Our signature recipe for a juicy rack of venison is incredibly tasty and deceptively simple to prepare, with an herb crust that will dazzle your taste buds and delight your guests.

Overhead shot of slate board with rack of venison on top with a few slices arranged on it with carving knife and fork.

Cut from the saddle, a venison rack is red deer meat, often cut as bone-in venison chops for a beautiful presentation. Two common misconceptions about venison are that it’s hard to find and that it’s tough or gamey meat. Neither are true. While venison is traditionally wild game, you’ll be able to find a gorgeous cut of juicy venison at some online butcher shops and markets.

And, while the fatty bits may have a slightly wild taste, the body of the meat is rich, earthy, and smooth. My herb-crusted roast rack of venison accentuates the deeper flavors of the meat with a coating of mouth-watering herbs sealed on by a mustard rub.

Close up of medium rare slices of venison rib rack on a board with garnish.

Why You’ll Love Herb Crusted Roasted Venison Rack

Perfect for the snowy season, Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, or for an outdoor dinner on a balmy summer night, this herb-crusted roast venison rack is a step away from the ordinary that will satisfy your palate. Pair it with potatoes, veggies, or risotto for a remarkably easy five-star meal in the comfort of your home.

What we love most about this recipe is that it turns even the biggest skeptic into a fan of deer meat. It’s simple and looks absolutely beautiful when served.

Ingredients for herb crusted rack of venison in the oven.

Ingredients: 

Cooking venison using this recipe is so simple, you’ll feel like a five-star chef even if it’s your first time. For this easy venison recipe, you’ll want a frenched venison rib rack, meaning a cut where the bones have been cleaned on one end so that they form what many people colloquially describe as “handles.”

While you can likely find a decent cut at a local market in your area, my favorite suppliers of the most prized venison cuts are a few online meat vendors like Wild Fork Foods or Fossil Farms. This recipe is surprisingly straightforward for such a decadent venison roast, with a fresh herb crust that will bring out a great taste to the red meat.

For the venison rib rack

  • Rack of Venison – 8 bones, Frenched. Not sure where to buy venison? Check out our list of the best online meat delivery services for where we order meat online.
  • Mustard – go for a smooth Dijon
  • Salt – we always use kosher salt

For the herb crust: 

  • Steak seasoning
  • Rosemary, freshly minced
  • Thyme, freshly minced 
  • Canola Oil 

To Serve:

  • Finely Minced Parsley, rosemary, and thyme
  • Freshly ground black pepper

How to Make Roasted Rack of Venison

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F

Then, prep the venison:

Pat the rack of venison dry using a clean cloth or paper towel. If needed, remove the silverskin and trim the roast. Simply slide a knife under the silverskin and press up. Using a paper towel, pull back and the entire silverskin should come off in one slow and steady pull. But sometimes it takes a few attempts to remove it all. We recommend this flexible filet knife when trimming meat.

Coat the meat with mustard, making sure to get an even coverage. Liberally season the venison rib rack with kosher salt.

In a small bowl, combine the steak seasoning, rosemary and thyme.

Press the seasoning mixture onto the meat, coating all sides and the edges. 

Next, sear the meat:

Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil until you see a hint of smoke. 

Carefully place the rack of venison into the hot pan and sear on all sides, using long tongs to rotate the roast. Sear the meat for about 5 to 7 minutes total. 

Finish the venison in the oven:

Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 25 to 30 more minutes. Ensure that the roast has reached an internal temperature of 135 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer

Finally, Rest and Serve: 

Remove the rib rack from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. 

To serve, slice the rack of venison along the bones to create individual portions. 

Garnish with the freshly minced herb mixture and black pepper. 

Overhead shot of three slices of rosey pink centered venison rib rack.

How to Serve this Rack of Venison

After resting and garnishing, your herb-crusted roasted rack of venison is ready to serve immediately!

But while this venison rack makes an excellent main, you’ll likely want a sauce to complete it and some sides to balance out the meal. Luckily, I’ve got just the stuff for the perfect pairings.

I recommend my signature Red Wine Pan Sauce, which should be poured liberally over the plated venison rack for the best-tasting result. When it comes to sides, you can go more traditional with my Smoked Baked Potatoes or Homestyle Mashed Potatoes, but why not treat yourself? Serving venison rack is a high-quality affair, making it a perfect excuse to try my Umami Smoked Mushrooms or Roasted Vegetable Risotto. And, for all you keto folks, give my Steakhouse Keto Creamed Spinach a whirl!

Pair this with a beautiful pinot noir or dry cab.

Storage

Cooked venison should be stored in an airtight food storage container and placed directly in the refrigerator, where it will keep safely for 3 to 4 days.

