Coal-Seared Venison Backstrap
Backstrap laid straight on the embers. No grate, no pan, no fussing.
- calories
- 260
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 47
- protein
- 38 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 5 min
- total time
- 15 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Grab and go
- Needs a cooler
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Venison backstrap | 2 lb | one whole loin, patted dry |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse salt | to taste | applied after cooking, not before |
| Black pepper | to taste | cracked at camp if you can |
| Sesame oil | 1 tbsp | olive oil works the same way |
Method
- Burn hardwood logs or lump charcoal down to a glowing bed. Briquettes stay too cool and shed ash, so skip them.
- Rake the embers into an even layer and fan off the loose ash.
- Lay the dry backstrap directly on the coals. Two to three minutes, then flip with tongs and do the other side.
- Pull it off when the outside is dark and crusted and the middle still gives under a finger. It cooks fast.
- Salt and pepper it right away, while the surface is hot enough to take the seasoning.
- Drizzle the oil over the top and let it sit ten to fifteen minutes before slicing across the grain.
Coals put out more direct heat than a grate ever will, and contact with the embers is what builds the crust before the interior has time to cook through. Venison backstrap is lean enough that it goes from rare to grey in about a minute, so the speed is the point, not a stunt. Ash brushes off; the meat does not soak it up.
Seasoning goes on afterward for a reason. Salt drawn to the surface before cooking pulls out moisture and burns on contact with the embers. The oil at the end does the same job a fat cap would on a beef cut, which venison simply does not have. This one needs a cooler and a real fire, so it belongs at the truck or at basecamp, not in a pack.
Packing
Backstrap travels in the cooler, double-bagged, on ice or frozen solid so it thaws on the drive. Salt, pepper, and a small oil bottle live in the kitchen box. Bring long tongs.
Variations
- A beef tenderloin or a thick tri-tip cooks the same way if you have no venison.
- Slice the cold leftovers thin the next morning and fold them into eggs or a tortilla.
https://realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/backstrap-caveman-style-recipe