Breaking Down a Venison Saddle
Two backstraps, two tenderloins, and a great deal of stock.
A saddle is the middle section of a deer — from behind the ribs to the top of the hindquarters. Break it down properly and you get four prime cuts (two backstraps, two tenderloins) plus enough bone to build a bordelaise you'll dream about. Roe deer, red deer, fallow — same drill, different scale.
Watch a demonstration
How to Butcher a Deer
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How to do it
- 01
Trim the silver skin off the top
Along the top of the saddle sits a silver membrane — get under it with the knife tip and peel it away in long strips. Anything left will contract in the pan and toughen the loin.
~5 min - 02
Remove the first backstrap
Turn the saddle spine-up. Run your knife tight along one side of the spine, following the bone with the tip. Keep it in contact — never cut into the meat. In four or five passes, the whole backstrap lifts away.
~8 min - 03
Repeat on the other side
Same technique, other side of the spine. Two long, glistening backstraps — the tournedos, the medallions, the venison Wellington.
~8 min - 04
Take the tenderloins
Flip the saddle. Underneath the ribcage, tucked against the spine, are two small tenderloins — an inch thick, six inches long, and the softest meat on the animal. Cut them out with the boning knife tip.
~4 min - 05
Trim, portion, wrap
Trim any last silver skin and side sinew. Portion the backstrap into 4cm medallions (35-40g each), or leave whole for a roast. Vacuum-pack or wrap tight in cling film. Keep the tenderloin whole and cook it that night.
~5 min