Back Strap cooking question

[hankll]

How do I use the back strap cut to best cooking method. Is it a good meat cut for smoking in my smoker, low and slow?

 

[TAFKAP]

I'm sure smoking is just fine for flavor, but since it's probably the absolute leanest cut of meat, I wouldn't expect a backstrap to lend itself to smoking very well.

I prefer seasoning it, searing on medium high heat, then roasting on high heat. Use a meat thermometer & pull the roast out when the internal temp reaches 120 degrees, TOPS. Let it rest for 10 minutes, and slice into medallions.

Goes well with butter saut�ed mushrooms and a bottle of good red wine.

 

[TAFKAP]

This one was actually sliced into 3 equal lengths, then tied together for a thick roast. Liberally seasoned with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and herbs inside the "layers".

 

[hankll]

That looks good, and does the garlic and the use of other herbs help eliminate the gamey flavor? Is it, being lean, a hard to tenderize type of cut of meat?

 

[TAFKAP]

1) Deer tastes like deer....but the backstrap is the mildest tasting cut. Most people, if served backstrap, would probably never know it was venison

2) Backstrap & tenderloin are also the most naturally tender portions of any large animal, as those muscles do little work in the course of the critter's life

3) Garlic gives it additional flavor.

Avoid handling any venison with methods that are labeled as "drawing the blood out", "taking the gaminess away", or "tenderizing". The best way to treat venison is like you would any other steak you've ever cooked. Dry cooking methods for already tender cuts and wet cooking methods for tougher ones that require more time to break down. It's a lot to type out in just one post, but keep an eye on these boards to learn a ton about great ways to cook game. The guy called Poser is a fantastic wealth of knowledge, and you can take whatever he posts on here as Gospel. He's done a helluva job applying non-typical cooking methods to game.

 

[TAFKAP]

And what you're seeing there is the "filet mignon" of venison.

 

[hankll]

I see, Well, I have some in my freezer given to me and I was contemplating on the best way to prepare it.....So I was given some good stuff then. I thought with the description, of it being back strap that it was probably like a rib cut. And the only way to make ribs tender is to smoke them low and slow.

 

[catman529]

And what you're seeing there is the "filet mignon" of venison.

my grandma described it as such when I cooked up some backstrap for an appetizer around thanksgiving.

after they sit in the fridge for a good several days, I freeze or cook them, just cut into simple steaks or butterflied. Then they can be grilled or pan-seared with some salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, tony chachere's creole seasoning, it's a really good cut of meat. Use plenty of seasoning because of course excess will cook off.

 

[redblood]

cut it thin. beat it with a mallet. roll it in flour, salt and pepper. let is swin it some really hot peanut oil.

 

[Crosshairy]

Backstrap is just another word for "loin". It's the meat along the spine on the top side of the back. "Tenderloin" is in the same family of muscle group, but it's on the underside of the spine. They are similar enough that it's pretty much impossible to tell the difference.

Whatever you do, don't overcook it. Well-done venison (from any cut, not just loins) will turn into shoe leather due to the lack of fat. Some folks never learn this lesson or are unwilling to eat things that aren't medium-well/well-done. They then proclaim venison to be unfit to eat, or they wrap it in so much bacon that they can't taste what they started with.

After it's been cooking for a few minutes, give it the "squish" test by comparing the feel to that of the web of your hand between your thumb and index finger. When those match up, you're basically at "medium-rare". I'd encourage you to try it at that level for optimum tastiness.

I season mine with coarse salt, cracked black pepper, and garlic. It's GOOOOD