Smoking deer/elk

Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,796
2,162
Eastern Nebraska
I'm looking for different recipes for smoking elk and deer steaks. I typically cook my meat on a grill to a medium rare but recently a good friend bought a smoker. We have done bacon wrapped deer back strap that turned out pretty good but I'm interested in hearing how other use their smoker on venison. Thanks in advance for sharing your technique/recipes.
 

libidilatimmy

Veteran member
Oct 22, 2013
1,140
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Wyoming
I have an electric smoker with controlled thermostat and timer that I run all the time, especially during the long winter months. I use it to make my own sausage, jerky, and roasts out of wild game both big and small. For big game, I usually smoke the roasts using a simple brine that I mix up and let soak overnight to help keep from drying out, cover the top of the roast with bacon, and smoke around 250 till the internal temp is around 140-145. The best thing to do is experiment with the thing as it's pretty hard to make a bad meal in one using a little common sense.
 

Work2hunt

Veteran member
Mar 2, 2013
1,366
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St. Louis, MO
I use a Bradley electric smoker for salmon, summer sausage and snack sticks.

For my summer sausage (vension or elk) I use Hi Mountain summer sausage spices to start my recipe. I mix pork shoulder butt with my game meat at a 1:4 ratio. I add 8 jalapenoes (no seeds) per lb, 1 lb of high temp chedder cheese per 10 lbs, and 2 Tbsp of soy protein concentrate per 1lb of meat. I cook at 100°F for 1 hr then turn the smoke on for a total of 3 hours (9 bradley hickory smoke pucks). I then smoke/cook at 130° for 2 hrs, 150° for 2 hrs (halfway through this I stop smoking and just cook), 180°F until my internal meat probe tells me the meat is at 156°F.

For my snack sticks (vension or elk) I use PS Seasoning and Spice or Cabelas Smokehouse in a hot snack stick. I mix pork shoulder butt with my game meat at a 1:4 ratio. Sometimes I will also add 1 lb of high temp cheddar per 10lbs and always 2-3 Tbsp of soy protein concentrate per 1lb of meat. I smoke to the same profile as above.

I've also made smoke macaroni and cheese, smoked almonds, and cold smoked cheese in my smoker.
 

OregonJim

Very Active Member
Feb 19, 2014
795
0
Oregon Coast
I'm looking for different recipes for smoking elk and deer steaks. I typically cook my meat on a grill to a medium rare but recently a good friend bought a smoker. We have done bacon wrapped deer back strap that turned out pretty good but I'm interested in hearing how other use their smoker on venison. Thanks in advance for sharing your technique/recipes.
I'll send you a pm with a highly guarded recipe after work !
 
Have you tried making ham out of the roasts or larger primal cuts? LEM Products sells ham making kits. I have used the "Sweeter then Sweet" kit with rump roasts from deer and goose breasts and it turned out awesome! Directions are in the kit and it is a different twist on venison. After injecting them and then brining them for about 3 to 5 days depending on the size of the cut of meat I smoke them at 200-225 until they hit 165. (double check the finish temp in the directions I am typing this from memory) It stays moist as I wrap them with bacon before I put them in the included ham nets before putting them in the smoker. I have also made corned venison and smoked it up the same way. You can google up the recipe no problem for that.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
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Dolores, Colorado
You will have to be careful with steaks. They are really lean and will dry out pretty quick. If I was doing some I would try to just get the smoke flavor in them and then put them on the grill. Set the smoker on low temp 125 to 150 for an hour or so. You will probably have to experiment a little to get them where you want them as far as smoke flavor.
 

OregonJim

Very Active Member
Feb 19, 2014
795
0
Oregon Coast
You inspired me HillTop.
Had to thaw out one of my last packs of Elk Back Strap.
I dropped them in the marinade today for a 2 hour smoke on the pellet grill Monday.
We have been in freezer clean out mode, thats why I only have a couple of packs left.
The last two packs (from a Rosie) will make the pilgrimage to WY for pre hunt dinner.
 

ivorytip

Veteran member
Mar 24, 2012
3,760
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SE Idaho
You will have to be careful with steaks. They are really lean and will dry out pretty quick. If I was doing some I would try to just get the smoke flavor in them and then put them on the grill. Set the smoker on low temp 125 to 150 for an hour or so. You will probably have to experiment a little to get them where you want them as far as smoke flavor.
this comes out so awesome!
 

Hilltop

Veteran member
Feb 25, 2014
3,796
2,162
Eastern Nebraska
You inspired me HillTop.
Had to thaw out one of my last packs of Elk Back Strap.
I dropped them in the marinade today for a 2 hour smoke on the pellet grill Monday.
We have been in freezer clean out mode, thats why I only have a couple of packs left.
The last two packs (from a Rosie) will make the pilgrimage to WY for pre hunt dinner.
Let us know how they turned out please.
 

tdub24

Veteran member
Dec 15, 2011
1,328
553
Carlin, NV
You will have to be careful with steaks. They are really lean and will dry out pretty quick. If I was doing some I would try to just get the smoke flavor in them and then put them on the grill. Set the smoker on low temp 125 to 150 for an hour or so. You will probably have to experiment a little to get them where you want them as far as smoke flavor.
Pretty much how i do steaks as well, but my smoker is a constant 250 with no adjustment, so I only smoke them for 10-15 then finish on the grill.