- Target temps: Pull at 120-125 F and let carryover land at 125-130 F. Avoid cooking past 135 F.
- Two-zone grill: Sear over high heat, finish on indirect heat. If color hits before temp, move to the cool side and close the lid.
- Grates and sticking: Clean and oil the grates right before cooking. Light oil on the meat helps.
- Seasoning: Keep rubs simple so they do not scorch. Save any sweet sauce for a dipping sauce.
- Make-ahead: compound butter holds 5 days refrigerated or 1 month frozen. Salt the backstrap up to 12 hours ahead.
- Storage: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheating: warm slices gently in a covered skillet with a small knob of butter.
- Swaps: Chives or parsley work in place of rosemary or thyme in the butter.
Grilled Venison Backstrap with Compound Butter
Hot and fast grilled venison backstrap finished with steakhouse herb butter. Rosy slices, clean wild game flavor, and a glossy finish.
Ingredients
For the Backstrap
- 2 whole venison backstraps, (trimmed of silver skin)
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt per pound of meat
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral high-heat oil
For the Compound Butter
- 8 tbsp unsalted real butter, (room temperature)
- 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp kosher
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (toasted and freshly cracked is best)
Instructions
- Salt: Pat the backstrap dry with paper towels. Season evenly with kosher salt. Set on a rack and refrigerate uncovered 1 to 8 hours.
- Make the butter: In a bowl, mash the butter with rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Spoon onto plastic wrap, roll into a tight log, and chill until firm. Slice into thin coins and then rest at room temperature. For convenience, simply serve at room temperature as a spread, skipping the rolling and chilling steps.
- Rest at room temperature: Set the meat out uncovered at room temperature between 30 minutes and an hour. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the grill: Set up a two-zone fire. Hot side 500 F or higher for searing; cool side for indirect heat. Clean and oil the grill grates.
- Final prep: Pat the meat dry again. Lightly brush with oil and season with black pepper.
- Sear: Sear over the hot zone for around 2 to 3 minutes per side until well colored.
- Finish: Move to the cool side and cook until the center reaches an internal temperature of 120-125°F. Use an instant-read thermometer and probe from the side into the center.
- Rest and slice: Transfer to a wire rack or warm platter. And top with a little bit of the butter. Rest 8-10 minutes. Slice across the grain into 1/2-inch pieces on a cutting board.
- Butter and serve: Top the slices with more compound butter. Spoon any juices over the meat and serve immediately.
NOTES
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1372mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 728IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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