Description
Tender, smoky grilled venison backstrap served with a zesty, herbaceous jalapeño cilantro sauce — a bold and flavorful dish perfect for outdoor grilling or special occasions.
Ingredients
For the Venison Backstrap:
2 lbs venison backstrap (trimmed)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
For the Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce:
1 cup fresh cilantro (packed)
2 jalapeños (seeded or unseeded)
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp honey (optional)
Instructions
1. Pat venison dry. Mix salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder.
2. Rub venison with olive oil and season with spice mix. Drizzle with lime juice.
3. Marinate 30 mins to 4 hrs.
4. In a blender, combine cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, honey. Blend smooth. Adjust seasoning.
5. Preheat grill to 375-400°F. Grill venison 3-4 mins per side to sear.
6. Lower heat to medium. Grill 6-8 mins per side to 130°F internal temp.
7. Rest 10 mins. Slice into 1/2-inch medallions.
8. Drizzle with jalapeño cilantro sauce. Serve with your favorite sides.
Notes
Do not overcook — venison is lean and best at medium-rare (130°F).
Let rest before slicing.
Use a cast-iron skillet if grilling is not an option.
Marinate longer for deeper flavor.
The sauce can be made 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Wild Game, Modern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 oz venison + sauce
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 48g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: grilled venison backstrap, jalapeño cilantro sauce, venison recipe, wild game grilling