Recipes Venison Chops

Venison chops or backstrap medallions are simple to cook. You need a hot pan or grill, salt, pepper, lemon and good technique. It’s easy!

Have a bunch of venison chops on hand?! Lucky you. This recipe will help you blow fall in love with them and use ’em up!

Chops are cuts of meat from the backstrap or loin of the deer that run along its back from the shoulder to the hindquarter. You’ll see this cut done whole (often called the backstrap) or cut into chops with either part of the backbone or rib (this is what you’ll notice with a “tomahawk steak”) or boneless.

Seared Venison Chops

Some people butterfly their chops to create a larger surface area of the meat but I prefer to leave them whole with this recipe so they don’t overcook (they’ll look like a fillet mignon from the tenderloin of beef).

Venison chops are some of the most sought-after cuts out of a deer because they’re naturally so tender. They’re tender because they’re non-loadbearing and free of connective tissue. The more a muscle bears weight the more muscle fibres it contains making it tough. For example, shoulder meat is best left on the bone and braised low and slow because the meat is so tough. And connective tissue can be rubbery when it isn’t cooked low and slow giving it a chance to melt.

So, for venison chops, the real key to keeping them tender is to not overcook them. You’re looking for medium-rare or even rare plus – I pull my steaks from a heat source between 115F-125F.

Pan Seared Venison Chops In A Spiced Marinade

No! Now, you certainly can if you’re looking for something different, a brighter flavor, you don’t like the taste of deer meat, or you’re cooking for people who don’t eat venison often. But it certainly isn’t necessary. In this recipe, we won’t use any marinade and I’ll show you how to make the best venison chops in the world that rival any meat you’d get in a steakhouse.

You might want to consider using my All-Purpose Venison Marinade or Soaking In Buttermilk if any of these are true for you:

First, you’re going to remove the chops out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to cooking so they can start to come to room temp and cook more evenly. Then, PAT THEM DRY. You always want to pat proteins dry before searing because it creates a better, harder seat and crust on the meat.

Tender Venison Chops Recipe

Next, heat a cast iron pan or grill over medium-high heat. I prefer the cast iron method so I’ll talk about that here. But know you can also use your grill and you can preheat that to medium-high, too.

While your pan heats, salt the meat generously and pat it dry AGAIN with a towel. When the pan is hot, add some sort of high heat tolerant cooking fat (duck fat, avocado oil, etc) and add the meat to the pan.

Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chops. But, when you have a nice sear on one side (anywhere from 2-5 minutes) flip the meat. Then, add about 1-2 tablespoons of butter, smashed garlic cloves, and fresh thyme to the pan. Tilt the pan to the side and baste the meat by spooning the butter and aromatics over the chops.

Venison Rib Chops

Once the internal temperature reaches about 115-125F, remove the meat from the pan. If you’re grilling just flip and grill on each side for 2-5 mins. You do NOT want to cook venison over medium-rare. I like rare plus. Trust me and get used to cooking it this way.

Season with some fresh cracked pepper, flakey salt (or regular salt – just a pinch), and a little squeeze of lemon. You’re done! That’s all there is to it.

This is a very fast and easy main dish but it doesn’t make for the best leftovers so it’s best to make venison chops just before you want to eat them.

Venison Chops With Shallots And Cumin Recipe

To prep, all you need to do is defrost your meat and make sure you have all of the ingredients (however I bet you have all of them right now). You can defrost the chops on a paper towel-lined plate to aid in the drying process.

Reheating venison steaks or chops isn’t ideal because it causes them to be overcooked. Because of the low fat content and rich “wild flavor, I don’t recommend this. However, if you have leftovers we love eating venison chops cold over a steak salad. The Blue Cheese Seak Salad from my cookbook,

Venison chops or backstrap medallions are simple to cook. You need a hot pan or grill, salt, pepper, lemon and good technique. It’s easy! No marinade is needed here.Do you butcher your own deer? We do. And here’s why- unless you have a really, really top-rate butcher, you’re going to miss out on all kinds of delicious cuts.

Deer Steak Recipe

You’ve already spent countless hours scouting, hiking, sighting in, checking trailcams, putting up stands… all things that add to the overwhelming sense of accomplishment when you finally get to pull the trigger and begin the process of getting your deer out of the woods. Why, then, are we so cavalier about letting someone else do all the hard work from the kill to the plate?

The thing is, when you drop your deer off to be processed, you’re leaving it in the hands of someone who is running a business. Nothing wrong with that, but as they say, time is money, and most aren’t going to spend a whole bunch of time futzing around with fancy chops. But you know who could find some time for that?

Sous-vide dials in the perfect internal temperature & allows the meat to cool down completely before the second application of heat, preventing overcooking. The vibrant green herb coating contrasts beautifully with the uniformly burgundy meat for a pop of visual interest on the plate. We served ours with roasted squash, but this is a versatile entree that you can pair with any of your seasonal favorites.

Traeger Grilled Venison Chops

Trim the chops of silver skin, extra fat, and french the bones. Use butcher twine to tie tight cylinders between each set of ribs. Season with salt and pepper, place in vacuum sealer bag with butter and seal. Cook in a sous vide bath at 130F for 1-2 hours.

While the meat is cooking, pluck leaves from basil or parsley, or a combination of both (fry separately). Fry herb leaves in hot oil (at around 375F) until the leaves turn dark green and slightly translucent (15-30 seconds). Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate or pan to drain off oil. As the herbs cool they should become crispy and resemble dark green stained glass. Work in batches until all the herbs are fried.

When the cook time for the chops is over, remove them from sous vide bath & place in ice bath to chill. Remove them from the bag & dredge in flour (avoiding getting flour on bones). Shake off any excess flour and sear in large sautee pan with oil until flour is a golden brown, about 30-40 seconds each side. Use tongs to rotate the chops to evenly sear all sides. Remove from pan and place on sheet pan to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Venison Steaks With Cranberry Cumberland Sauce

Preheat oven to 425F. Mix egg with milk and use a pastry brush to coat all sides of the chop (avoiding getting the egg wash on the bones). Once coated, place in bowl with herb panko and press the panko onto the chops, making sure to coat all sides evenly. Place on baking sheet or roasting pan and bake at 425F until panko is crispy and just starting to darken (~5 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Cut the chops apart or serve the rack whole.Wintry weather and holiday get-togethers require celebratory food to share. Try venison instead of the more common roasts. A rub of cumin and pepper gives these chops warmth, while bacon adds a whiff of smoke and some fat with which to baste the lean meat. This recipe avoids the usual tart-fruit component, so the spices have less competition. Instead, seared shallots go alongside. For venison, the rack is the easiest cut to prepare. and in a hot oven it is quickly done and cut into chops. The meat is hearty and succulent, with the merest hint of gaminess. Be sure to cook it only to medium rare or it will toughen. Since most venison that’s available (unless you know a hunter) is ranch-raised in America or New Zealand and carries a hefty price tag, you do not want disappointment.

217 calories; 11 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 414 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Juniper Spiced Venison Chops

We didn’t have enough venison so we also did a small rack of lamb, . Used