Amazing Country Fried Venison: A Gourmet Delight From The Wild

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Around our house, venison is the staple red meat in the kitchen. While we love venison in all forms, one of my favorite meals is classic country-fried venison. When it comes to wild game, keeping the seasonings simple allows the flavor and tenderness of venison backstrap to shine. Backstrap, also known as venison loin is a coveted cut of tender venison steaks. This simple deer steak is cooked to a golden brown and often served with a creamy white gravy. 

Venison is a very lean meat, lower in calories and fat than beef or pork.  While many claim that they dislike the gamey flavor of venison recipes, we don’t experience any gameiness in our meat. Though it’s true, that diet can affect the flavor of any meat, an avid hunter can prevent most off flavors through proper handling, cooling, and aging of the meat. 

Ingredients you’ll need

To get started making country-fried venison, you’ll first want to gather all your ingredients.

Here is what you’ll need:

Preparing the Steak

When it comes to the best country-fried venison, backstrap is the ultimate choice! While it’s already a tender cut, cooking country-fried steak can be easy to overcook the steak while allowing the breading to crispen. The meat will cook more evenly by preparing it with a meat mallet. I find pounding meat with a meat mallet very satisfying! To make it less messy, place plastic wrap on the steak’s top and bottom to prevent splattering.  Pound the meat to 1/4 inch thickness to ensure the most even cooking. 

After the meat is pounded, lay the meat on a wire rack and pat dry with paper towels.  Country-fried steak is dredged, which means the dampness of the meat allows the dry coating to adhere. You want the meat to be damp, not dripping. 

Prepare the Battering Center

I like my battering center to be set up in order of use for the least amount of mess! Use shallow containers that are larger than your steaks so that you can easily coat both sides. 

The first shallow bowl should contain the breading mixture. This breading is very simple! The flour mixture uses only basic seasonings for a simple coating that allows the flavor of the meat to shine through. Add a pinch of nutmeg or cayenne for a little extra kick! 

The next container is for eggs, I like this container to be closest to the stove. Beat three eggs until smooth. I don’t add any milk or liquids to my egg mixture. 

Dredging the Steak

Dredging the steak is done in three steps, first dredge steaks in the flour mixture, next dip in the egg mixture, and then dredge again in the flour. If you’d like, you can salt and black pepper the steaks prior to dredging.

Frying the Steaks

While we don’t fry often around our house, every once in a while, frying is a treat. The key to not overcooking your steaks but creating a crispy coating is to cook the meat quickly. It only takes a few minutes on each side. Using a large cast iron skillet, add enough oil for the steaks to be partway submerged, it doesn’t need to be deep. Heat the oil on medium-high heat until it’s 350 degrees. You can use a thermometer to monitor your oil, however, it’s usually ready when you add a pinch of flour batter to the oil and immediately it fries up.  If it just sinks and bubbles, give it a bit more time. 

Another important step is to fry your steaks in batches.  I know it’s tempting to fit as many steaks in the cast-iron skillet as you possibly can, but adding too much all at once will lower the temperature of the oil, making everything cook slower and resulting in breading that is less crispy or worse yet soggy!

Fry each steak in the hot oil for just 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Aim for a nice golden brown. If you choose, use a meat thermometer to cook until your desired doneness. A nice medium rare would be cooked to an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees. Once cooked on both sides, remove the meats to a paper towel-lined tray.  If you have a lot of meat to cook, place cooked meats on a baking rack in a warm oven to keep them warm and crispy. 

Rounding Out the Meal

My favorite sides to serve with country-fried venison are mashed potatoes and green beans. True country-fried steak is served with white country gravy rather than brown gravy. Gravy can easily be made with the drippings and “crunchies” from the fried venison.

There’s just something about crispy venison steak paired with the creamy gravy and comforting sides that makes it an unbeatable country classic. Whether you’re serving it for a special occasion or a cozy family dinner, this hearty dish brings a taste of tradition to the table that everyone will love.