Perfectly Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin: A Succulent Wild Game Recipe for Your Gas Grill
Prepare to impress with this incredibly tender and flavorful bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin roast. Enhanced with a rich venison seasoning blend, enveloped in savory bacon, and grilled to absolute perfection on a gas grill, this dish promises a culinary experience like no other. Whether you’re planning a grand holiday feast or a memorable family get-together, this recipe elevates wild game to an art form, making it a true centerpiece that’s both elegant and deeply satisfying.
This exquisite venison tenderloin, with its earthy notes beautifully complemented by the smoky bacon, pairs wonderfully with a variety of side dishes. For an unforgettable holiday meal, we love serving it alongside roasted Brussels sprouts and creamy duchess potatoes. Imagine this as the show-stopping main course for your Christmas dinner menu, leaving your guests utterly delighted.
To complete our festive menu, we often start with a comforting chestnut porcini mushroom soup, prepared conveniently in a Dutch Oven. For dessert, delightful Buchteln (Austrian filled sweet rolls) served with homemade vanilla sauce provide a sweet and authentic finish. It’s a truly festive spread, with many dishes, including this magnificent venison, skillfully prepared on the grill, highlighting the versatility of outdoor cooking.
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🥘 Ingredients for Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin
Crafting this succulent venison dish requires just a few quality ingredients. The beauty lies in their combination, creating a rich and memorable flavor profile.
- Venison tenderloin: The star of our dish, chosen for its lean, tender texture.
- Bacon strips: Adds a layer of smoky flavor, keeps the venison moist, and provides a delightful crispy exterior.
- Venison seasoning: A blend tailored for wild game, typically featuring aromatic herbs like rosemary and thyme, along with essential kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Using a ready-made blend simplifies the process, but feel free to customize your own.
- Avocado oil: Chosen for its high smoke point, making it ideal for grilling and searing at higher temperatures without breaking down.
- Optional: cranberry sauce: A tangy and sweet accompaniment that beautifully complements the rich, savory notes of venison.
Refer to the recipe card below for precise quantities and measurements to ensure your bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin is perfectly balanced.
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions: Grilling Your Venison Tenderloin
Follow these detailed steps to achieve a perfectly grilled, tender, and juicy bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin every time. Patience and precision are key for this exceptional wild game recipe.
Step 1: Prepare the Deer Tenderloin for Marination
Proper preparation is crucial for maximizing the flavor and tenderness of your venison. Since the marinated meat needs ample time to steep (ideally overnight, or at least two to three hours), it’s best to start this process well in advance.
First, it’s essential to remove the silver skin from the meat. This thin, silvery membrane is tough and chewy, and if left on, it will prevent the marinade from penetrating the meat properly. To remove it, gently slide the tip of a sharp knife just under the silver skin at one end. Hold the silver skin firmly with one hand and, with the blade slightly inclined towards the silver skin (not into the meat), carefully cut it away. The goal is to remove the silver skin completely while losing as little precious venison as possible. Work calmly and carefully; a little patience here makes a big difference in the final texture.
Once the silver skin is completely parried, rinse the venison under cold water and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Excess moisture can hinder proper searing later on.
Now, it’s time to infuse your tenderloin with rich flavors through marination. You can opt for a convenient ready-made venison seasoning blend, or create your own signature mix with fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, kosher salt, and black pepper. The choice is yours, but for ease, a quality pre-blended venison seasoning works wonderfully.
To create the marinade paste, combine two tablespoons of avocado oil in a small bowl with two to three tablespoons of your chosen venison seasoning. Stir this mixture until it forms a thick, paste-like consistency. This paste allows for even application and deep flavor penetration.
Using a brush, generously apply this spice paste all over the venison tenderloin, ensuring every surface is coated. Once seasoned, wrap the meat tightly in cling film. Place the marinated venison in the refrigerator for at least two hours, though for the most intense and best results, marinating overnight is highly recommended.
Approximately one hour before you plan to start grilling, remove the marinated venison from the refrigerator. This allows the meat to come closer to room temperature, ensuring more even cooking on the grill.
