Venison Steak Recipe Venison Steak with Wild Rice (2024)

FAQs

How is venison steak best cooked? ›

Heat a large heavy-based frying pan until very hot, and then sear the fillet on all sides until dark golden-brown on the outside (this will take about two minutes). Then reduce the heat to low and gently fry, turning regularly, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

For the venison loin:

Use a neutral oil such as rapeseed oil for searing at high temperatures. Once the meat is nicely coloured, add the butter to the pan with the rosemary, thyme and garlic. When the butter has melted baste the loins continually for 6 minutes before removing from the pan. Rest the meat for 5 minutes.

The best way that I've found to make sure a venison roast (bone-in or out) tender is to cook it in the crockpot or slow cooker on low for 8-9 hours, or until it is falling apart. If you cook it on low you won't dry it out. Please note that I don't recommend cooking this on high for 4-6 hours.

While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful. If you would like to try soaking your meat, instructions for a buttermilk soak can be found at The Backyard Pioneer.

The toughness is partly the nature of venison, but it is further compounded by how unforgiving the near-zero fat percentage makes it. The most tender cut on the animal for doing a rare or medium rare fast cook method (sear/grill) I've come across is the diaphragm, often discarded upon field dressing.

Venison behaves in many ways like beef, albeit very lean. You can cook the tender, steaky cuts of venison to the same doneness levels as you would beef, namely 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium rare and 135–145°F (57–63°C) for medium. Hitting those temperatures just right is important for maximum enjoyment.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

Does soaking venison in milk make it tender? ›

Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours, and no more than 12, before proceeding to cook it as you normally would. The calcium in milk contains enzymes that will tenderize the meat, and the main protein in milk will neutralize the gamey flavor.

Like other meats, washing venison can spread contamination in a kitchen.

Let venison come to room temperature before grilling it – just as you should with any meat. Thicker cuts - an inch or more - can sit for 30 to 60 minutes. You certainly don't want a charred surface and cold meat left at the center.

It minimizes blood clots and bruising that occur around the shot area (especially with a shoulder shot). It also cleanses the meat of lactic acid buildup that occurs when a deer runs off after getting hit (this is even more important when a deer is running from dogs).

Elk and Venison are very low in fat and is best served medium-rare.

Tender cuts of venison should be prepared using quick cooking methods to a rare or medium-rare level of doneness (internal temperature of 120° to 135° F). If it is prepared past medium-rare too much moisture will be cooked out causing the meat to become dry and tough.

Many people forego eating venison because they think of it as a tough, chewy meat with a wild, gamey flavor. Actually, they are not wrong–if they prepare the meat as if it were beef they had purchased from the supermarket. In other words, the secret to tender, tasty deer meat is in the cooking.