Stuffed Venison Backstrap

Stuffed Venison Backstrap

Serves 4 to 6. Recipe is by John Guillory. You can substitute beef or pork tenderloin if you don’t have venison.

1 (2 to 3-lb.) backstrap or tenderloin

Pickled jalapeñ o peppers, to taste

1 (8-oz.) brick cream cheese, softened

Alegro’s Wild Game Marinade, enough to coat your tenderloin well

1 lb. or less bacon

1. Rinse backstrap with cold water and remove silver skin with a sharp knife. Cut it longwise to butterfly it, not cutting all the way through. Cover it with plastic wrap and pound it with a meat tenderizing hammer or heavy pot.

2. Place in gallon bag and pour marinade in. Remove air, seal and put in refrigerator overnight.

3. The next day, remove from marinade and place open on a cutting board. Spread a layer of cream cheese on the bottom half. Top with sliced jalapeñ os in a single layer over the entire bottom half. Close it up and wrap with slices of bacon from right to left in a single layer, pinning with broken-in-half toothpicks to secure where needed. Wrap in two layers of foil and seal; be careful not to let the toothpicks poke holes in the foil.

4. Place on grill with indirect heat and cook until almost done. Remove from foil, saving the drippings, and place back strap back on pit and continue cooking until bacon is crisp. When bacon is crisp, put back strap back in foil with drippings and close.

5. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes closed up. Remove and slice into filet-style medallions between the bacon slices. Serve immediately with the drippings spooned on top.