Najmola Venison Backstrap

Written By Chef Chris Najmola 

Executive Chef of The Green Boundary Club

Aiken Hound & Home Magazine Winter 2025 Issue

The Backstrap 

All right, this is an easy one, and hopefully doesn’t fall too far in the category of common sense for you. I have tried too hard and messed up too much not to preach about the beauty of simplicity. I write this one because it is simple, and though I love every part of the deer, the backstrap is the star of the show for me. If I offer you a couple of slices, know that I love you, as there’s no way of telling how long I sat in the woods waiting for that perfect shot. 

You’ll need: 

A grill, preferably charcoal or hardwood burning. 

1 venison backstrap 

Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, powdered garlic 

Olive oil 

A probe/meat thermometer 

Where the magic starts… 

So you are going to want to have a fire going on half of your grill. The idea is that you will be cooking on hot coals, so if you are using hardwood start this early. Your propane grill will do a good job as well, but I love the idea of being as primitive as possible for this one. Once you get the fire going, it will be time to marinate the meat. Since venison is so inherently lean, I like to give the backstrap a good coat of olive oil – not extra virgin, just something natural without too much flavor. Then I follow with a generous rubdown of kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and the finest garlic powder I can find. These four ingredients, when used correctly, do nothing but bring out the natural flavor of venison. Allow your loin to rest as long as possible while you wait for the fire to get right. 

Once your coals are nice and red, lay the backstrap over them. There should be a satisfying sizzle. Resist the urge to poke, prod, flip, and move it around. If you are doing it right, you will maybe touch it four or five times total. After a couple of minutes, lift it up to see if there is a good crust. If there is, give it a turn. Repeat this process two or three times until you have a good crust all over. Move the strap to the side of the grill with no coals and break out your thermometer. Find the centermost point of the loin at which to temp it. When you have achieved 120 degrees Fahrenheit, pull it off the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. During this time, the outside temperature will equalize with the inside, and the cell structure will relax. Slice a thin slice from the middle and pop it in your mouth. 

If we’ve done our job right you should have an explosion of wild, free range, fire roasted venison. This simple recipe in a way connects us all the way back to the beginning of civilization. Just like our ancestors, a little meat and fire might be one of the best things to happen for dinner. 

Photo Cred: Rebecca Williams Chef Chris at The Green Boundary Club.