Reverse-Seared Venison Chops With Fresh Herbs
Learn how to make juicy reverse‑seared venison chops with fresh herbs, garlic butter, and perfect medium‑rare results every time.
Reverse-Seared Venison Chops With Fresh Herbs
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Category
Main Dish
Cuisine
American
Author:
This recipe comes from Matt Pittman, CEO of Meat Church BBQ, YouTube personality, and friend of Montana Knife Company.
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Calories
280
If you’ve been wondering how to cook venison chops without drying them out, the reverse sear is your answer. Venison is lean, so pulling it at the right temperature makes all the difference between a perfect medium-rare chop and a tough, overcooked one.
These reverse-seared venison chops get smoked low and slow on the rack, then sliced and seared in a cast iron skillet with garlic herb butter. The reverse-sear method gives you total control over the internal temperature, so the meat stays juicy and pink from edge to edge.
This venison chops recipe is one of the best ways to cook a whole venison rib rack. Smoking the rack first builds a layer of flavor, and finishing individual chops in butter with fresh rosemary, thyme, and garlic takes them over the top.
Ingredients
A great venison chops recipe starts with a quality rib rack and a sharp, clean knife for trimming silver skin and slicing individual chops.
For the venison chops:
-
1 whole venison rib rack
- Beef seasoning rub (Meat Church Holy Cow works well; Holy Gospel is a great alternative)
-
Coarse cracked black pepper
-
Olive oil
For the garlic herb butter finish:
-
1/2 stick unsalted butter
-
3–6 cloves of garlic, crushed
-
Fresh rosemary
-
Fresh thyme
-
Fresh oregano
Tools:
-
Cast iron skillet or griddle for searing
-
Thermoworks instant-read thermometer
- A sharp, clean knife
Directions
Cooking venison chops with the reverse-sear method is done in three stages: smoke, slice, and sear in butter.
Prep the venison rib rack for smoking
Set up your pellet grill or smoker at 250°F. Hickory, mesquite, or oak all work well for venison chops.
If you don’t have a smoker, create a two-zone fire on a charcoal grill by pushing the coals to one side. The venison chops will cook on the cooler side, away from direct heat.
Trim and season the venison chops rack
- Remove any excess fat or silver skin from the rib rack with a sharp kitchen knife. Trimming the silver skin removes the “gamey” taste some people notice with wild game.
Apply a light coating of olive oil to act as a binder. Season the rack moderately with your beef rub, then add coarse cracked black pepper all around the meat. Let the seasoning set for at least 15 minutes before the rack goes on the smoker.
Smoke the venison rib rack low and slow
Place the rib rack directly on the cooking grate. If you’re using a two-zone grill setup, position the rack over the cooler side.
Smoke until the thickest part of the rack hits 120°F internal temperature. At 250°F, this takes about 35–45 minutes depending on the size of the rack.
Rest the venison chops before slicing
Pull the rack once it reaches 120°F internal. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Resting gives the juices time to redistribute through the meat. The internal temperature will continue to climb a few degrees during this step, so don’t skip it.
Slice the rack into individual venison chops
Grab a freshly sharpened knife and slice the rack into individual chops or double chops. Clean cuts between the bones keep the presentation tight and make each venison chop uniform for searing.
Sear the venison chops in garlic herb butter
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Slowly melt the butter and add the garlic and fresh herbs. Don’t let the pan get too hot, or the butter will burn.
Sear each venison chop for 30–60 seconds per side. Use a spoon to baste and coat each chop in the garlic herb butter as it cooks. Pull the chops at 130–135°F internal for a perfect medium-rare finish.
Recipe Note
Chef’s Secrets for Perfect Venison Chops
These tips will help you nail the reverse sear and get the most out of your venison chops recipe:
Pull the venison chops at 120°F during the smoke, not at your target temp. The cast iron sear adds 10–15°F of carryover. Pulling too late means overcooked, dry venison chops with no way to save them.
Keep the butter at a gentle simmer when you sear your venison chops. If the butter starts smoking, the pan is too hot. Lower the heat and add a splash of peanut oil to raise the smoke point without losing flavor.
Trim the silver skin completely before seasoning your venison chops. Silver skin doesn’t render down during cooking. It stays tough and chewy, and it’s the main source of that gamey flavor people complain about.
Use fresh herbs, not dried, for the butter baste when cooking venison chops. Fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano release their oils into the hot butter and infuse every chop as you baste. Dried herbs can’t match that level of flavor.
Let the seasoning sit for at least 15 minutes before smoking your venison chops. The salt in the rub draws moisture to the surface, and the olive oil binder helps the seasoning lock in. Rushing this step means the rub slides off during the cook.
This venison chops recipe delivers tender, smoky meat with a butter-basted crust that’s packed with garlic and fresh herbs. The reverse-sear method is the most reliable way to learn how to cook venison chops without drying them out.
Once you’ve tried this approach to venison chops, you won’t go back to cooking them any other way. The smoke builds a flavor base, the cast iron gives you that seared crust, and the herb butter ties it all together. Slice, plate, and dig in.
