Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin with Garlic Cream Sauce Recipe

6.13.2020 - This is the second time I’ve made this. This time I used a different cut of venison since I was out of tenderloin. I pre-fried my bacon somewhat before wrapping as the first time I made this it didn’t crisp up at all. It only took about 20 minutes in the oven in my cast iron to get to medium. The sauce on this is delicious.

Actually I combined this recipe with another. I used another recipe for the marinade of red wine and apple vinegar ,garlic ,rosemary and thyme. I marinaded the two loins and 8 small steaks overnight. Reduced the marinade and added two tablespoons of grape jelly to tone down the tang of the vinegar. I seared the loins in a black iron skillet with ghee and then wrapped the loins in the bacon,took more like 15 minutes to get the bacon right at 350 in the oven. I then sautéed 2 shallots,3 cloves of garlic 1 sweet onion and 3 cups of mushrooms in the bacon drippings. Placed the mushrooms in a baking dish with the bacon wrapped loins and baked for about 40 minutes. Seared the steaks in bacon fat. I removed the bacon ,diced it and crisped it up in the skillet while the loins rested. Plated the sliced loins atop the mushrooms along with the steaks. Drizzled sauce over meat and garnished with bacon and scallions. YUM!

Superb...simply delicious. I sliced the loins into 1 inch thick medallions, modifying the cooking time accordingly, and using a cast iron skillet to bake them. Place the empty skillet in 375 oven, next to a parchment lined pan of singly layered bacon(1 slice for each medallion), and bake for 15 minutes. During that time rinse the venison medallions in cold water, pat dry with paper towel. At 15 minutes open the oven, remove pan of bacon, leave skillet in oven. Allow bacon to cool. On one side of each slice of bacon, lay a venison medallion, sprinkle with seasonings,and fold bacon over top. Carefully remove skillet from oven. Pour excess bacon drippings into skillet, arrange medallions in drippings, and return skillet to oven. Bake 375, 20 minutes medium rare. While medallions are baking, saute vegetables. I used 1/2 medium sweet onion (instead of green onion), 8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms, and 1 tbsp minced garlic in 4 tbsp butter. Keeping heat at medium while sauteing to prevent burning. Did not use cream. Towards the end I added 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1 tsp parsley, sprinkle of salt, grate of pepper. Remove skillet from oven and allow venison to set 8 minutes. I baked some medium golden potatoes as a side dish and served the sauteed vegetables over both meat and taters. I've also made this recipe using pork/beef loin. And added many vegetables to the saute' such as spinach, summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peppers, etc. This recipe is simply stellar.

4/9/23 --- 1 hour will give you meat that is Well Done or closet to it. I've made this three times but I forgot this time to remove it sooner. If you prefer Medium Rare, Medium etc, take the meat out of the oven sooner. Temperature guides for roasted meat can be found online. Some tips: Brine your meat in your fridge for up to 24 hours using cold water, kosher salt and your choice of spices. Dry and bring your meat closer to room temperature before you start so that it will cook evenly. Use toothpicks to secure the bacon and remove once cooked. Remember, remove it when it is 5-10 degrees below what temperature you desire because the temp will rise as it rests. Venison tenderloins are small and they might need only 20 minutes or less. Venison backstraps are larger but still might need only 30 minutes or less.. Remove your bacon once your meat is done cooking and let the meat rest under loose foil for 5-10 minutes to retain juices. While your meat is resting, broil or fry the bacon in a pan to crisp it up a bit then serve the bacon with the meat or chop it and add it to your garlic cream sauce.

Delicious! You need to follow the recipe and the SPECIFIC direction of length of time based on the thickness of the meat. I had two loins at about 10 ounces each. WHATEVER YOU DO, do not cut it after cooking until it is room temp or cooled down a little. Rule is 5 minutes. Venison is lean and the fat needs to stay inside if you want the best taste. Mine was fully defrosted and room temp before I wrapped it. Mine turned out Medium well at about 40 minutes mid rack NON convection. I used a thermometer as recommended. I also watched it closely. Also followed the pre light cook of the bacon at 5 minutes and it was perfect advice. OMG, the sauce was amazing! I was bummed because I forgot the shrooms shrink a lot and I didn't use the full package of baby bellas. Use the whole package of shrooms and a bigger pan to saute them down to size. They were about half the size when I added the heavy cream. I also removed the stems and used minced garlic, added a dash of onion powder to the sauce and a dash of salt. I also made a surf and turf and added shrimp on top of the bacon and sauce over all. I cooked it for my wife and 2, 7 and 9 year old. All my kids and wife loved it!!! Cooked it with a wild rice and it was a perfect pairing. Also cheddar broccoli which was an OK pairing. Also paired with a Pinot Gris. Next time I am going to try to sear the meat first to trap the juices in and give a crispy texture.

