This easy venison tenderloin roast recipe is the perfect opportunity to use the venison you brought home from your last hunting trip! Tender and juicy with a simple, yet delicious, seasoning, this venison tenderloin roast is always a good dinner choice. You can even wrap the roast with bacon to make it even more flavorful!
Easy Venison Tenderloin Roast
Do you have a fridge or freezer full of venison that you’re trying to decide what to do with? This venison tenderloin roast is the perfect solution! It is so simple that even a beginner cook could make it!
Venison is already known for having a rich, earthy flavor, so all you need to do is add a bit of seasoning and let the oven work its magic! Wrap the tenderloins in bacon to add an extra savory and crispy layer that every meat-lover will go crazy for!
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
The star of this recipe is venison, which is meat from a deer. Venison cannot be bought in most stores, so you will need to know a hunter!
- Venison – 1½ pounds of venison tenderloin (2 tenderloin roast portions).
- Olive Oil – 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
- Salt & Pepper – ¼ teaspoon of salt & pepper (to taste).
- Onion Powder – ¼ teaspoon of onion powder.
- Garlic Powder – ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Paprika – ¼ teaspoon of paprika.
- Bacon – 6 slices of bacon (optional, thick-cut bacon is recommended for wrapping the tenderloins).
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 How To Make Venison Tenderloin Roast
This venison tenderloin roast is incredibly easy to make! You will need a basting brush, meat thermometer, and roasting pan.
This recipe makes 6 servings with 3 servings per tenderloin. If you have a lot of venison on hand, you can easily scale this up if you need to.
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook Bacon (Optional). If you are choosing to wrap the tenderloins in bacon, place 6 strips onto a baking rack that is on a baking sheet. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the bacon is only partially cooked, but still flexible. Set aside.
- Season the Roast. Brush the 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the 1½ pounds of tenderloin and season them with ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper.
- Wrap with Bacon (Optional). If you are using the bacon, wrap it around the tenderloins.
- Roast. Place the tenderloins into the roasting pan and roast them at 375°F (190°C) on the center oven rack until the internal temperature of the venison reads 145°F (65°C), taking about 1 hour (*see note).
- Rest. Move the roasted tenderloins to a serving tray and loosely cover them with foil. Let the tenderloins rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
This venison tenderloin roast would taste amazing with some oven-roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli! Of course, it's also an elevated dinner option that pairs wonderfully with my fondant potatoes too! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- The weight and size of your tenderloins can vary, so make sure to check the internal temperature of the venison.
- Storing: Leftovers should be placed in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy within 2-3 days.
- Reheating: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Let the venison come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking. Place the tenderloins on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until warmed to your satisfaction.
What Is The Difference Between Venison Loin And Tenderloin?
On deer, the loin (also called the backstrap) is the cut of meat that runs along the length of the spine. Tenderloin, on the other hand, is inside the deer’s abdominal cavity and is an extremely tender cut of meat.
Both cuts are extremely tender and delicious, and definitely my favorite portions to cook with!
What Does Venison Taste Like?
Venison is red meat, so it does have a similar taste to beef. It is often described as rich or earthy. In other words, it’s delicious!
Is Venison Deer?
Usually, venison is used to refer to the meat of a deer. However, it could also refer to elk, moose, or reindeer.
🥩 More Meaty Main Courses!
- Veal Scallopini
- Grilled Lamb Chops
- Duck Confit
- Roasted Leg of Lamb
- Pan Seared Duck Breast
- Pan Seared Hangar Steak
📋 Recipe
Venison Tenderloin Roast
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon (optional, thick-cut bacon is recommended)
- 1 ½ lbs venison tenderloin (2 tenderloin roast portions)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- ¼ teaspoon salt & pepper (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- (Optional) If you are wrapping your roast with bacon, place 6 slices on a wire cooling or baking rack that is on a baking sheet. Once the oven has preheated, bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the bacon is just partially cooked but still flexible. Remove from your oven and set aside.6 slices bacon
- Brush the olive oil over the venison tenderloins and season them with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.1 ½ lbs venison tenderloin, 2 teaspoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt & pepper, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika
- If using the optional bacon, wrap it around the tenderloins, then place the tenderloins into the roasting pan.
- Roast at 375°F (190°C) in the center of your oven's middle rack until the internal temperature of the venison reads 145°F (65°C), about 1 hour.
- Transfer the roasted tenderloins to a serving tray or cutting board and cover them loosely with foil. Rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- The weight and size of your tenderloins can vary, so make sure to check the internal temperature of the venison.
- Storing: Leftovers should be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated. Enjoy within 2-3 days.
- Reheating: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Let the venison sit at room temperature for 20 - 30 minutes before reheating. Place the tenderloins on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes or until heated to your satisfaction.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Anonymous says
Do you wrap the tenderloin in foil while cooking?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
No, it's not needed. Thanks for asking!
Anonymous says
Im not familiar with venison. Can deer loin be cooked the same way as the tenderloin using this recipe?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Venison refers to antlered game animals like deer or elk (and this was deer tenderloin in the recipe). You can use either and it will work wonderfully!
Anonymous says
Thanks for leaving temp for oven
Emily Nielsen says
Super easy and super delicious!