It's Backstrap Season

By Guy Perkins, Camp Chef

One of our favorite ways to cook backstraps is to blacken the sides in a cast iron skillet, then finish it off in the oven. Backstraps have a tendency to roll up as they cook, so I score them 1/4 inch deep every few inches on both sides to help them lay flat in the skillet.

Blackening is really just over browning with the help of hot oil and your favorite seasoning. Try to select seasoning with low sugar because it burns quickly when the oil gets hot. Typically I heat the oil and then coat the pan with my selected seasoning. Lay one side of the backstrap down until it is blackened, then roll it over onto the undisturbed seasonings. When both sides are blackened, cover the skillet and place it in a 250° oven for 30 minutes. Let the meat rest 5 or 10 minutes before slicing to redistribute the juices back into the meat.

The ends will be medium-well done, for the folks who like that finish on their meat. The rest will stay pretty consistent all the way through and land at medium or medium-rare, depending on the time it spends in the oven. Give this recipe a try next time you are lucky enough to have whole backstraps.