Step 2 – Prepare Your Gas Grill for Optimal Cooking
Achieving a perfectly cooked venison tenderloin on the grill relies on setting up your heat zones correctly. Begin by preheating your gas grill to approximately 392 °F (200 °C).
Crucially, identify one burner that you will keep off. This unlit section will become your indirect grill zone, an area where the meat is not directly exposed to the flame after the initial searing. For a typical three-burner grill, we recommend turning on the burners on the right and left sides, while leaving the middle burner off. This creates two direct heat zones for searing and a central indirect heat zone for slower, more controlled cooking, essential for tenderloin.
Step 3 – The Bacon Coating and Grilling Process
The bacon wrap is not just for flavor; it also helps to keep the lean venison moist and adds a beautiful, crispy texture to the exterior.
Lay the bacon strips on a clean cutting board, arranging them in a crosshatch or basket weave pattern. Carefully place the marinated venison tenderloin (or two fillets, if you have them) on top of the crossed bacon strips. Then, meticulously wrap the bacon around the venison, ensuring the entire tenderloin is snugly encased. This creates a protective, flavorful crust.
Carefully place the seasoned venison on top of the crossed bacon strips, preparing it for wrapping.
Wrap the venison fillet tightly in the bacon, ensuring an even and secure coating.
Transport your beautifully wrapped fillet (or fillets) to the preheated grill. If your grill features a “sizzle zone,” use it to sear the venison. Otherwise, place it directly over the lit burners. Sear the tenderloin on all sides for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. This crucial step develops a rich, golden-brown crust through the Maillard reaction, locking in juices and adding depth of flavor.
If your grill lacks a dedicated sizzle zone, you can still achieve a fantastic sear directly over an open flame. In this case, ensure your grill is preheated to a higher temperature of 482 °F (250 °C) to compensate for the lack of focused heat. Move the venison frequently to prevent burning.
After searing, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet, avoiding the bacon. Move the venison to the indirect heat zone (the unlit burner area) and close the grill cover. Allow it to cook over indirect heat until it reaches your desired core temperature. For a perfect medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of 140 °F (60 °C). Remember that the temperature will rise slightly during resting.
Once the venison has reached the appropriate core temperature, carefully remove it from the grill. For optimal juiciness and to keep it warm, wrap the fillet first in baking paper (parchment paper) and then in aluminum foil. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is succulent. Let it rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Step 4 – Slice and Serve Your Masterpiece
The moment of truth! After the crucial resting period, remove the wrapping from your perfectly grilled bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin. With a sharp knife, cut the tenderloin into slices about two fingers wide. The bacon should hold together beautifully, creating elegant, flavorful medallions.
Unwrap the succulent grilled tenderloin after it has rested, ready to be sliced.
Cut the tenderloin into elegant, uniform slices for serving.
Arrange the tenderloin slices beautifully on individual serving plates. Accompany them with classic pairings such as tender Brussels sprouts and our delightful Duchess potatoes for a complete and balanced meal.
For an extra touch of flavor and a vibrant pop of color, add a spoonful of tart cranberry sauce next to the venison. The bright, fruity notes of the cranberry sauce perfectly cut through the richness of the venison and bacon, creating a harmonious and truly delicious bite.
More Exquisite Recipes to Enhance Your Culinary Repertoire
If you enjoyed this wild game masterpiece, you’ll love exploring these other delicious recipes, perfect for special gatherings or elevating your everyday meals:
- Tafelspitz (Austrian Prime Boiled Beef): A classic Austrian comfort food, tender and flavorful.
- Smoked Prime Rib (created by girlcarnivore.com): For those who love a smoky, show-stopping roast.
- Apfelkren (Austrian Horseradish Sauce): A zesty, creamy sauce that pairs well with various meats.
- Chive Sauce: A fresh, herbaceous sauce that can brighten many dishes.
- Egg Salad: A simple yet satisfying classic for lunches or appetizers.
- Christmas Charcuterie Board: Perfect for festive entertaining and grazing.
