How to Make the Best Venison Barbecue

John Vile

Barbecue season is in full swing, this is a perfect recipe to turn that big game roast you just found in the bottom of your freezer into some delicious BBQ sandwiches. Venison barbecue is very simple but does require brining the roast for 2-3 days before placing it in the smoker. After smoking, I like to cut the roast into thin slices and pile the meat on a brioche bun with some fresh homemade pickles and a light drizzle of good BBQ sauce.

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THE BEST VENISON BARBECUE RECIPE

Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 Minutes
Cooking time: 2 Hours

VENISON BARBECUE INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 round roasts from whitetail deer
• BBQ rub
• Cooking oil
• BBQ sauce
• Brioche buns
• Homemade pickles
• Brine
• 1 cup Kosher salt
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 4-5 tablespoons BBQ rub
• 2 cans lager beer

PREPARATION

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer and add salt, BBQ sauce, molasses, and BBQ rub and stir until the salt and rub dissolve.
2. Remove the brine from the heat and allow it to cool a bit before adding the beer. Finally, add enough water to the brine to make 1 gallon and place it in the refrigerator or on ice to cool completely.
3. Add the round roasts to a Ziploc bag and pour enough cold brine to thoroughly cover all the pieces. Squeeze out any excess air and place the Ziploc bag in a large bowl and place it in the refrigerator or in a cooler on ice for 2-3 days. This recipe will not use all brine, so the excess can be poured in a plastic jug and frozen for later use. The excess brine is great for chicken and pork, although I cut the soak time down to 12-24 hours for domestic meat.
4. Once the brining time is complete, simply remove the deer roasts and place them on a sheet pan. Pat each piece lightly with paper towels and sprinkle with the BBQ rub and apply a light drizzle of cooking oil.
5. Heat your smoker or grill to 225 degrees Fahrenheit using fruit wood like cherry or apple.
6. Add the venison and smoke for 2-4 hours depending on the size of the roast, until they hit and internal temperature of 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Allow roasts to rest on a cutting board for 20-30 minutes. Thinly slice the roasts against the grain and pile slice on a brioche bun with some fresh pickles and drizzle with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Article and photo courtesy of Harvesting Nature. Click here to subscribe to the quarterly Harvesting Nature magazine, And Click here to enjoy the latest episode of the wild fish and game podcast.

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