Grilled antelope tenderloin is an amazingly tender and juicy piece of meat. This cut of meat is very lean. The hickory-smoked bacon wrap is important because it gives the tenderloin just the right amount of fat and salt. Before wrapping with bacon though, we first marinate the pronghorn meat for two hours in a delicious marinade made up of red wine, mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Then its a sprinkling of fresh herbs and seasoned salt before finally wrapping in bacon.
For this recipe you will need: tenderloin, hickory-smoked bacon, dry red wine, soy sauce, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, honey, fresh rosemary and thyme, Montreal steak seasoning.
Grilled antelope tenderloin -- first the hunt
When we started our blog four years ago we never dreamed we'd be posting a recipe for grilled pronghorn tenderloin. But here we are doing just that.
Until recently, no-one in our family took an interest in hunting. Our son, Jason, got the hunting bug. He went from deer hunting in his home state of Indiana, to traveling to Casper, Wyoming, to try his hand at getting a pronghorn antelope.
We thought that this game meat would be like the venison steak that we had enjoyed. In fact, we thought that this North American mammal was just a miniature deer.
We were wrong!
Pronghorn antelope -- interesting facts
- It's Latin name, Antilocapra americana, means American goat-antelope, but it's not a member of either family nor is it a member of the deer family.
- The pronghorn is North America's fastest land mammal traveling up to 60 mph. That is really clicking!! I don't think you'd be able to chase that animal down.
- The speedy mammal is acutely aware of its surroundings. They have large eyes and can see 320 degrees around. We used to kid that mom's had eyes in the back of their heads, apparently, pronghorns do.
- They have horns, not antlers.
- Lewis and Clark were the first ones to scientifically document Pronghorn Antelope even though they've been in North America for over a million years.
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Tips for cooking the pronghorn tenderloin
Since we were unfamiliar with the pronghorn meat, we did a bit of searching and found that the best method for cooking this lean meat is:
- Marinate the antelope meat for additional taste and additional moisture. We let the tenderloin marinate for 2 hours in a special herb rosemary thyme marinade.
- Use some fat for juiciness and taste. The meat is very lean. We decided to use hickory-smoked bacon to give the meat the needed fat and the smokey taste of the bacon.
- Don't overcook. For loins, fillets, or chops, cook to the medium rare stage -- 130 degrees F.
- Cook roasts low and slow. A temperature at 180-200 degrees F. for several hours until fork tender. We grilled the tenderloin over medium-high heat until the internal temperature reached 135 degrees F. and let the roast rest for 15 minutes before cutting.
The grilled pronghorn tenderloin is very mild-tasting and is finely grained. It has ⅓ the calories of beef and many prefer the taste of pronghorn to venison.
We know you'll enjoy the taste and how easy it is to prepare.
Tutti a tavola è pronto!
Un caro saluto e alla prossima.
YOU MAY NEED . . .
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One staple we have in our kitchen is butcher's twine. We are always finding a use for it, especially for tying meats so that they keep their shape. It's not expensive and once you start using it you'll find you don't know how you did without it.
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Grilled Antelope Tenderloin Bacon-Wrapped
The Pronghorn tenderloin is succulent, mild tasting with a fine grain. We first marinate the meat in a marinade made up of red wine, soy sauce, a bit of honey and brown sugar. To keep the meat in a log shape, we tie it with butcher's twine. We then rub fresh herbs and seasoned salt all over the meat before wrapping it with thick-sliced hickory-smoked bacon. You can also use this same method for venison, beef, and pork tenderloin. If you don't have a tenderloin and want a delicious cut of beef, try our Standing Rib Roast with Herb Rub.
If you like this recipe please consider giving it a 5-star rating.
GRILLED ANTELOPE TENDERLOIN BACON-WRAPPED AND SUCCULENT
Ingredients
- 1 antelope loin beef, venison, pork tenderloin
- 8 oz. bacon
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup soy
- 2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoon Montreal Steak seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Using butcher's twine, tie the antelope loin in a log shape. Place the loin in a heavy duty zip-lock bag.
