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These pan-seared venison medallions are marinated and then cooked to perfection on the stovetop while basting in butter for a melt-in-your-mouth flavor!
This time of year, we always have venison in the freezer, and while I love to make all kinds of venison recipes, these medallions might just be my favorite!
I use either the tenderloin or backstrap for this recipe; it really doesn’t matter; it’s just that the tenderloin will be quite a bit smaller.
Now, of course, if you want other options, you can try my stuffed venison backstrap or my butter-basted venison tenderloin for a delicious change of pace.
Also, if you have other wild game like moose or elk, you can use those for this recipe. Or, you can try my delicious elk tenderloin recipe.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Forget mountains of dirty dishes! This one-pan venison medallion recipe is a total lifesaver when you’re short on time (and patience for scrubbing).
- Prepare yourselves for some serious melt-in-your-mouth action! These venison medallions cook up so tender they’ll practically disappear off your plate.
- Impress your friends and family with this gourmet-tasting dish that’s surprisingly easy to make.
Recipe Ingredients
- Venison Tenderloin: You can use the backstrap or tenderloin for this recipe. Just cut it into 1″ thick medallions.
- Salt and pepper: A pinch of this stuff goes a long way. It really brings out the natural flavor of the venison. Don’t be shy, season generously!
- Worcestershire sauce: I love using Worcestershire sauce in my marinades! It gives the meat this crazy-good flavor that’s hard to resist. It totally complements the venison’s natural flavor. Trust me, it’s a game-changer!
- Red wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar is a total game-changer for steak marinades. It tenderizes the meat and gives it this amazing flavor boost. It’s a must-try if you want a juicy, flavorful steak every time.
- Cooking Oil or Butter: I prefer butter, but you can also use oil to sear these medallions.
Venison medallions recipe
Step 1: Place your tenderloin into a zip-top bag. Add Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Give it a good shake and place it in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
Step 2: Take the tenderloin out of the fridge 30 minutes before you intend to cook it. Give it a quick pat-down with some paper towels, and slice it into 1-inch thick medallions.
Step 3: Season both sides of the medallions with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter and sear medallions for about a minute and a half per side, flipping just once. Allow them to rest for five minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- Sear time: We want to aim for a short hot sear. You want the outside to get a nice, caramelized crust (which butter will do a better job than oil) pretty quickly. Don’t move the meat around; after about a minute and a half, it should easily release from the pan. If it still clings to the pan, give it a little more time until it easily releases.
- Use a digital thermometer: Use an instant thermometer to check for desired doneness. Make sure you probe it in the middle and don’t let the probe go all the way through and touch the skillet, or you will get an inaccurate reading.
- Rest the meat: Allow the meat to rest for five minutes before serving. I know this is steak cooking 101, but don’t rush this step!
- Bring it to room temperature: Don’t forget to remove your tenderloin from the fridge and bring it to room temperature before you cook it. This really will result in a juicier, more evenly cooked medallion.
- Feel free to play around with the marinade. I like this one because it’s simple and doesn’t take away from the natural flavor of the venison. I do have a venison steak marinade that uses a balsamic vinegar base if you would prefer that.
Serving suggestions
Pan-seared venison medallions make a great dinner any night of the week. Just add some green beans to the skillet with a little butter for a quick and easy venison side dish.
- Sweet potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Brussel Sprouts
- Boiled asparagus spears
- Cranberry sauce
- Bacon butternut squash
- Dutch oven baked beans
Recipe FAQs
According to the umn, you should cook venison steaks and roasts to a minimum of 145°F, which is about a medium rare. I cook these medallions for my husband and I to about 135°F, which is rare.
We do! However, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be safe or that all harmful bacteria have been cooked out. As a result, the UMN recommends cooking all venison, including medallions, to 145°F. (Ground venison must be cooked to 160°F)
Deer tenderloins are incredibly tasty fried. Pat them dry, run them through some flour, dip them in an egg mixture, back through the flour, and fry them in oil for a few minutes on each side.
These venison medallions only take 2 minutes to cook on the stove. You will want to use an instant thermometer to check the internal temperature.
The tenderloin is often mistaken for deer backstrap while, in fact, it is the smaller strip of meat that runs alongside the underneath of the backbone. On the other hand, the backstrap runs along the outside of the backbone and is quite a bit larger than the venison tenderloin.
A venison medallion is taken from the deer tenderloin, or backstrap, and is then cut into medallions. Some will use the hind legs and cut it into medallions; though it too is delicious, it is imperative not to overcook this meat.
How to get the gamey taste out of venison?
The gamey flavor of venison is determined mainly by how it’s cooked. For those new to eating venison, the distinct taste may initially be off-putting.
However, with proper preparation, the intensity of the “gamey” flavor can be reduced and become more enjoyable for a broader audience.
So, if you are one of those who just can’t quite handle the taste of venison the way it was meant to be, try marinating it in buttermilk.
All kidding aside, soaking the tenderloins in milk or buttermilk in the fridge overnight will help draw out any blood in the meat as well as get rid of your gamey taste.
After it’s done soaking in the milk, rinse the meat and pat dry.
Related recipes
- Dutch oven spare ribs
- Venison stroganoff
- Venison stew
- Easy goulash recipe
- Butter-basted elk steaks
- Venison backstrap recipe
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Pan-Seared Venison Medallions
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 venison tenderloins one pound each or one venison backstrap, cut in half.
- ½ cup Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tbsp butter or cooking oil
Instructions
- Place both tenderloins in a gallon-sized zippered bag.
- Add Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Give it a good shake and place it in the fridge for up to 8 hours.
- Take the tenderloin out of the fridge 30 minutes before you intend to cook it. Give it a quick pat-down with some paper towels, and slice it into 1-inch thick medallions.
- Season both sides of the medallions with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter and sear medallions for about a minute and a half per side, flipping just once.
- Use an instant thermometer to check for desired doneness. Allow the meat to rest for several minutes before serving.
Notes
- We want to aim for a short, hot sear. You want the outside to get a nice, caramelized crust (which butter will do a better job than oil) pretty quickly. Don’t move the meat around, and after about a minute and a half, it should easily release from the pan. If it still clings to the pan, give it a little more time until it easily releases.
- Use an instant thermometer to check for desired doneness. Make sure you probe it in the middle; don’t let the probe go all the way through and touch the skillet, or you will get an inaccurate reading.
- Allow the meat to rest for five minutes before serving. I know this is steak cooking 101, but don’t rush this step!
- Don’t forget to remove your tenderloin from the fridge and bring it to room temperature before you cook it. This really will result in a juicier, more evenly cooked medallion when we are done.
So good!
This was fantastic. I did add onions and garlic
So glad to hear! Onions and garlic are always a great idea!
Loved it
So glad to hear!
I have only ever once had the opportunity to
prepare Venison … on a Camp & Hunt with my elder Brother … source heat. FIRE.
I am now at planning a informal catering
and again have the opportunity.
Please specify the interior temperature of
Venison which will indicate “doneness”.
~ 160 degrees F ?
(Also) as temp. = variables as to
Rare, Mid-rare, Medium, & Well
….. or is this soft finely grained meat a cook apart from others in that it has but two
temperatures – Raw -or- Done ?
Thank you in advance
Meat is in Marinade
Can Not Wait to Imbibe