Venison loin?

[Porkchop]

hey guys, holy cow!! new forum, eh?

anyhow, i've got my hands on some venison, and currently have a "backstrap" (looks analagous to a whole pork loin, not a tenderloin) in the fridge. it has been soaked for a couple hours in cold water, and a final soak in salt water, then rubbed down, wrapped, and put in the fridge. this was all last night.

i am tempted to cut into chops, grill or panfry, and serve. i've been advised against rare, but told that "the more done you can get it without drying it out" the better. this stuff is LEAN, but the raw meat is like butter. i know it has "melt in the mouth" potential, but i am worried about ruining it.

i am considering leaving it whole and throwing it in the smoker for a couple hours low and slow, like i would a pork loin, but maybe giving it a bacon fat cap to protect it.

does anyone have any experience with this cut, any good advice?

[Tucker]

Re: Venison loin?

Try this link - looks like it has enough info to arrive at a good hypothesis.

http://www.askthemeatman.com/deer_cooki ... ethods.htm

[Porkchop]

Re: Venison loin?

thanks, tucker! very nice link, lots of info. looks like the cut i'm thinking of is referred to as "tenderloin", because it's about the right weight as what i have. i was hoping for a smoked loin like what i do with pork, but i see that it is not a recommended cooking techinque. i may leave it as a roast and just do it like that on the grill at the recommended temp/time to get that grill flavor on it. looks like a minimum internal temp should be 145.

thanks so much for the help.

[Tucker]

Re: Venison loin?

Another way.. not sure why i did not post this earlier.

My cousins were big hunters and we would always have spiedies during hunting season.

BINGHAMTON FAMOUS SPIEDIES

5 lbs. 1" cubed venison

2 c. oil

1/2 c. vinegar

2 tbsp. oregano

4 tsp. pepper

4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. basil

Pinch rosemary, garlic, onion salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 loaf sliced Italian bread

Place meat in large pickle jar. In separate bowl mix all other ingredients except bread. Pour mixture over meat. Marinate 3 days in fridge, shaking it around two times a day.

Skewer 4 to 5 cubes of meat on each kabob stick. Grill. Wrap a slice of bread (or small torpedo roll)around the cooked meat and pull off the skewer. Enjoy as sandwich or serve meat without bread.

[Porkchop]

Re: Venison loin?

we're doing some cleaning here in advance of a visit from my mom, so i didn't take the time to light the KK, but roasted this at 425 in my oven. cut the loin in 2 halves and roasted to internal of 150. beautiful medium rare, tender and delish!! i'm so happy i have another of these backstraps in the freezer!

[Firemonkey]

Re: Venison loin?

Hey...I used to know a guy that used that avatar!

I don't do venison personally, but have many o' friends that do, and every one of them always raves about the backstrap being THE prime cut from the animal. So how did you get someone to give it up? Or did you slay it yourself, and drag it home?