EASY HERB MARINATED VENISON STEAKS

This easy herb marinated venison steak recipe is sure to impress your guests and doesn't take a lot of work. This meal is all about the prep and when it's time to serve, it comes together in a matter of minutes.

Photo by Larry White

You can cook the marinated deer steaks in a heavy-bottomed skillet or on a grill. With venison being a lean meat, I prefer to cook the steaks in a cast iron skillet, so that I can keep them moist with some type of fat. And as far as which cut of venison to use, the loins, top round, bottom round, tenderloins, and eye of round all work here.

If you're looking for a great side dish to serve with venison (roasts or steaks), I paired this steak with a cheesy caramelized onion custard (recipe below) which is super versatile in that fact that you can use any vegetable or cheese that you like, as long as you stick with the standard free-standing custard ratio.

The free-standing custard ratio is 2 parts liquid and 1 part egg. The recipe that I included uses 1 egg for every 1/2 cup of liquid. The custards can be made 1 day ahead of time, chilled, and reheated in a 325 F degree oven for about 8 minutes. You can cook and serve them directly in small individual baking dishes. You also have the option of baking them in silicone molds or small disposable aluminum pans.

Another awesome idea for a great custard that pairs well with steaks is a mushroom, asparagus and parmesan cheese.

Looking for other Venison Steak Recipes? These are my favorites:

VENISON CUBE STEAKS

VENISON BACKSTRAPS WITH BOURBON CREAM

PROSCUITTO WRAPPED VENISON TENDERLOINS

Lastly, if you make these herb marinated venison steaks, be sure to leave a comment or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you've made.

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HERB MARINATED VENISON STEAKS

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes for the Steaks, 1 hour for the Custards

Serves: 2 to 4 People

Author: Larry White

INGREDIENTS

For the Steaks

(4) 6 ounce venison steaks (backstraps, tenderloins or round steaks)

For the Venison Steak Marinade

• 1/2 cup - extra virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup - basil

• 1/4 cup - chives

• 1/4 cup - parsley

• 1/4 cup - cilantro

• 2 - garlic cloves (chopped)

• 6 - juniper berries (chopped)

• 1 tablespoon - cracked black pepper

• 1 teaspoon - fish sauce (optional)

For the Caramelized Onion Custard

• 1 large onion - thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon - chives

• 1 teaspoon - fresh thyme leaves

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon - kosher salt (divided)

• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella, fontina, Gruyere)

• 3 - eggs

• 1 1/2 cups - half and half ( or cream and milk mixture)

• 2 tablespoons - high smoke point cooking oil
  

DIRECTIONS

Marinate the steaks

1. Add all of the ingredients for the marinade (minus the meat) to a blender and blend until very smooth. In a large baking dish or gallon plastic food grade ziploc bag add the steaks and marinade. Marinating the venison steaks for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours. If the steaks are not completely covered by the marinade, turn a couple of times during the process.

2. Remember to remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 30 minutes to one hour before cooking. This ensures even cooking and a better crust.

Cook the Venison Steaks

1. Wipe the marinade off of the meat and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a heavy bottomed pan or grill over medium high heat. If using a pan, make sure you use a high smoke point oil to prevent scorching.

3. Cook until you reach your desired internal temperature (hopefully no more than medium rare). Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Make the Custards

1. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. In a large heavy bottomed skillet, heat the two tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the onions to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15-20 minutes while stirring often until the onions are a rich brown color. If the onions start to dry out in the beginning of the cooking process, add about 1 teaspoon of oil. If the onions start to dry out just as they are starting to brown, you can add a splash of water and continue to cook until brown and creamy.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the thyme and the chives. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

3. In a bowl mix together the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper eggs and half & half and mix very well. Add the cheese and onion mixture and mix until combined. You can pour these into ramekins if you're wanting to serve them directly from the vessel or pour the mixture into tin or silicone baking molds. They should be around 3 ounce serving sizes (give or take).

4. Bake in a 325F degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until they are set. This means when wiggled, the mixture is no longer runny and (jiggles) like jello. Set the custards to the side to rest while you cook the steaks.

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