When you need to feed an entire deer camp full of hungry hunters in a hurry, turn to this easy Tex Mex meal plan
Easy Tex Mex Deer Camp Backstrap
30 Min
Prep Time
30 Min
Cook Time
2-20
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
One of the best parts of deer camp is sitting around in the evening and rehashing the day's hunts over a good meal. If you happen to be the person tagged with prepping said meal, it's always helpful to have a plan that comes together quickly, doesn't leave you with a ton of dirty dishes, and can easily be altered to feed anywhere from two to 20 hungry hunters.
When it comes to pepper choices, I like to include lots of sliced bell peppers, along with whole jalapeños, banana peppers, and fresh ancho chilies. That way each diner can choose their personal heat level.
Next, heat the tortillas and stack them on a plate. Then cover them with foil and place near the fire to keep them warm. Once you grill the backstrap or other wild game steaks to your liking, open up the packets and let everyone dig in.
Ingredients
Sliced venison backstrap or other wild game steak
Flour or corn tortillas, the fresher the better
Yellow onions, thickly sliced
A variety of peppers like bell, jalapeño, ancho, or other favorites
Olive oil
Tex Mex Seasoning:
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili flakes
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
Tex Mex Marinade:
½ cup olive oil
½ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Prep the vegetables by peeling the onions and slicing into thick rings. Slice the bell peppers and remove the core and seeds. I prefer to grill the other peppers whole, but you can also slice them and remove the seeds for less heat. Place the prepped peppers and onions in a zip lock bag and store in the refrigerator or a cooler.
Slice enough backstrap or steak to feed the number of diners you have. Place the meat into a zip lock bag. Mix the marinade ingredients and pour over the steaks. Place in a refrigerator or cooler to marinate for 4-8 hours. Mix the seasoning ingredients and store in a jar or other air tight container.
Cook the peppers and onions over a fire or on the grill until the skin is lightly charred and onions are softened. Move them to a foil packet and place next to the fire to hold warm and steam.
While the peppers and onions cook, remove the steaks from the marinade and pat them dry. Season well on both sides with the Tex Mex blend.
After the peppers and onions are off the grill, warm the tortillas. Stack and wrap in foil. Place the tortillas near the fire to keep them warm.
Grill the backstrap for 3-5 minutes per side, depending on desired doneness level. Serve the steaks, pepper-and-onion blend, and tortillas family style. We like to serve this with chips and salsa and a cold beer or soft drink.