🍗 Adaptations and Variations for Your Venison Tenderloin
This bacon-wrapped venison tenderloin recipe is versatile and can be adapted to different cooking methods or flavor preferences, ensuring you can enjoy it no matter your kitchen setup.
No Grill? No Problem! If you don’t have a gas grill at home, you can easily replicate this recipe using your stove and oven. Simply sear the bacon-wrapped venison in a hot, oven-safe pan on your stovetop until a beautiful crust forms on all sides. Then, transfer the pan directly to a preheated oven to finish cooking to the desired internal temperature. This method still delivers incredible flavor and tenderness.
For consistent and accurate results, especially when cooking wild game like venison, using an instant-read thermometer is highly advisable. This ensures you reach the perfect core temperature without overcooking, guaranteeing a juicy and tender experience every time. Avoid any unpleasant surprises by always checking the internal temperature.
Consider experimenting with different seasoning blends. A touch of juniper berries, ground mustard, or a hint of smoked paprika could add another layer of complexity to your venison tenderloin.
🍽 Essential Equipment for Grilling Success
Having the right tools makes all the difference when preparing and grilling your venison tenderloin. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Gas grill: For controlled heat and delicious char.
- Instant-read thermometer: Absolutely essential for monitoring internal temperature and ensuring perfect doneness.
- Sharp knife: Crucial for removing silver skin and slicing the cooked tenderloin cleanly.
- Small bowl: For mixing your seasoning paste.
- Brush: To evenly apply the marinade.
- Cling film: For wrapping the marinated meat.
- Aluminum foil: For resting the cooked tenderloin.
- Parchment paper: An inner layer for wrapping to protect the meat while resting.
💭 Top Tips for an Unforgettable Venison Tenderloin
For the most intense and deeply infused flavor, allow your marinated venison tenderloin to steep in the refrigerator overnight. This extended marination time provides the best opportunity for the seasoning blend to penetrate the meat, resulting in unparalleled taste. Additionally, don’t skip the resting period after grilling; it’s vital for a juicy result!
If you find yourself with any leftover meat from your festive Christmas dinner, consider transforming it into this delightful recipe for Christmas Sausage Rolls. It’s a fantastic way to repurpose ingredients and enjoy more homemade goodness!
And for those who truly appreciate wild game, be sure to check out Sherry’s post for nine more incredible venison recipes, offering even more ways to enjoy this lean and flavorful meat!
Discover more delicious recipes for your table:
- Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese: Creamy, comforting, and perfect for any gathering.
- Tafelspitz – Austrian Prime Boiled Beef: A hearty and traditional Austrian dish.
- Sweet Corn Soup: A light yet flavorful soup, ideal as a starter.
- Crockpot Turkey Tenderloins (created by glendaembree.com): Effortless and tender for busy days.
- Homemade Mini Cheeseburger: A fun and crowd-pleasing appetizer.
- Chive Sauce: A versatile and fresh sauce for various dishes.
- Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes (created by thymeforthetable.com): A nostalgic and delicious weeknight meal.
🙋🏻 Frequently Asked Questions About Grilling Venison Tenderloin
Removing the silver skin is crucial for two main reasons. Firstly, the silver skin is a tough connective tissue that becomes even chewier when cooked, making the meat unpleasant to eat. Secondly, it forms a barrier, preventing marinades and seasonings from properly penetrating the meat, which can result in less flavorful and less tender venison. Removing it ensures a more enjoyable eating experience.
When grilling or searing at high temperatures, it’s vital to use an oil with a high smoke point. Oils with low smoke points can burn, producing an unpleasant taste and potentially harmful compounds. Excellent choices include avocado oil, peanut oil, and refined coconut oil, all of which can withstand the intense heat of a grill without breaking down.
The best way to ensure perfect doneness for venison tenderloin is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bacon or bone. For medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of 130-135°F (54-57°C) before resting, as it will rise to 135-140°F (57-60°C) during resting. For medium, aim for 135-140°F (57-60°C) before resting.
