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Slices of venison backstrap on a wooden board.
5 from 2 votes

Marinated Venison Backstrap

Boldly seasoned and deliciously tender, this marinated venison backstrap is a truly special entrée!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Time to Marinate12 hours
Total Time12 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to cook venison backstrap, marinated venison backstrap, Venison backstrap, venison backstrap recipes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 463kcal
Author: Laura Ascher

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • ½ cup olive oil plus more for cooking
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar*
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme

Venison

  • 1 to 2 pounds venison backstrap whole or halved to fit pan - I had big backstraps, and cut them into 8" pieces and used 2 pieces.
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare the marinade
    In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, black pepper, salt, onion powder, smoked paprika, and rosemary until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Marinate the venison
    Pat the venison backstrap dry with paper towels. Place it into the marinade and coat well on all sides. If they fit, you can use your bowl, or just transfer the marinade to a zippered bag.
    Seal and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours. (Do not exceed 24 hours — the acid will begin to change the texture.)
    Remove the meat from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking so it can come closer to room temperature.
  • Cook the backstrap
    Preheat oven to 375°F
    Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
    Remove the venison from the marinade and lightly pat dry. (Do not rinse.)
    Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then place the backstrap in the pan.
    Sear for about 1 minute per side, turning to brown all sides evenly. After you rotate to the final side, transfer to the oven on the center rack to bake for 5-15 minutes. *See notes below!
    Cook until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness — I did 125–130°F for medium-rare (see notes below).
  • Rest the meat
    Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil.
    Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  • Slice and serve
    Slice the venison against the grain into ½ inch medallions and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Choose your doneness from the list below and cook your backstrap to the associated temperature:
    • Rare — 120°-125°F
    • Medium-rare — 125°-130°F
    • Medium — 130°-140°F
    • Medium-well — 140°-150°F
    • Well-done — 150°-160°F+
  • While many people prefer their backstraps rare, foodsafety.gov recommends cooking venison to an internal temperature of 160°F. 
  • You can leave out the balsamic vinegar and replace it with an equal amount of soy sauce!
  • Backstraps can vary greatly in size. For a 3" thick backstrap, it takes about 9 minutes in the oven to reach medium rare. Because of this, I highly, highly recommend using an instant digital thermometer, and checking the temp right before it goes in the oven, and then every couple of minutes!
  • Don't skip resting the meat! It's essential to have juicy and flavorful backstrap.