Grilled Venison with Charred Scallion Gremolata: Wild Grub Unplugged

Raw meat over a flame — there’s nothing like it. It’s been that way since man discovered fire. It’s primitive, barbaric, and wild: a true bridge of legacy from the past to the present. You can almost feel yourself go back in time when you place a giant piece of raw gamemeat over a sizzling flame and wait with eager anticipation to fill your stomach, eating barehanded, juices dripping down your face and chest as you devour your recent kill.

OK, maybe not that dramatic; people might start asking questions if you go full caveman. But you get the point. I’m a huge open-fire grilling fan, when I have the time and resources. I will always argue that real woods such as oak, apple or pecan will always taste the best when cooking, but before we get into this excellent recipe for grilled venison backstrap with a charred scallion gremolata, I’m going to rank my favorite grill methods — not that you asked for it, but you’re getting it anyway:

• Live fire with real wood
• Live fire with lump charcoal
• Charcoal briquette
• Propane
• Pellets

This isn’t a debate, just my opinion. Regardless, you have to admit there’s nothing quite like throwing on a loincloth and squatting next to a fire while watching meat cook. The neighbors are always a bit confused, but now they can see I’m nuts…yeah, that was a total dad joke. For the uninitiated, you must know that grilled meat is nothing without a marinade or a sauce. 

I chose not to marinate this backstrap, and let me tell you, it was a big mistake. It was clearly lacking that extra flavor and moistness that comes with a wet marinade or brine, but the charred scallion gremolata provided the much needed seasoning punch and moisture to this delicious meal. So, don’t make the same mistake I did; throw the backstrap in your favorite marinade beforehand for at least an hour. If you don’t have a go-to recipe, don’t sleep on Italian dressing as a marinade. Now you know. 

I was very blessed to shoot two does during the same sit toward the close of rifle season. It should be noted that my home state of Tennessee allows hunters to take three does per day — yeah, you read that right. 

I was shooting my Browning X-Bolt 2 chambered in .308 Winchester, loaded with a Nosler 165-grain Solid Base Whitetail Country ammo and scoped with a Leupold VX-5HD: an insanely deadly and accurate combination, if I do say so myself. 

I had three does feeding below my tower stand for what felt like an eternity. Due to the height of the stand and the angle, I wasn’t comfortable taking a shot that I didn’t need to take. I highly encourage anybody, if there is ever an ounce of uncertainty, to take a big breath and always think about your shot before pulling that trigger. It’s a simple, personal rule: I never want to take a shot that might not prove lethal. 

So, after about 30 minutes, they wandered across a creek and into a clearing into the woods about 40 yards from me. I waited for a perfect broadside shot, centered my crosshairs right behind her front shoulder, took a deep breath, and fired. 

I dropped her immediately with a shot to the heart. I had only planned to shoot one deer that day but the hunting gods had other plans. Another doe that was with the deer I shot ran about 20 yards, and stopped, giving another perfect broadside shot. So, with a three-doe limit, I decided to shoot her, too. 

She stumbled a few yards and immediately dropped with a double lung shot. That combination continues to impress and amaze me, and I’m super excited to continue hunting with this rifle, optic, and ammo combo. I'm comfortable and confident with that setup, and that’s all that matters to me in a hunting rig.

• 2-3 pounds of whole venison backstrap
• Olive Oil
• Your favorite seasoning. I’m using Fire and Smoke Society’s Black and Tan Seasoning
• Zest from 1/2 of a lemon
• Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1 cup of parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced
• 3 sprigs of green onion
• 2 teaspoon of honey
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Remove meat from the refrigerator at least one hour before you put it on the grill.

• Set grill to 450 degrees.

• Rub meat with olive oil and the seasoning of your choice.

• Place on grill and grill for 4-6 minutes on each side or until the doneness of your choice (I prefer a medium rare so my internal temperature goal is about 135 degrees).

• When you flip your meat over on the grill, place your 3 scallions on indirect heat off to the side of the grill.

• When your meat is done go ahead and pull your scallions off, too.

• Let your meat rest for about 10 minutes on the counter while you make the charred scallion gremolata

• Finely chop the charred scallion.

• In a bowl add chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, garlic, olive oil and charred scallion. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.

• With a very sharp knife, I’m using the Montana Knife Company’s Bighorn Chef’s knife, slice venison into thick pieces and add gremolata on top.

• Enjoy!

For More Great Wild Grub Unplugged Dishes, check these out:
Korean Fried Wild Turkey 
Easy Wild Tukey Francese Recipe