Fried Backstrap with Bourbon Gravy

Whenever I publish a venison backstrap recipe, there are always comments telling me that I’m ruining the best part of the deer by not pan frying it. I won’t lie, I do love chicken fried backstrap. It was one of my favorite ways to eat venison when I was a kid and it still holds a special place in my heart.

Top your next fried backstrap meal with this delicious bourbon gravy. All images by Michael Pendley

These days, I’ll still fry up my fair share of backstrap, but I’m more likely to top it with a nice sauce or gravy to change up the flavor from meal to meal. One of my favorites is this simple bourbon gravy. Add Evan Williams Bourbon to the gravy for a burst of flavor that you don’t get from standard gravy.

This one starts with the fried backstrap. Dredge thin cuts, I call them biscuit steaks, in seasoned flour. You can use a pre-seasoned flour like Kentucky Kernel, or season your own flour to your liking with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, or whatever you like.

Use your favorite pre-seasoned flour or mix your own according to your taste.

Heat ¼ inch of oil or lard in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, gently drop in the backstrap. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Work in batches if you need to. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side or until the steaks have a good crust on both sides and are cooked to a nice medium rare. Once all of the backstrap is fried, move it to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil to keep it warm.

Fry the backstrap two to three minutes per side until golden brown.

Drain most of the oil from the pan. Add the diced onion and cook until it’s soft and beginning to caramelize. Add ¼ cup flour to the pan and stir until the roux begins to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping up any stuck on bits from the pan while it does.

Cook down the onions and then add the flour and cook until light brown in color.

When the gravy starts to thicken, add the bourbon and the heavy cream. Add the thyme and rosemary. Test for flavor and add salt and pepper, if needed. Stir well to combine.

Add the stock, heavy cream and bourbon, then bring to a simmer to thicken.

Return the backstrap to the pan to come back to temperature.

Return the backstrap to the pan to reheat.

I like to serve this one over mashed potatoes.