Bacon-Wrapped Backstrap

It’s not what you think. This recipe takes the relationship between bacon and venison to a whole new level. Picture a seasoned venison backstrap, topped with chopped mushrooms and totally encased in crispy bacon.

If your deer was a small one, you might have to use a pair of backstraps. Since the recipe specifies the center cut of the meat, save the trimmed ends for a tasty appetizer to snack on while you’re waiting for the main course.

Lemon zest is the yellow skin of the fruit, shaved and minced. To remove it, skin closely with a vegetable peeler or zester. A meat thermometer plays an important role with this dish. If you don’t own one, you should.

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3 from 1 vote

Bacon-Wrapped Backstrap

A seasoned venison backstrap, topped with chopped mushrooms and totally encased in crispy bacon.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: big game recipes, venison recipes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 cups mushrooms, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp breadcrumbs, any variety
• 1 pound venison backstrap, cut from the center section
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound thin-sliced bacon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic, and saute until mushrooms are soft. Stir in parsley, lemon zest and breadcrumbs. Allow to cool completely.
• Season venison with salt and pepper. On a flat surface, lay half of the bacon strips out, leaving a bacon-width gap between each slice. Weave the other half of the bacon strips in an over-and-under or checkerboard pattern to create a woven bacon pattern. Place the backstrap on the center of the bacon. Spread the mushroom mixture on top of the backstrap. Bring the sides of the bacon up to the top and overlap to seal.
• Place the bacon-encased backstrap, seam side down, on a baking sheet. Place in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until bacon is evenly browned. Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer. It should be about 120 degrees. Flip over to brown seam side and continue to cook until internal temperature is 135 degrees for medium-rare, 150 for medium and 165 or more for overcooked.
• Remove meat from oven, let rest for a few minutes to firm up bacon. Slice into 4 servings.