venison
Venison Tenderloin
Not the backstrap. The tenderloin is the psoas, a small muscle inside the body cavity tucked under the spine — two per animal, often under a pound together. Hunters call the backstrap a tenderloin constantly, but that is the loin, running outside the spine, and it is several times the size.
In one line
Two per deer, under a pound together — most people have never actually eaten one.
Buy it if
You want the single most tender piece on the animal and you can stand at the pan for four minutes without walking away.
Two different muscles, one name. The tenderloin — psoas major — hangs inside the body cavity along the underside of the spine. It does almost nothing but stabilize, which is why it is the most tender muscle on any four-legged animal and why there is so little of it: two per deer, together often under a pound. The backstrap is the loin, running along the outside of the spine, and it is a much larger, firmer muscle. Hunters use tenderloin for both. Butchers don't, and the difference matters when you are buying.
Its fragility cuts both ways. No connective tissue to break down, almost no fat, and a thin tapering shape mean it cooks through faster than anything else on the animal. A whole venison tenderloin can go from raw to overdone in the time it takes to answer the door.
So cook it hot and short. Trim the silverskin, dry it, and sear the whole piece 60 to 90 seconds a side in a hot oiled pan, then pull at 125–130°F. Rest it five to eight minutes — proportionally a long rest for a small piece — and slice it into rounds. Or cut medallions first and give each about a minute a side.
Don't braise it and don't grind it. Every quality it has is destroyed by long cooking, and you would be paying a premium for the privilege.
Where it comes from on the animal
| Species | venison |
|---|---|
| Subprimal | psoas major, from inside the body cavity beneath the spine |
What else it’s called
How to cook Venison Tenderloin
| Best methods | Pan sear Grill Sous vide Reverse sear |
|---|---|
| Skip | Braise |
| Cook to | Pull at 125–130°F and rest 5–8 minutes. It is small and thin, so it overshoots faster than anything else on the animal. |
If Venison Tenderloin is sold out
Cooks like
Filet Mignon
The beef equivalent — the same tenderloin muscle, milder and much fattier, so it forgives you for overshooting.
Common questions
Is the tenderloin better than the backstrap?
More tender, yes. More flavorful, no — the loin carries more of the meat's character and takes a crust better. If you want the softest bite, tenderloin. If you want the better steak, backstrap.
Why is mine so small?
That is the size it is. A whole deer yields two, and together they often come in under a pound. On a beef animal the same muscle is the filet mignon, and it is small there too relative to the carcass.
Do I have to remove the silverskin?
Yes. It does not render, it shrinks — it will bow the tenderloin into a curve and leave a tough strip down one side. Slide a thin blade underneath and angle it upward so you take the membrane and not the meat.
Should I cook it whole or as medallions?
Whole gives you more control on a piece this small. Sear all sides, pull at 125–130°F, rest, then slice. If one end tapers thin, fold it under and tie it so the whole thing cooks at the same rate.
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