Country Fried Deer Recipe for the Opening of Deer Season (4 Ingredients, 20 Minutes) by Donna John

With the beginning of deer season comes the freezer full of processed deer meat – and you'll need new venison recipes. Confession: I made this country fried deer strips recipe for my husband, but to be honest, I was the one who couldn't stop eating them. These chicken-fried venison strips are absolutely delicious and entirely too easy to pop into your mouth – again and again. Yes, I will be making this venison recipe again next week. The deer was that good and that easy to make for dinner.

I found this recipe in Brenda Gantt's cookbook Linger Around the Table Y'all. I discovered Brenda's fun cooking videos while scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed. Before I knew it, I had lost all track of time watching video after video of her making all sorts of downhome, country recipes. Before I could even think about it, I bought both of her cookbooks.

If you have deer in the freezer, take some out to thaw and make this pan-fried deer strips recipe. You won't regret it. All you'll need is venison tenderloin or backstrap, buttermilk, flour and vegetable oil to fry them up in. The deer is seasoned with salt and black pepper, coated with buttermilk and then flour, then are cooked quickly in oil until crispy and golden brown. Another bonus of this venison recipe is that it is on the table in 20 minutes with minimal prep. This recipe would also work with beef, pork or chicken.

Photo credit (all photos): Donna John

Brenda likes to cover her deer in water with 2 tablespoons of salt before she cooks it. She lets it soak overnight in the fridge if she has time. This method helps draw out the blood and reduce the gamey taste. Rinse the meat well after soaking. I did not soak my meat at all, just rinsed it a few times.

Serve these southern fried deer strips as a high-protein dinner with your favorite side dishes. I recommend southern squash and onions, quick succotash, mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. I served mine (this time!) with cream peas, a small Yukon gold baked potato and Julia Child's grated zucchini.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 3 cups deer strips (cut from backstrap or tenderloin)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup flour (you can use gluten-free flour)
• vegetable oil, for frying

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cut the deer tenderloin or backstrap into strips.
   
2. Put the deer strips into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the buttermilk and stir to coat the strips.
   
3. Add the flour and stir to completely coat the meat. If the meat is sticky, add more flour. (You could add some garlic powder or onion powder to the flour. For a gluten-free dinner, use gluten-free flour.)
   
4. Heat about 1/2 an inch of oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the deer strips in a single layer (don't crowd the pan) to the hot oil and cook until golden brown on one side.
   
5. Carefully flip the meat over and cook until golden brown on the other side.
   
6. Remove to a paper towel. Sprinkle with a little more salt, if desired. Serve hot.
   
   

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