Wow. I could never see the allure of backstraps because whenever I made them either on the grill or in a skillet they were always tough. It was entirely my method of cooking. This was awesome! So tender, like filet mignon. I cooked the bacon for 15 minutes to get it cooked along with my cast iron pan and then wrapped them around the tenderloins and put them in the already hot pan. With a in meat thermometer it reached 145 within 25 minutes. Took it out and tented with foil for 10 minutes. Perfect!!! Served with horseradish sauce. Didn't bother with the mushroom sauce. Thank you so much!

Such a great idea — thank you!

Fantastic recipe! My husband and I don't like mushrooms so we left those out and used the pan drippings from the venison in the sauce for extra flavor. Only cooked for 30 minutes and temp was 155. I would reduce the cooking time unless you really have a large piece of meat. Typically venison loin is small. Otherwise made as suggested. This is staple for us now with a freezer full of venison. We made with tenderloin, but will try with back strap too. We served with sauteed green beans and a baked potato. We put the sauce on the potato in lieu of butter and sour cream and will adapt that to other recipes. Thank you for sharing!

I adapted this for pork tenderloin and it tastes wonderful! I’ve made it multiple times without much adjustment. I just adjust the cooking time for the size of meat and for the fact that I use a convection oven. I omitted brushing olive oil on the loin since pork isn’t as lean as venison and the grease from the bacon is enough for our tastes. The cream sauce makes a slice of meat special! It would also be great with pasta. Fast, easy and delicious!

I think the ingredients and flavors in this recipe are awesome! I have to disagree about the 1 hour cook time though. Although the recipe is pretty spot on about the 145 degrees, someone without a meat thermometer would cook it the hour indicated and end up with a very dried up piece of venison. The cream sauce is delicious, but PLEASE use a meat thermometer with this recipe or cut down on the cooking time by A LOT.

Loved it! I follow the recipe almost to a t. I have only deglazed the pan with some white wine before adding the cream. Listening to some of the advices I cooked the bacon longer and I roasted the tenderloins for 20-25 min trying to achieve a medium rare texture.

I agree the cooking time was way off. Almost ruined the meal. The sauce thou was a game saver. We added some meat juice to enhance it

Honestly, the best recipe I’ve tried this month.

If you like tough inedible venison, with a pointless mushroom sauce, make this. It was awful, and we deliberately cut the time in half, because clearly the poster doesn't know how to cook venison or make cream sauce. Venison was chewy, "sauce" was a watery cream of mushroom soup.

The first time I made this, I cooked the bacon a little too long in the beginning and it looked almost burnt when I took it out of the oven. We thought I ruined our backstraps. But it ended up being the BEST backstrap recipe I've ever made. The bacon was a little overdone (my bad), but the bacon held the juices in the venison and it was amazing. Also the sauce..... My husband asked me to triple the sauce so he can drown his meat in it. It is so good. Thank you!!!!

Should have baked a bit longer. That being said, this was very easy. I never did make the sauce. Put garlic cloves (a lot) under bacon & around the roast. Put leftover rare venison, bacon and garlic with frozen corn & peppers with Amish uncooked pasta to cook again. :-)

I took advice of other reviewers and really kept an eye on it temp-wise. That said I did get it up to 145 and was worried was overdone, but it came out wonderfully. Mushroom sauce was good but I think I'd prob add some red wine next time. My wife gave it a "3 star" but she's not a big venison fan so take it with a grain of salt. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

My husband made this, and it was SO GOOD!!! He soaked the tenderloins in salt water prior to making the recipe, and it was fantastic! Definitely a keeper!

Cook time was too long. Should've pulled it out sooner as the tenderloin got a little dry and overcooked. Otherwise good. I added a dijon honey mustard reduction sauce and chopped pecans as a sauce and garnish instead of the garlic cream sauce here and that part turned out great.

I didn't have any cream (but will next time). I made no adjustments. I couldn't believe how tender the thicker parts of the tenderloin, roasting at 375 degrees. I almost lowered the temperature, but I'm so glad I didn't! It was delicious...! I am definitely saving this recipe for the next time I have venison tenderloin...but adding cream! :)