Pan Seared Venison Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Butter

A seared and sliced venison tenderloin basted with garlic herb butter and sprinkled with flaky salt sits in a cast iron pan.

4.89 from 27 votes

Pan Seared Venison Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Butter

Tender and juicy fresh venison tenderloins are seasoned simply and seared perfectly in a cast iron skillet before being topped with a garlic herb butter that is loaded with flavor. There are no gamey venison steaks here when you use this fool-proof cooking method!

Prep Time1

Cook Time12

Total Time1 12

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Garlic Herb Butter, Seared Venison Tenderloin, Venison, Venison Steaks, Venison Tenderloin

Servings: servings

Calories: 535kcal

Author: Amanda Gajdosik

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

For the Venison Tenderloin

1 ½ pounds fresh venison tenderloin, cut into two equal pieces
1 tablespoon Kosher salt, more or less to taste
2 teaspoons Freshly cracked black pepper, more or less to taste

For the Garlic Herb Butter:

½ cup salted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, for cooking

Instructions

24 hours ahead of time, pat the tenderloin dry with paper towel and season liberally on all sides with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, more or less, to taste. (I season meat like I am still working in restaurants, and I know not everyone does that).
Leave the tenderloin uncovered and place in the fridge overnight.
An hour before cooking, remove the tenderloin from the fridge. (It is important to allow any meat you’re cooking to warm slightly before cooking to avoid it becoming tough.)
While the tenderloin warms, mix together ½ cup room temperature salted butter with 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves, and 1 tablespoon minced thyme leaves. Set garlic herb butter aside.
When ready to cook, place a cast iron pan over high heat and allow to heat for 2 minutes. Add in 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or another high heat oil, such as avocado) and heat until shimmering. Add the tenderloin pieces to the pan, being sure not to touch, move, or disturb the meat (this is how you get a lovely crust on the meat). Cook tenderloin for 5 minutes and flip. Add a generous dollop of garlic herb butter to the top of each piece of venison.
Cook for another 5 – 8 minutes more, depending on how done you like your tenderloin. As the venison cooks, the butter will melt around it.
During the last two minutes of cooking, carefully tilt the pan so the butter gathers in one area of the pan. Continually spoon the melted butter onto the tenderloin to baste it, being sure to get all those good bits of garlic and herbs onto the meat.
Remove the venison from the pan and allow to rest on a plate for five minutes before slicing and serving. If desired, drizzle even more of the pan drippings and flaky salt onto the sliced venison!

Notes

If you don't have 24 hours to season the tenderloin in advance, 12 hours will suffice. And 1 or 2 hours will work in a pinch.
Refer to post for ingredients substitutions.

Nutrition