Smoked Venison Backstrap
Smoked venison backstrap that doesn't come out dry. A 24 hour brine seasons the loin all the way through so it holds it retains moisture during cooking. Smoke it low at 200°F, pull it at 135°F, and slice it thin. Just as good cold on a serving board as it is warm off the grate.
Ingredients
For the Venison
- 1 venison backstrap (Silver skin removed)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 1 ½ cups kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons pink curing salt (42 grams)
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries, (crushed)
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 garlic cloves, (crushed)
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
For Smoking
- Wood Chips or Pellets (hickory, oak, pecan or fruit woods are good options)
Instructions
- Trim the meat: Trim and remove any silver skin.
- Make the brine. In a large pot add all of the brine ingredients. Don't add the venison loin or ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
- Chill the Brine. Place the brine in the refrigerator until it has thoroughly chilled.
- Brine the meat. Add the venison loin to the brine. Place a plate on top of the meat if needed to keep it fully submerged. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Rinse the meat. Remove the loin from the brine and rinse it under cold water. Dry the loin off with paper towels until no moisture appears on the surface of the meat.
- Air dry in the refrigerator. Lightly dust the loin with a little ground black pepper. Place the loin on a wire rack that is sitting over a baking tray. Place the tray in the refrigerator uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. This allows for the brine to evenly distribute throughout the meat and for it to develop a tacky surface for the smoke to better adhere.
- Smoke the meat. Start the smoker and once it smokes, place the meat on your smoker's grill grates and smoke the deer loin at 200 degrees F. Smoke until you reach your preferred internal temperature by checking it with a good quality meat thermometer. Again, I recommend cooking to around a 135-degree internal temperature. This should take 1 ½ - 3 hours depending on the size of the backstrap.
- Rest and slice. Let the loin rest at room temperature between 20 and 30 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain. If stored properly It will keep in the refrigerator for about 7 days.
NOTES
- Want a more traditional smoked backstrap? Reduce the brine time to 12 hours and remove the pink salt.
- Want a backstrap for the charcuterie board? Increase the brine time to 48 hours. The meat will turn a darker, richer red. It will also be a bit firmer and saltier, which makes it perfect for eating at room temperature.
- Tie for even cooking. For even cooking, tie the loin at 2-inch intervals with butcher's twine. See my chef's tips section and "how to" instructions for more info.
- Dry it overnight before smoking. After brining, rinse the loin, dry it very well, dust it lightly with black pepper, and refrigerate it uncovered on a rack for 12 to 24 hours. That step helps the brine even out and gives the surface a tacky finish that takes smoke better.
- Do not cook past 135 F. Venison loin gets dry and chewy above that point, so pull it at your preferred doneness and keep it in the rare to medium-rare range for the best texture.
- Rest before slicing thin. Let it rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, then slice it thinly across the grain, no thicker than about 1/4 inch.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated. Stored properly, it keeps in the refrigerator for about 7 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 3025mg | Potassium: 631mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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