Backstraps are boring

[CountryAsACoonDog]

Where I’m from, people only cook backstrap one way, FRIED.

I like to cook it other ways

 

[MarkOrtiz]

Yes! we found recipes like this a few years ago and now love our shanks and necks the same. I usually debone the neck though to cut down on packaging. One thing to spice up a backstrap is to make a wellington with it.

 

[HunterGatherer]

As for backstraps, you can thinly shave those from frozen and throw them in a simmering pot with stock and quick cooking greens — make your a little hot pot!

We do this with pho and ramen too. Elk bone broth of course

 

[HunterGatherer]

You can use the shanks and raw sliced backstraps in the pho (pot au feu) …

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I'll trade any shank for backstraps any day anytime!

 

[TaperPin]

It’s not traditional, but making a beef broccoli Chinese takeout with wild game works well and always makes my mouth water. I’ve wondered why it’s not more popular in American cooking to tenderize with egg white or baking soda. Not going to lie, this dish prompted me to order a jar of MSG for the right flavor and dark soy sauce for the color.

In an entire lifetime I never knew exactly where umami taste hits the mouth until tasting pure MSG. Now I notice natural MSG from tomatoes or hard cheeses, or any restaurant food that has MSG added, hitting those same places. It doesn’t change how much I like them, but fun to learn something new about taste buds I’ve been using an entire lifetime. The appeal of MSG must be somewhat of an individual thing - I like it a lot in food that normally have at least a little naturally, but it seems artificial on foods that normally don’t produce that flavor.

 

[spals]

Agreed. I love shanks. Just made this Hank Shaw shank recipe with some porcinis I harvested earlier this year.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Yes! we found recipes like this a few years ago and now love our shanks and necks the same. I usually debone the neck though to cut down on packaging. One thing to spice up a backstrap is to make a wellington with it.

I did a wellington a couple years ago. It was a ton of work for a dish that was only for me.

Maybe do it again with upcoming holidays and more family in town.

 

[Jpsmith1]

We do this with pho and ramen too. Elk bone broth of course

I haven't done pho yet.

 

[long hunter]

Good quality country sausage mixed with a grated Granny Smith apple, about a 8 in piece of blackstrap left whole run a knife through it making a hollow in the back strap, marinate the blackstrap overnight in a good apple cider if you can find it straight from the press is best if not store bought will work, stuff the apple sausage mix in the cut you made in the backstrap then use thick cut bacon once again home cured and smoked is best, but if unavailable use the thick cut from the store don’t skimp on this, wrap the stuffed backstrap in the bacon and bake on medium temp basting frequently during the baking. I do one every Christmas and it’s the first thing gone. Thank me later.

 

[hondarider727]

Where I’m from, people only cook backstrap one way, FRIED.

I like to cook it other ways

I smoke mine with hardcore carnivore black seasoning. Finish by brushing on some beef tallow

 

[Foxsoup]

Hank Shaw has a recipe for blueberry sauce back strap…. It one of the best things I’ve eaten

 

[Chris in TN]

Yes! we found recipes like this a few years ago and now love our shanks and necks the same. I usually debone the neck though to cut down on packaging. One thing to spice up a backstrap is to make a wellington with it.

I've never messed with venison shanks - we get all the shanks we want from cows, we try to save a lot of the bones or bony cuts. But I *have* done a venison wellington more than once. The trick is to sear the loin on the entire outside surface, heavily and quickly. Mmmmm.

ETA: To be clear, the recipe the OP describes sounds delicious. But shanks usually go in our grinding pile.

 

[Jpsmith1]

Hank Shaw has a recipe for blueberry sauce back strap…. It one of the best things I’ve eaten

I've done a simple blueberry sauce over pork and it is FANTASTIC.

Trying to think how it would go with venison

 

[Kevin270]

It looks good and sounds awesome but I love a pan seared backstop with a sweet potato on the side and garlic bread.

 

[JimIsland]

Yea, backstrap can get boring but it's all in the preparation. I try not to eat it like this but I'll cut back strap into medallions and then pound them out a bit on both sides. Nothing fancy but a little AP rub, flour and pan fry with a little oil. Another fav is back strap steak fajita's. Also, a big back strap from a buck is waaaay different than a doe back strap. I'll use the big buck straps to make jerky.

Bottom line, Ole Back Strap is like your wife of 30 years......still damn good but you just have to change it up and try new things every so often!

BTW....that shank looks delicious.

 

[dschade9]

Sure, everybody loves a nice roast. But almost no chance I’m passing up a back strap steak for shank.

 

[CMF]

It’s true , the shank has more flavor than just about any other cut. And when you pair it with morels
But then backstraps with morels is pretty good too if you add some elk Demi glace and sheep sorrel…

Man that looks good! Any kind of Sauce with some backstrap definitely takes it up a notch.

Bottom line, Ole Back Strap is like your wife of 30 years......still damn good but you just have to change it up and try new things every so often!

I'll have to rember that one, lol

 

[CMF]

Another good lesson I learned from getting on the braising train is when you're slow cooking all your grind meat you end up having to grind the big whole muscle groups so you have burger and magically your burger tastes a lot better because its not full of chopped up connective tissue.

Yea, I think after doing a whole shoulder off a small deer this year that came out good, I'm going to start saving the shanks for braising and not deal with trying to clean them up for grind.

 

[Elkfitness]

I love a simple backstrap.


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