The Perfect Every Time Smoked Then Seared Venison Backstrap

A fool proof way to make a perfectly cooked venison backstrap, every single time.

Venison Backstrap (aka “the strip loin”) is my second most favorite cut, aside from of course the tenderloins. This recipe is one I always give to people who say venison is tough. Venison is anything but tough when prepared the right way and this recipe is a fool proof method to getting a tender backstrap every single time. It starts off with a simple homemade steak rub, then the seasoned backstrap gets smoked for about an hour then finished off with a quick sear. This method is called reverse searing and it’s great to use with wild game because it creates and evenly cooked steak with a juicy interior.

The most important thing when cooking with venison, or any game for that matter, is watching the internal temperature closely. If venison gets overcooked, it’s going to be tough and dry. Gross! I would not recommend cooking your backstrap anything over medium rare (130-135 degrees). If you prefer rare, shoot for an internal temperature of about 125 degrees. When following the steps in the blog, you will get a perfectly tender and juicy venison backstrap- just as it should be.

If You Like This Recipe, You’ll Love These:

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The Perfect Every Time Smoked Then Seared Venison Backstrap

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A venison backstrap smoked low and slow then seared on a hot grill to give you the most perfect results every time.

• Author: Jenn Homa
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 1-1.5 hours
• Total Time: 1-1.5 hours
• Yield: 2 servings 1x

Ingredients

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• 1 – 1.5 pound Venison Backstrap
• 1.5 teaspoons Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary

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Instructions

1. Trim venison of any silver skin or excess fat. Pat dry using paper towels.
2. Combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and rosemary in a small bowl. Sprinkle all over the venison. You may not need it all. Allow the backstrap to sit at at room temperature while you preheat your pellet grill/smoker.
3. Preheat your smoker to 220-225 degrees F.
4. Place the venison backstrap into the smoker and smoke  until reaches 110-115 degrees. Remove from the grill and set aside. This took ~1 hour for my backstrap but start checking the internal temperature around the 40 minute mark. The exact cooking time will vary depending on how thick your backstrap is.
5. Remove and heat grill to 450-500 degrees/High heat. Ensure the grill grates are well oiled if you want to get good grill lines.
6. Once your grill is hot, add the venison backstrap back to the grill and sear on both sides until the internal temperature reaches your preferred doneness, about 2-3 minutes per side.
   • Rare: 120–125°F
   • Medium rare: 130–135°F.
7. Slice and serve. Do not tent with foil as that will let the backstrap keep cooking.