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KeepItSimpleAnnaSue

Deer Tenderloin: Cast Iron Skillet Recipe

This cast iron skillet deer Tenderloin recipe is a quick and flavorful way to enjoy tender, melt-in-your-mouth venison. Seasoned to perfection and seared for a perfect crust, it's my favorite dish for a hearty dinner of a special occasion meal.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1-2 deer belly loins or backstraps
  • 3 tbsp. butter
  • salt (enough to salt the front and back of each loin)
  • pepper (enough to salt the front and back of each loin)
  • Beef Bullion Paste (enough to cover the front and back of each loin)

Equipment

  • cast iron skillet (or non-stick skillet)

Method
 

  1. Get tenderloins out of the fridge and put them in a pan that is big enough to hold both of them for seasoning purposes.
    fresh-locally-sourced-deer-tenderloins-in-a-clear-pan-s
  2. Coat both sides of the loins with the beef bullion paste.
    woman-holding-better-than-bullion-paste-over-deer-tenderloins-
  3. Salt and pepper both sides of the loins.
    seasoned-deer-tenderloins-with-bullion-paste-salt-and-pepper
  4. Let them sit out at room temperature for around 45 minutes to an hour.
  5. When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 425°.
Top of Stove Cast Iron Cooking for Loins
  1. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.
    butter-melting-in-a-cast-iron-skillet-
  2. Once the butter is bublly and melted, add in the loins.
  3. Cook for 3 minutes and then flip. Make sure you set your timer.
    seasoned-deer-tenderloin-cooking-in-a-cast-iron-skillet-
  4. Cook for 3 more minutes. Make sure you set your timer.
    deer-tenderloins-being-cooked-in-a-cast-iron-skillet-with-butter-and-seasoning-
  5. Put the cast iron skillet with the loins straight into the preheated oven for 9 minutes.
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  6. Take them out of the oven and out of the skillet. They should be 140°.
    perfect-crust-on-a-seared-deer-tenderloin-in-a-cast-iron-skillet-
  7. Put the loins on a cutting board with a place for juice around the edges.
  8. Let the loins rest for 10 minutes.
  9. Thinly sliced each loin.
    overhead-Picture-of-sliced-and-whole-deer-tenderloin-in-a-cast-iron-skillet-in-the-green-grass-with-snow-and-a-red-and-green-dish-towel-beside-it
  10. Add the sliced pieces back into the skillet and stir them around so that all the butter and salty bullion and seasoning can coat each thinly sliced piece. You are not cooking it, just getting all the juices on it.
    perfectly-cooked-and-thinly-sliced-deer-tenderloin-in-a-cast-iron-skillet