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📖 Recipe Card: Bacon Wrapped Venison Tenderloin
Bacon Wrapped Venison Tenderloin
Recipe by Nora
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Pin Recipe
3 hours 15 minutes
4 minutes
12 minutes
3 hours 31 minutes
Main Course
Austrian
5 Servings
293 kcal
Equipment
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Gas Grill
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Instant-read thermometer
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Sharp knife
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Small bowl
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Brush
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Cling film
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Aluminum foil
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Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 500 g Venison tenderloin
- 100 g bacon strips
- 2-3 tablespoon Game seasoning
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
Optional
- 1 tablespoon Cranberry sauce
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the deer tenderloin
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First of all, carefully remove the silver skin from the venison tenderloin.
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Once removed, wash the meat under cold water and pat it thoroughly dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.500 g Venison tenderloin
Marinate the tenderloin
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You can use a ready-made venison seasoning blend, or season it to taste with a mix of thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.2-3 tablespoon Game seasoning
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To make the marinade, place two tablespoons of avocado oil in a small bowl and mix with two to three tablespoons of the venison seasoning.2 tablespoon avocado oil, 2-3 tablespoon Game seasoning
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Stir the mixture thoroughly until it transforms into a uniform, paste-like consistency.
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Then, generously apply this spice paste to the entire surface of the meat using a brush.
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Wrap the marinated meat tightly in cling film and leave it to steep in the refrigerator for at least two hours, preferably overnight for maximum flavor.
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One hour before you intend to begin grilling, take the marinated venison out of the refrigerator to allow it to warm up to room temperature for more even cooking.
Step 2 – Preparation from the grill
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Preheat your gas grill to approximately 392 °F (200 °C). Ensure one burner is turned off to create an indirect grill zone, which will be used after searing the tenderloin on the sizzle zone or direct heat.
Step 3 – The bacon coating and grilling
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Arrange the bacon strips on a cutting board in a cross pattern. Place the marinated venison tenderloin on top of the crossed bacon strips and carefully wrap it up, ensuring the meat is fully encased.100 g bacon strips
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Take the wrapped fillet (or fillets) to the grill. Sear them thoroughly on all sides for about 2-3 minutes using the sizzle zone or direct high heat to create a flavorful crust.
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After searing, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the fillet and move it to the indirect heat zone. Grill over indirect heat with the grill cover closed.
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Continue grilling until the venison has reached your desired core temperature. For a perfect medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of 140 °F (60 °C).
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Once the meat has reached the appropriate core temperature, remove it from the grill and wrap it first in baking paper (parchment paper) and then in aluminum foil. This crucial step helps keep the meat warm and allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender and juicy result until serving.
Step 4 – Slice and serve
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To serve, gently remove the wrapping and, using a sharp knife, cut the bacon-wrapped tenderloin into small slices, approximately two fingers wide.
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Divide the succulent fillets among your serving plates and accompany them with delicious sides like Brussels sprouts and duchess potatoes.
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If desired, add a spoonful of cranberry sauce to each plate. Its lovely red color adds a nice splash of vibrancy and its tart-sweet flavor pairs perfectly with the rich venison.1 tablespoon Cranberry sauce
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Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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⛑️ Important Food Safety Guidelines
Always prioritize food safety to ensure a healthy and enjoyable cooking experience. Here are some essential guidelines to follow:
- Cook all meats to a minimum safe internal temperature. For venison, while some prefer it medium-rare, always ensure it reaches at least 165 °F (74 °C) to eliminate harmful bacteria, especially if serving to vulnerable populations.
- Never use the same utensils, cutting boards, or platters on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Prevent cross-contamination by using separate equipment or thoroughly washing them in between.
- Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after handling raw meat.
- Do not leave cooked food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods. Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40 °F and 140 °F (4 °C and 60 °C).
- Never leave cooking food unattended, especially when grilling, to prevent accidents and ensure proper cooking.
- When grilling or searing, use oils with a high smoking point, such as avocado oil, to avoid the formation of harmful compounds and off-flavors.
- Always ensure you have good ventilation when using a gas stove or grill, especially indoors, to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide.
For further comprehensive information and guidelines on safe food handling practices, please refer to the official resources provided by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).