Bacon-Wrapped Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese Tenderloin

A recent well-attended wild-game feast brought something to light. No matter how fancy the dishes, or how wide the variety, there is just something about the combination of grilled game meat, bacon and cream cheese that people just enjoy. Again, a version of this combination was one of the more popular dishes at the table.

There is something about the combination of grilled wild game with bacon and cream cheese that everyone just seems to love. Image by author.

Be it dove or duck poppers, venison or just about any other game meat, the combination just works. My favorite version includes tender pieces of venison tenderloin, pounded flat and filled with a bit of cream cheese, with an additional flavor bomb: hot pepper jelly.

Hot pepper jelly and J.O. Seasoning venison blend really kicks the flavor up on this one.

A little sweet, a little heat, the jelly marries well with the rich tenderloin and salty bacon. For this one, I used a blackberry jalapeño version, but use your favorite.

For the seasoning, you will need something bold enough to stand up to the jelly and bacon. I like J.O. Seasoning’s Venison Blend. Known for Maryland crab seasoning, the folks at J.O. know spice and are avid hunters, so their venison blend has just the right amount of kick.

Start by cutting the tenderloin into 2.5- to 3-inch sections; just enough for a couple of bites. Use a meat mallet to pound the tenderloin into a flat sheet, about ¼ inch or just a bit more thick. Season well with the J.O. Venison Blend.

Pound short sections of venison tenderloin into flat sheets.

Add roughly a half-ounce of cream cheese (about a spoonful) to the center. Add a similar amount of pepper jelly. Fold the tenderloin around the filling.

Season the meat well, and then add the cream cheese and jelly.

Wrap with a half slice of bacon and secure everything with a toothpick. You can shake on a bit more seasoning for the bacon, if desired.

Wrap the meat in a half slice of bacon and secure with tooth picks.

A handy tip: Don’t go with super-thick bacon on this one. You want the bacon to cook through without overcooking the venison.

Don’t go super-thick with the bacon wrap. You want the bacon to get crispy and cooked through without overcooking the venison.

Pre-heat your grill to 350 degrees. Grill until the bacon is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally during the process. Watch closely for flame-ups if using a gas or charcoal grill.

Grill 15 to 20 minutes or until the bacon is just cooked through, but keep a close eye out for flame-ups.

I love to serve these as appetizers when friends come over, but I will admit, I’ve eaten them several times for my entire meal.