- In a glass measuring cup mix the wine, soy sauce, dry mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, honey and brown sugar. Pour the marinade over the pronghorn loin and seal the bag. Place on a dish (just in case it leaks) and set in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- Prepare charcoal grill for indirect heat. Light the grill and wait until it reaches medium heat (350 F.) While the grill is heating up, finish preparing the tenderloin.
- Remove the loin from the marinade, blot with a paper towels, remove the butcher's twine. Sprinkle liberally with the Montreal Steak seasoning, fresh thyme and rosemary. Wrap the meat with the bacon.
- Cook over medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees F. Cover and rest 15 minutes before slicing. The meat should reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Check notes for temperatures of other tenderloins.
- Enjoy a delicious piece of meat.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey
I have never tried this dish, love how you have used aromatic herbs in this recipe. Very informative post, lovely share.
Loreto Nardelli
I don't eat wild game, however I would do this recipe with a tenderloin. Great herbs and that touch of brown sugar perfect. Great use of ingredients!
Melanie Cagle
We have a lot of deer meat, as we are avid hunters in my family. The backstrap and the tenderloin are my favorite cuts. I used your recipe tonight and it was absolutely delicious. My husband said it was the best he's had yet!
Marisa Franca
Hi Melanie! Thank you for your nice comment. I'm so glad you and your family liked the recipe. Our son is the hunter in the family and he just brought home elk meat. Can't wait to see how that tastes -- have you ever had it? xoxo
Veronika
I've never tried antelope tenderloin before... I wonder if they sell it at our local butcher shop. The recipe definitely looks very interesting!
Jenny
I have never had this before. I don't think I can find this type of meat where I live, but I love your recipe. Can I substitute with a different cut? Can I try pork tenderloin? Thank you!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Jenny! Yes you can substitute with beef or pork. It's delicious and makes a beautiful presentation during the holidays or special dinner.
Veronika Sykorova
Never tried antelope but you make it look really good with the bacon!
ishie
My boyfriend and I obtained some antelope tenderloin in pittsburgh and weren't sure what to do with it. This recipe was AMAZING, giving the antelope an almost filet mignon quality. I cannot recommend it enough. Thank you! Even had boyfriend's teenage boy going back for seconds.
Marisa Franca
I'm so glad you and your boyfriend liked the recipe. We couldn't believe how good the antelope meat tasted. And a teenage boy giving his stamp of approval is pretty special. Thank you so much for commenting. Hope you have a wonderful rest of the year. xoxo
Bernice Hill
What an absolute treat. It's not easy to cook wild game, especially tenderloin but it looks like you've done a wonderful job. Great idea to add the bacon for extra flavour and fat.
Gloria
I have never tried antelope, not sure I can even get it here. Bacon makes everything delicious. I you are a game meat eater, I am sure this is right up your alley. We have been trying to experiment with various meats lately.
Lexi
This is the best recipe ever! Super simple with ingredients I always have on hand. The meat was perfect in flavor and tenderness. Trying this on beef filets next. Yum. Thank you for simplifying my dinners.
Again, Thanks for sharing Marisa!
~Lexi
Marisa Franca
Hi, Lexi! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas holiday. xoxo
Des
Sounds like this would be a great entree to serve on Christmas. Something different for a change besides the normal ham. Thanks for sharing this dish.
Jacque Hastert
I have never tried such a dish before. However, this looks and sounds amazing. I will have to give this a try soon.
Jagruti Dhanecha
I have not heard of this dish, glad read your informative post today, a perfect recipe for antelope lovers!
Jyothi (Jo)
Wow, never tasted an antelope below, and it looks interesting. The marinade particularly sounds delicious!
Andrea
That looks like a restaurant-worthy kind of meal! I have never tried this kind of meat, but now I'm intrigued.
Les
I had absolutely no idea that anyone in North America could hunt and eat antelope. I'll be honest, I wouldn't do it myself, but it does sound mighty tasty! And who doesn't love bacon?
