Venison steak is lean and packed with flavour. Learn how to cook venison steak like a professional!
How to fry a venison steak
- Bring the venison steaks to room temperature
- Rub the venison steaks with a tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan to very high heat and sear the fillet on all sides until golden brown (this will take about two minutes)
- Reduce the heat to low and gently cook, turning occasionally for 6-8 minutes, or until you're satisfied
- Let the venison rest for a few minutes on a board, covered with a piece of foil
- Serve with your choice of accompaniment
How to cook a rare, medium and well-done venison steak
Rare: Brown each side for 1 minute. Slowly fry for 1 minute for every cm (1/2inch) of your steak and rest for the same.
Medium: Brown each side for 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly fry for 1 1/2minutes for every cm (1/2inch) of your steak and rest for 1 minute for every cm (1/2inch)
Well done: We don’t recommend a well done venison steak, but if it’s necessary then cook it for the same as medium steak and leave it to rest for much longer.
Barbecuing venison steak
Make your barbecue a little bit healthier and a whole lot tastier by switching to venison steaks!
A few tips from us:
- Leave your venison steaks at room temperature for 10 minutes. This will help them to cook evenly.
- Oil the meat well and season with salt and pepper and/or steak rub.
- Place the venison steaks on a hot oiled BBQ plate or grill, searing the outside to trap the tasty juices in the meat. Cook for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare
- Rest the venison steaks for five minutes before slicing and serving
FAQs
Venison behaves in many ways like beef, albeit very lean. You can cook the tender, steaky cuts of venison to the same doneness levels as you would beef, namely 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium rare and 135–145°F (57–63°C) for medium. Hitting those temperatures just right is important for maximum enjoyment.
How to make venison steak more tender? ›
To help tenderize and "add fat," the secret is olive oil and a fork. Every venison recipe I have created uses this heart healthy oil. Olive oil helps to prevent the meat from burning while providing a medium for seasoning (Tony's, black pepper and seasoned salt).
How do you cook venison so it's not tough? ›
Using a dry rub, marinade, or brine will tenderize your meat, allowing you to cook the tough cuts in much the same way you would cook a tender cut. All of these methods infuse flavor and break down the meat, causing a tender juicy result in the finished product.
What's the best way to cook deer meat? ›
Completely thaw and cut venison into medium to small uniform pieces before placing in the slow cooker. This helps venison cook evenly and prevents bacteria from growing. Heat on high for 1 hour to maintain proper temperature. Do not lift the cover of the slow cooker during the cooking process.
What seasoning to use on venison? ›
Ideal flavours for venison
- Fruits: quince, cherries, prunes, blackberries, apples.
- Herbs: thyme, rosemary, bay, sage.
- Spices: star anise, allspice, black pepper, cloves, juniper.
- Alcohol: red wine (e.g. Grenache, Zinfandel), cider, ale. Other: chestnuts, celeriac, red cabbage, chocolate, mushroom.
Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.
Does venison get more tender the longer it cooks? ›
Why does my venison always come out tough? If you find that your roasts always come out sort of rubbery, dry or hard, it's likely because you're not cooking long enough and at a low enough temperature. If you're using a slow cooker you want to cook your meat on low for 8-9 hours, or until falling-apart tender.
Why is my venison steak tough? ›
Because of this very important distinction between other types of meat (beef, pork, etc) that tend to be more “fatty”, venison is very easy to overcook. Overcooking any meat, especially meat that has little fat content will ultimately dry it out, making the meat tough and harder to chew.
Do you cook deer meat fast or slow? ›
Tender cuts of venison should be prepared using quick cooking methods to a rare or medium-rare level of doneness (internal temperature of 120° to 135° F). If it is prepared past medium-rare too much moisture will be cooked out causing the meat to become dry and tough.
Does vinegar tenderize deer meat? ›
Soak the Venison in Vinegar
Soak the venison in white vinegar for one hour after you've finished soaking it in the salt water (you don't have to dilute the vinegar with water). This will help tenderize the deer meat and remove any leftover "gamey" flavor.
Washing deer meat
Rinsing deer meat or venison before cooking is not recommended by food safety agencies. Like other meats, washing venison can spread contamination in a kitchen.
What are three methods of cooking venison? ›
Naturally tender cuts like loins and tenderloin take well to high heat grilling, pan searing, or stuffing and trussing and should be served rare to medium rare. Here's my recipe for how to cook Chili Cocoa Crusted Venison Loin. Tougher muscles from the shoulder, shank or neck should be braised or stewed slow and low.
What takes the gamey taste out of venison? ›
The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.
What will make deer meat tender? ›
Simply put, aging results in a more tender, albeit smaller product. To inhibit bacteria growth and encourage enzymes to work, keep the meat above freezing and below 40 degrees. The ideal temperature range for aging meat is between 34 and 37 degrees.
Should you eat venison medium-rare? ›
Elk and Venison are very low in fat and is best served medium-rare.
Is it OK to cook venison rare? ›
Tender cuts of venison should be prepared using quick cooking methods to a rare or medium-rare level of doneness (internal temperature of 120° to 135° F). If it is prepared past medium-rare too much moisture will be cooked out causing the meat to become dry and tough.
Does venison need to be fully cooked? ›
Venison should be cooked to at least 165° to ensure harmful bacteria are killed. The color of the meat is not a reliable indicator of when the venison is fully cooked. Use an accurate, calibrated thermometer for monitoring the cooking temperature of the venison.
Do you have to soak deer steak? ›
Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.
