until slightly thickened. Then, two tablespoons of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup are stirred in, creating a glossy, rich sauce with a perfect balance of savory and sweet.

Finally, the backstrap is sliced and served with the warm pan sauce drizzled over the top. For those who like it cooked a touch more, the slices can be briefly returned to the skillet before serving. The result is a dish that feels both simple and elegant — the kind of meal that would be right at home in a cozy hunting lodge or a candlelit kitchen.

Here is the full recipe via VenisonForDinner.com:

Prep Time10minutes mins

Cook Time35minutes mins

Total Time45minutes mins

CourseMain Course

CuisineAmerican

Servings8

Calories191 kcal

Ingredients  

• 1 ½ pounds venison backstrap silver skin trimmed off
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter

Pan Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Season the roast all over with salt and pepper.
• Let the roast brown really well on all sides. This should take at least 10 minutes to do well.
• Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 15 minutes. Check the temp: 120°F is considered very rare, which I prefer, but you can cook longer if desired.
• Remove roast to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Return the skillet to low heat on the stove. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper.
• When thickened, remove from heat and add the butter and maple syrup. Stir to combine.
• Slice the roast now, and either serve with pan sauce or return the slices to the warm pan to cook just a bit longer if desired.

Notes

• You can serve rare, cook longer in the oven, or gently heat the sliced roast in the warm pan sauce to cook past rare.

Nutrition

Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 26gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 78mg

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