HOW TO MAKE BACON WRAPPED VENISON BACKSTRAP

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This bacon wrapped venison backstrap is one of my favorite wild game recipes that I make all year long. The combination of pork and venison can sometimes be controversial depending on who you ask, but in my eyes, this famous duo will always have a place at the dinner tables of hunters all across the world. 

I for one don’t think that bacon is used to mask the flavor of deer meat, but rather a tool in your deer steak cooking arsenal. It adds a little fat, some chewy goodness, and that smoky flavor that we all know and love. So what you end up with is a tender and richly colored deer backstrap that has been wrapped in succulent smoky fatty pork; what's not to love?

Seasoning Your Loins

In this recipe, for a little extra flavor, I season the meat before it's rolled with the bacon. While this may seem pretty common to you, a lot of folks forget this step. You can choose any seasoning that you like such as fresh herbs, your favorite dry rub or just salt and pepper. 

This go round I rubbed the steaks with toasted and ground sesame seeds to achieve a different flavor profile and to give it a cool color contrast (because I can be a food nerd sometimes). If you're interested in trying, you can toast the sesame seeds yourself and grind them in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. You can also purchase sesame seed powder online, or at your local Asian market. I think the sesame flavor pairs nicely with the ginger scallion sauce that I included below.

I don't recommend using a wet marinade for this recipe. While a simple marinade won't ruin the flavors, the excess moisture could cause the bacon not to stick to the meat properly.

Another easy way to add flavor and make an impressive meal is by glazing the backstraps bacon shell before slicing into it. 

Help Ensure That The Bacon Sticks To The Backstraps

One of the best secrets that I learned from working in many restaurants over the years is to tightly wrap the meat in plastic food wrap after it is rolled in bacon. Simply place the meat in the center of the wrap and make sure that you have some extra plastic overhanging the edges of the meat. Roll the plastic wrap tightly around the meat and then twist the edges as tightly as possible to secure it.

Now place it in your refrigerator for at least 8 hours to 12 hours. This method gives you much greater odds for the bacon to adhere to the meat. Just be sure that when you first start cooking the meat, you start with the bacon seam side down on the pan. This will create a bond between the end pieces and the main body of the bacon. Below are a few pictures that should be helpful for you.

How to Arrange the Bacon

Using the Plastic Wrap to Roll the Backstrap in Bacon

Rolled Tightly in Plastic Wrap with the Ends Secured

Serving Suggestions

Depending on what flavors you are going for, my favorite way is to brush them with either a little maple syrup, barbecue sauce, or Alabama white sauce during the last few minutes of cooking it in the oven. The sweetness of the maple syrup and the tanginess of the other sauces really gives you an incredible flavor. Ginger scallion sauce is also another favorite of mine. It's very easy to make and delicious, plus the leftovers can be eaten with rice or pasta. 

Alternate Cooking Methods

Another great way to cook the loins is to use the reverse sear cooking method. After it's tightly wrapped in the bacon, cook it in your oven set at a low temperature (somewhere between 200 degrees F and 225 degrees F) until the venison loin's internal temperature reaches around 120 degrees F. Then remove the meat from the oven and place it in a cast iron large skillet or other heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.

Here you're just looking to crisp the outer bacon layer while slowly bringing the internal temperature somewhere between 125 degrees F and 130 degrees F. If the internal temperature is not quite there and your bacon is already crispy, simply finish cooking it in a low temperature oven until you reach the internal temperature of the meat that you're aiming for. I like to serve mine somewhat on the rare side and medium-rare doneness. 

​Can You Substitute Loin with a Venison Tenderloin?

I recommend not attempting this recipe with a small venison loin or the tail end of the loin. I also would not substitute a venison tenderloin for the backstrap in this recipe. While they are a tender cut of meat, they are simply too small if you plan on having a cool red center on your steaks and perfectly cooked bacon. You'd be better suited to make something like venison medallions instead.

By using a whole backstrap or even half of one, your odds of getting a perfectly cooked center and golden brown bacon are much greater. 

I also highly recommend the use of an instant read digital thermometer for this recipe. It’s a good idea to check the doneness of the steak after the bacon has been crisped to gauge whether you can finish cooking it in the pan or in the oven

Cooking Note

You have the option to cook a whole venison loin with this recipe, you will just need to double the amount of bacon that is called for. Plus, having a little extra bacon never hurts anyway right?

Looking for other wild game recipes? These are some of my favorites:

Smoked Canada Goose Breast

Venison Breakfast Sausage

Crispy Fried Venison Cubed Steak

Lastly, if you make this bacon wrapped venison, be sure to leave a rating and a comment below! Also, tag me on Instagram with some of your creations. I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you've made.

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Bacon Wrapped Venison Backstrap In Oven Recipe

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 60 Minutes

Servings: 2 to 3

Author: Larry White

INGREDIENTS

For the Backstrap

• 1 venison loin, cut into about an 8-inch piece and the silver skin removed

• 1 twelve-ounce package of thinly sliced bacon

• kosher salt

• ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
  

For the Ginger Scallion Sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoon butter

• 3 tablespoons minced ginger

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns

• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes

• 1 cup thinly cut scallions

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon sugar 

• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

For the Backstrap

1. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F.

2. On a food work surface, lay out about a 2-foot by 2-foot sheet of plastic wrap. You can use two sheets and overlap them to reach these dimensions.

3. On the plastic wrap, lay out the strips of bacon while overlapping the edges of the bacon by about a ¼ inch. Depending on the width of your bacon and the length of your deer loin you may not need the entire package.

4. Place the venison on a cutting board or baking sheet. Season and roll it around to ensure that the tops and sides of the backstrap are coated. Shake off and excess seasoning. 

5. Place the venison on top of the bacon towards the end that's closest to you. Use the plastic wrap to help roll the bacon around the meat. You can gently stretch the bacon around to help secure it.

6. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan (preferably a large cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and add the cooking oil.

7. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the meat to the pan with the bacon seam side down and cook until the bacon is golden brown on that side. Gently roll the meat over and brown on all sides. 

8. If you haven't already reached your desired internal temperature, transfer to the preheated oven seam side down to finish cooking. Keep a close eye on the meat so that it does not overcook. The easiest way to do this is by using an instant-read meat thermometer.

9. Once the meat is cooked remove it from the heat source and place it on a cutting board or wire rack. ​Let the meat rest at room temperature somewhere between 12 and 15 minutes before slicing into it. Slice and serve with the ginger scallion sauce or sauce of your choice.

For the Sauce

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add the ginger, garlic, peppercorns and chili flakes. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. 

3. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Check for seasoning. Add salt if needed. 

4. Let cool slightly and pour the mixture into a container. If you’re going to eat this sauce cold, I recommend checking for seasoning as cold food tends to need more salt.

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