Reheating Leftovers

When reheating a cooked venison rack, you’ll want to avoid making it taste gamey. The best way to do so with the least fuss is by reheating it in the oven.

To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Let the venison sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes (this allows it to breathe a bit), then place your venison rib rack on a tray lined with tin foil and cook it for 30 to 40 minutes, ensuring it reaches an internal temperature of at least 135 degrees F. Let the venison rest 5 to 10 minutes before reserving.

Overhead shot of rack of venison, with portions slices on a slate board with roasted carrots and leeks nearby on a wooden table.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best way to cook a venison rack?

For this recipe, we’re oven roasting our venison rack, but that’s not the only way you can prepare it. Grilled venison or smoking it are other popular choices, though grilling venison will require a more hands-on cooking technique, and we wanted this rib rack cooked perfectly through, edge to edge.

How do you cook venison so it’s tender?

For this recipe, we’re searing the venison before roasting it at 400 degrees F, which will ensure that it nearly falls off the bone when it’s time to eat. Making sure not to overcook the meat will help; use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temp is 135 degrees F before letting it rest and rise another 5 degrees to serve. A perfect medium rare cook helps this cut to remain tender.
However, many chefs swear the most tender venison can be made with a slow cooker, which is perfect for slowly tenderizing tough cuts, but not ideal for a cut like this if you want to slice into it.

What spices are good on deer meat?

This recipe calls for mustard, salt, steak seasoning, rosemary, and thyme, creating a perfect blend of spices that allows the flavor of this wild meat to shine through. But don’t be afraid to experiment!
Many people use fruits such as cherries, blackberries, or apples to make competes to serve over top, while others recommend spices like star anise, allspice, juniper, and cloves.
We also happen to think our spice line is amazing on venison with Ooomami bringing depth and Over Easy being an easy herbaceous crust.
Alcohol-based sauces can also be effective at enrichening the flavor too. I recommend pairing this venison rack recipe with my Red Wine Pan Sauce or a brandy cream sauce.

Showing a rack of venison with three slices carved on a slake board with carving fork and knife and herbs.

MORE DELICIOUS VENISON RECIPES

If you enjoyed this herb-crusted roasted venison rack, or any other savory recipe on Girl Carnivore as much as I do, let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share it with friends and family! Your feedback is what keeps me motivated to keep sharing the best meat recipes on the web!

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Herb Crusted Roasted Rack of Venison

5 from 22 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Roasted venison rack, carved between the bones to show medium rare center.
This delicious roasted rack of venison is coated with an herb crust, seared in cast iron, and then finished in the oven for perfect medium-rare tender slices.

Ingredients  

For the Venison Rib Rack

  • 1 Rack of Venison 8 bones
  • 2 tbsp Mustard
  • 1 tbsp Salt

For the herb crust:

  • 1 tbsp Steak seasoning
  • 1 tbsp Rosemary fresh minced
  • 1 tbsp Thyme fresh minced
  • 2 tbsp Canola Oil

To Serve

  • Finely Minced Parsley rosemary and thyme
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

Preheat the Oven:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

Prep the Venison Roast:

  • Pat the rack of venison dry.
  • Coat the meat with mustard. Liberally season with salt.
  • In a small bowl, combine the steak seasoning, rosemary and thyme.
  • Press the seasoning mixture onto the meat, coating all sides and the edges.

Sear:

  • Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil until just beginning to smoke.
  • Carefully place the rack of venison into the hot pan and sear on all sides, using long tongs to rotate the roast, about 5 to 7 minutes total.

Oven Roast:

  • Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 25 to 30 more minutes, until the roast has reached an internal temperature of 135 degrees F with a digital meat thermometer.

Rest and Serve:

  • Remove the rib rack from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
  • To serve, slice the rack of venison along the bones to create individual portions.
  • Garnish with the freshly minced herb mixture and black pepper.

Notes

Slice and serve along the bones, serving 2 slices per person.
We love this dish served with a creamy horseradish sauce or a rich red wine pan sauce. 
Dried herbs are not recommended for this recipe. Freshly minced herbs are far more fragrant and add a wonderful note to this rib roast. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 74g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 271mg | Sodium: 2484mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 12mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Author: Kita Roberts

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Well, Hey, Y’all.

Kita is a multi-talented individual, boasting numerous accomplishments such as being an award-winning recipe developer, world-traveled professional photographer, and journalist. As the lead creative force behind Girl Carnivore®, she is widely recognized as an authority on all things meat.

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Comments

    1. Hey Luke, I would check the temp w/ the digital meat thermometer after the sear and shorten the time to 15 minutes(depending on how thick the meat is), and check again at that point. Bet it’s going to be a beautiful roast.