This weekend I've been a "bachelor" since my wife is in Atlanta visiting a relative for the weekend. I'm not totally back to my old ways, since I do have my 3 yr. old son to watch. But I have found some time to do some stuff that seems to get put on the backburner when the ball & chain is calling the shots at home.
Anyhow, my favorite time of year is fast approaching down here in the South. Deer season (rifle season, that is) in Alabama is opening next Saturday, Nov. 17 and will run through the last weekend in January. Last year I was fortunate enough to harvest 2 does and a nice buck. For me, that's a decent amount of meat that was processed into ground venison, sausage, and, of course, BACKSTRAPS! Before the Mrs. left, she asked me where I'd be putting the meat if I shot another deer opening weekend since the freezer is packed full. So, yesterday turned into college football and grilling on the porch.
Along with about a dozen 3/4lb. burgers, I got out three backstraps and an elk sirloin steak that a buddy gave to me 2 weeks ago (from a nice animal he shot in Wyoming this season). I decided to try three different seasonings & marinades for the backstraps and elk steak. Here's what I came up with:
--Kosher salt (sprinkled on everything);
--minced onion (sprinkled on everything);
--garlic powder (sprinkled on everything);
--crushed red pepper (sprinkled on the backstraps, not the elk steak);
--McCormicks Grill Mates Pork rub (on one 'strap);
--Western Sizzle Elk steak seasoning (on one 'strap and the elk sirloin);
--Western Sizzle Deer steak seasoning (on one 'strap);
--Allegro Marinade & Tenderizer (on all the backstraps in a ziplock bag);
--Dale's Seasoning Marinade and Italian salad dressing (on elk steak in a ziplock bag);
Everything was allowed to season for about 3 hours in the zip lock bags before I put them on the grill. I fired up the grill using Western Hardwood lump charcoal, the kind that comes in charred wood chunks, not briquet size. I also used some hickory wood chips, occasionally sprinkling them into the fire to give the meat some more flavor.
After the allocated cooking & beer drinking time, I took the meat off the grill to sample the portions. Well, the elk steak took top honors & came out ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I can't describe the flavor other than to say that the texture is like a nicely marbled ribeye without the fat. It tastes like elk, isn't tough or chewy, and it's similiar to steak but has a full bodied, unique flavor all it's own. This is the second elk steak I've eaten in my lifetime (the first one was back in '94) and I would never buy another steak if I could harvest an elk every year.
With regard to the backstraps, I'd say two of the three came out very very tasty. The deer seasoned and pork rub 'straps came out perfectly cooked (cooked on the outside, nice & pink on the inside) and the flavor & texture was excellent. One thing about backstraps is that there are 1,000+ ways to cook one that tastes great. I'll definitely use these two recipes again. For whatever reason, the elk seasoned 'strap came out with a funky taste. This really surprised me as it was cooked right next to the other straps on the grill. It wasn't overdone and texture was just like the others. The flavors just didn't come out to my liking for some reason. Maybe it will be better today as I was sampling a lot of different flavors & by this time had probably knocked down at least a six pack.
Now I have some more room in the freezer for some more venison! If fate smiles on me this weekend, I'm planning on cutting a backstrap out, clean in off & remove the silver membrane, sprinkle some black pepper, onion & garlic powder, wrap in bacon and place in Italian dressing for an hour or so, and throw that sucker on the grill!!! Nothing like eating meat that was walking in the woods in the morning and cooking on the grill by 10am!
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Posted: November/11/2007 at 08:51
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