Lean and flavorful, venison is the perfect substitute protein for beef or lamb. This Perfectly Grilled Venison Tenderloin was cooked to a medium rare making it tender and juicy. Paired with a homemade blueberry sauce, this recipe makes for a perfect weeknight dinner.
If you like venison, then you have to try my smoked elk puff pastries. They are the perfect bite side appetizer. Or grill up a delicious venison burger using ground venison for the patty meat. Savory from the caramelized onions, this burger is tender, juicy and packed with bursting flavor.
What is venison meat?
Venison is a type of meat. Unlike beef that comes from a cow, pork from pig or poultry from chicken, venison comes from wild game. These include elk, moose, antelope or the most common animal, deer.
Venison has many health benefits to it. It’s leaner than beef, has less saturated fat and more vitamins and omega 3’s than any other protein.
Because of it’s thinner muscle fibers, venison meat is very tender.
What does venison taste like?
People refer to venison meat as gamey. It has a richer, more complex taste vs. beef, with earthy notes and musky flavor.
Venison pairs well with savory and tangy flavors. For seasoning, my recommendation is to stay away from traditional sweet BBQ flavors and use herby and savory rubs.
Venison also pairs well with tangy or tart sauces. Adding a blueberry sauce to a perfectly grilled venison tenderloin ads a burst of freshness and tanginess.
Ingredient List for the Perfectly Grilled Venison Tenderloin.
- Venison tenderloin: long thin tenderloin that will be grilled hot and fast.
- Olive oil: used as the seasoning binder on the venison.
- Seasoning: I used an all purpose rub that has the perfect level of savory flavors.
- Fresh blueberries: provide tanginess to a homemade sauce.
- Apple cider vinegar: add tartness to the blueberry sauce.
- Brown sugar: dark brown sugar is less sweet and helps caramelize the sauce.
- Lemon: a burst of zestiness to the sauce
- Rosemary: freshly chopped rosemary has an earthy woodsy flavor that perfectly compliments venison.
Step 1: How to properly prepare a venison tenderloin
Start by removing the venison tenderloin from it’s packaging and pat it dry.
Next, remove the heal that is at the end of the loin. The meat is so tender, a simple pull will remove the end. No need for a knife. Leave the heal whole or dice it up and make a smoked venison red curry. This is a perfect example of swapping beef for venison in a traditional recipe.
In order for the tenderloin to cook evenly, slice off the ends that tapper off. Again, those can be saved for a stew. By not removing the ends, you risk drying them out during the grilling process making them tough and not pleasant to eat.
Finally, remove any silver skin that is left on the center cut. This is not fat and will not render down during the grilling process. It will however get tougher during the cook making it chewy and inedible. Using a sharp trimming knife, punch under the sliver skin and slice with the knife facing up and away. This will help prevent any meat being trimmed off.
Drizzle olive oil over the entire venison tenderloin and season with Dad’s All Purpose rub. This rub has the perfect balance of salt and pepper along with hints of smoked paprika and garlic. Ideal savory rub for game meat.
Step 2: How to grill the perfect venison tenderloin.
Preheat the grill to a medium heat between 400-450 degrees and set for dual zone cooking. While the recipe calls for a hot and fast cook, having a cooler side will help if the inside is not fully cooked but the outside seared crust is getting too dark.
How to create dual zone heat
Dual heat zones are created differently depending on the type of grill you have.
- Gas grill: Turn the burners on one half of the grill. For indirect heat, place food on the opposite end.
- Charcoal grill: position the heated charcoal to one half of the round bowl. For indirect heat, place the food on the opposite end.
- Komodo style grill: use a plate setter that will deflect direct heat from the food on the grates.
Sear the venison tenderloin on the direct side 1 minute per side making sure to get an even cook throughout. Frequent flipping ensures a good crust all around and cooks the meat evenly around all sides to get the perfect medium rare finish.
Remove the perfectly grilled venison tenderloin between 125 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not grill the meat above a medium finish. This is a very lean meat and has no fat to help keep it tender. Overcooking will cause the venison to dry out creating a tough bite.
Remove the venison off the grill and let it rest 10-15 minutes. This is a very important step in the cooking process. Resting will help redistribute the juices throughout the meat, keeping the protein tender and juicy.
Step 3: How to make a homemade blueberry sauce.
This delicious tangy blueberry sauce is the perfecting topping to a perfectly grilled venison. The tartness of the blueberries and zestiness from the lemon are the perfect compliment to the rich venison flavor.
In a sauce pan, add the fresh blueberries, water, freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest, a diced yellow onion, finely chopped fresh rosemary, dark brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Mix the ingredients together over a low heat. Continue to simmer the blueberry sauce until it thickens to the perfect consistency.
Step 4: Serve the perfectly grilled venison tenderloin.
When the venison has rested, slice the tenderloin into single serve medallions, pour the homemade blueberry sauce over everything and serve. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What should venison tenderloin be cooked to? An ideal cook on a venison tenderloin is medium rare because of its lean meat. Doneness ranges between 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit. The internal temperature on the meat will continue to increase another 5-10 degrees.
Is venison tenderloin gamey? Venison has a strong, robust flavor that is more complex than beef. Earthy and musky notes make this protein unique and enjoyed my many.
If you tried this Perfectly Grilled Venison Tenderloin or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
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Perfectly Grilled Venison Tenderloin
This perfectly grilled venison tenderloin was tender, juicy and bursting with flavor. Use venison in a beef recipe next time. It's the best.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Servings 8 People
Calories 106kcal
Venison Ingredients
- 2 strips Venison tenderloin
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 tbsp All purpose rub
Blueberry Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups Blueberries
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/4 cup Diced yellow onion
- 1/4 cup Dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Finely chopped rosemary
- 1 Lemon
Start by removing the venison tenderloin from its packaging and pat it dry using paper towels.
Remove the heal that is at the end of the loin and cut off the tapered ends of the tenderloin. Place the sliced off pieces into a ziplock back and freeze for later.
Remove any silver skin that is visible on the tenderloin.
Drizzle olive oil over the entire center cut venison tenderloin and season with an all purpose rub. Preheat the grill to a medium heat between 400-450 degrees and set for dual zone cooking
Sear the venison tenderloin on the direct side 1 minute per side making sure to get an even cook throughout.
Remove the perfectly grilled venison tenderloin between 125 - 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rest the meat for 10-15 minutes.
In a sauce pan, add the fresh blueberries, water, freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest, a diced yellow onion, finely chopped fresh rosemary, dark brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Mix the ingredients together over a low heat.Continue to simmer the blueberry sauce until it thickens to the perfect consistency.
Before serving, slice the perfectly grilled venison tenderloin into single serve medallions, top with some blueberry sauce and enjoy!
By not removing the ends, you risk drying them out during the grilling process making them tough and not pleasant to eat.
Dice up the sliced off venison pieces and make a stew or curry. Grill the heal as a steak.
Silver skin is not fat and will not render down during the grilling process.
Even though the venison is grilled hot and fast on the direct side of the heat, make sure to have a dual zone set up. Move the venison to the cooler side to finish cooking if the internal temperature is too low, but the crust is perfectly seared.
This is a very lean meat and has no fat to help keep it tender. Overcooking will cause the venison to dry out creating a tough bite. Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0.2mg | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 222IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg
The post Perfectly Grilled Venison Tenderloin appeared first on Grillin With Dad.
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