Mayo-Crusted Backstrap on the Grate
Venison loin coated in mayonnaise and steak seasoning, cooked hot over a fire ring grate.
- calories
- 520
- weight
- 9 oz
- cal / oz
- 58
- protein
- 52 g
- serves
- 4, scales
- prep
- 15 min
- cook
- 16 min
- total time
- 31 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
- Grill grate
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Gluten free
- Nut free
- Real dishes
- Grab and go
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Venison backstrap roast | 2 lb | trimmed of silverskin; top round or loin works too |
|---|---|---|
| Mayonnaise | 1 cup | shelf-stable jar or single-serve packets |
| Montreal steak seasoning | 3 to 5 oz | check the label if you need it gluten-free |
Method
- Build a fire and let it burn down to steady coals, or run a grill on high. You want a grate hot enough to sear, roughly 375°F.
- Trim any remaining silverskin off the backstrap. It will not soften and it makes the meat curl.
- Coat the whole roast with mayonnaise, then roll it in the steak seasoning until every surface is covered.
- Lay it on the grate without dragging it. Cook 7 to 8 minutes on one side.
- Turn it once, gently, and cook another 7 to 8 minutes. Pull it at 125°F in the thickest part.
- Rest it 10 minutes on a plate before slicing across the grain. Thinner cuts need less time; go by the thermometer, not the clock.
Mayonnaise is not a flavor here, it is a binder and a fat source. It glues the seasoning to the meat and browns hard on the grate, which matters with venison because backstrap has almost no fat of its own to crisp. What comes off the fire has a dark crust and a still-red center.
This one needs a cooler, so it is a car camp or basecamp dinner rather than a pack-in. Pull the meat at 125°F and let it rest. Venison goes from rare to dry in about ninety seconds of extra heat, and there is no fat in the muscle to hide the mistake.
Packing
Backstrap stays in the cooler, vacuum-sealed and frozen if it is a long drive. Mayo packets and a small jar of seasoning ride in the dry box. Bring an instant-read thermometer.
Variations
- Backstrap medallions or round steaks work; cut the time roughly in half and watch the temperature.
- Mustard in place of mayonnaise gives the same crust with less fat.
- No grate: sear it in a cast iron skillet set on coals, four minutes a side.
https://realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/backstrap-with-mayonnaise-and-montreal-steak-seasoning