how to cook deer tenderloin in the oven

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Venison tenderloin, or deer tenderloin, makes an elegant main dish. The tenderloin, or backstrap, is the premium cut and yields a rich, delicious recipe.

Venison Tenderloin Recipe from addapinch.com

I grew up going hunting and fishing with my Daddy. From pond fishing in the afternoons to spending all day on the lake to quail and pheasant hunting, I always looked forward to getting to go with him. He'd tell me stories of going hunting or fishing in the mornings before school and then his Mama cooking and serving it for their supper that evening. It was his way of life and one that I loved learning more and more about. I never proved to be a great shot and, regrettably, my interests turned to other things as I got older and our trips became less frequent and then stopped altogether.

One thing that I continue to love and be intrigued by is the way of life my Daddy led as a little boy and the preparation of his reward from the hunt by my Grandmother.

If you do not have venison tenderloin available to you, or prefer not to use it, you can substitute beef tenderloin for the venison in this recipe. Beef does not generally have as rich of a flavor as venison but benefits from the treatment of salting as does the venison.

Here's my Venison Tenderloin recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Venison Tenderloin Recipe

Dinner — 1 hr 30 mins

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 30 mins

Servings 8

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Venison tenderloin, or deer tenderloin, makes an elegant main dish. The tenderloin, or backstrap, is the premium cut and yields a rich, delicious recipe.

▢ 1 pound Venison tenderloin
▢ 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper optional
▢ mushroom cream sauce

Pat venison dry with paper towels. Place tenderloin onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle salt onto both sides of the tenderloin and cover with additional paper towels. Refrigerate for four hours to overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator and allow to rest an hour before cooking. Add fresh black pepper, if desired.
Preheat grill, smoker, or oven to 400º F while the venison is resting. Roast tenderloin until it reaches an internal temperature of 140º F.
Remove and place on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into tenderloin medallions and serve with mushroom cream sauce, if desired.

Total time does not include resting time used in this recipe.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Dinner Recipes

Robyn Stone

..where I share sweet, savory and southern recipes, as well as home and garden tips and tidbits of travel.