Marinated Venison Steaks

Name: Marinated Venison Steaks
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil; 3/4 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup red wine vinegar; 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; 1 1/2 teaspoons roughly chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons dry mustard; 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed; 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed; 2 pounds venison loin or leg, cut into 6 steaks

Recipe from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Updated Oct. 21, 2020

Marinated Venison Steaks — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus 8 to 12 hours’ marinating
Rating: 5(716)
Comments: Read comments

“Thanksgiving here is about hunting rather than football,” said Errol Rice of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. The season for hunting big game comes to a close in the last, best place on the Thanksgiving weekend, and those who have not yet bagged a buck are known, said Dennis Konopatzke, the proprietor of Great Northern Brewing Company in Whitefish, to rush their holiday dinners in order to get out to the woods to hunt.

You’ll find huckleberries on Thanksgiving tables in Montana, Mr. Konopatzke added, or the Norwegian cured fish known as lutefisk, or pork pies and stuffed pasties, all nods to the state’s history of settlers from afar. But game is the game. What follows is a recipe honed over the years by the members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for a marinade that works on wild venison perfectly and most other proteins as well. Broil some steaks and pair the result with traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: The United States of Thanksgiving

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

1½cups extra-virgin olive oil
¾cup soy sauce
½cup red wine vinegar
½cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼cup Worcestershire sauce
2garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1½teaspoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
2tablespoons dry mustard
2¼teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
2pounds venison loin or leg, cut into 6 steaks

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Combine all ingredients except venison in a large bowl. Submerge venison in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
Step 2
Heat broiler, stovetop grill pan or grill. Remove venison from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, place steaks under the broiler or on the grilling surface and cook, flipping once, until medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Allow venison to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Ratings

5 out of 5

716 user ratings

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Comments

Allan Bowdery7 years ago

The recipe says to cut into steaks, the accompanying photo shows a whole, grilled backstrap/loin sliced into portions after cooking. Was this actually grilled or was it roasted?

Beth7 years ago

My husband, who is a longtime member of RMEF and an avid hunter, keeps our freezer full of wild game, including venison and elk. Here is a marinade I often use: a few crushed dried juniper berries, a stalk of fresh rosemary, a few springs of fresh thyme, 3 garlic cloves crushed, s&p, 1 lemon halved and squeezed, and olive oil. Marinate overnight...lovely.

Game Cooker7 years ago

We use similar marinade for Thanksgiving venison. Original recipe written for London broil -- add 1-2 bay leaves, add 1 rough chopped onion (discard w marinade), add bit of brown sugar. We don't add lemon nor dry mustard. Grill whole tenderloin to medium rare. Cooking it further or slicing it into medallions first will ruin it -- venison doesn't have enough fat. We still cook turkey - this is devoured way too quickly!!! Even by those who 'don't like venison.'

Lise5 months ago

I've been using this recipe to marinate venison steaks for at least 10 years and it is fabulous! The steaks (or loins) turn out moist, tender and delicious, with no gamey taste! I only broil or grill them for 3 minutes per side (medium rare) and they are fantastic. Even when using the steaks in another recipe (such as venison stew or venison bourguignon) I still marinate them first.

Stephanie1 year ago

I had someone give me a venison loin. I have never cooked or eaten it. This recipe was very good. Would leave out the salt next time since soy sauce has so much. I did slice the loin in half inch slices for the marinade and cooked in a cast iron skillet on high heat. Tender and delish, needed no sauce or condiment. Not gamey at all.

Joe R.1 year ago

This recipe works well with any venison (i.e. elk, deer, antelope). Venison is much leaner than your average corn fed beef or pork, and therefore more apt to dry out. Keeping the loin in tact for cooking, will preserve more of the juices in the meat, at the cost of less marinated surface area, this is acceptable for smaller loins. For larger loins you may want to cut into thick (>1in) steaks to increase your marinated surface area. Pairs well with crusty bread, baked brie and cranberries.

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