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Wow! I've never tried this before, but you make it look delicious!! Bet the bacon really adds a richness to the dish 🙂
Courtney
This is a very informative post. I had no idea people in North America could hunt and eat antelope. I've certainly never seen it available for purchase.
Analida Braeger
Wow. I've never had antelope. This marinade sounds super versatile like I could use it for any game meat. Thank you for the inspiration.
Aleta
I can honestly say I've never had Pronghorn before! I like that you give lots of tips and tricks to keep it nice and moist. And who doesn't love bacon?
Elaine Benoit
I've never had antelope, but I love deer and elk so I'm betting I'm going to love this too! I literally drooled when I saw your awesome photos!! They are gorgeous and perfect!
Natalie
The meat looks absolutely perfect. I bet it taste amazing - just like you've said, mild and flavorful. I never tried antelope meat ... but you really got me interested in this.
Swathi
This bacon wrapped grilled antelope looks delicious, perfect meal with some good salad. I love it.
Tammy
Oh wow this looks amazing! I have never had antelope before but it looks darn good! I'm sure I would love it ;D
April
I don't recall having grilled antelope tenderloin very often but this recipe makes me want to go get it and cook over and over again! And that marinade of yourks must work wonders - yum!
Melissa
This sounds like it would be a beautiful entree to serve for the holidays, and a little different than our usual meats. We have an "exotics" butcher close by that probably sells antelope, I should give it a try for my hubby (who LOVES trying new things!).
Veena Azmanov
I have never eaten antelope meat but I do love grilled meats so this is definitely something I would love to have. Sounds do yum.
Catalina
This dish looks definitely so inviting! I don't know if I'll taste it, but for sure, I am very curious to try it! Thanks for the great tips!
Pavani
That looks like a great recipe to make for the holidays. Thank you for the detailed recipe and the information about antelopes.
Gloria
Anything wrapped in bacon has to be good. I have never tried antelope, so this is new to me. We don't have hunters in our family. Sounds like a great meal to feed a hungry crowd of "game lovers".
Dan Zehr
Nice holiday recipe. It is so juicy and appetizing I think it melts in the mouth. This sounds like something I need to try. I really like
Claudia Lamascolo
I dont think my comment went through so I am trying again :). This is so gourmet and what a beautiful presentation. I would love to serve this for a Christmas and Easter dinner. My family will love it looks so tender .. I guess he needs to hunt more !
Mahy Elamin
Wow it looks so delicious! I have never tried this before. But it looks appetizing and it's a good idea for a festive table. I want to try this recipe.
Karyl Henry
Hmmm...I feel like I've reached the depth of my adventureness with venison, so not sure about antelope! Then again, if someone served it to me without telling me what it was, I would probably like it LOL 🙂 And anything wrapped in bacon is good in my book
Denay DeGuzman
I've never tried antelope before. It's not available here in California, but your recipe looks fabulous!
Cheese Curd In Paradise
I haven't tried antelope before, but it sounds yummy and I like that it is a lean meat. It sounds somewhat similar to venison. Loving the bacon wrap on the meat- yum!
Nikki Marlenee
My son just got an antelope and I came across your recipe. We only have a gas grill. Any variation suggestions for cooking without charcoal? Thanks!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Nikki!! We haven't tried it on our gas grill but some gas grills have a setting for indirect heat -- so the bacon drippings don't flame up. That is the main concern. Otherwise, you would do the same as the charcoal grill only you won't get that smokey flavor from the gas grill. Let us know how it turns out -- the meat is so tender and delicious!!
Edith
My daughter learned to hunt and got an antelope last fall. This recipe was a huge hit with the family last night; we'd be interested in how you've prepared antelope roasts.
Marisa Franca
Hi Edith! I'm so glad you liked how the recipe turned out. We certainly enjoyed ours. We haven't done a whole lot with antelope roasts. Our son went hunting last fall and got one. But what I do know about wild game is that how you cook a roast depends on where it's from. A shoulder roast or a neck roast needs to be cooked like a pot roast. Something like a slow cooker or a Dutch oven. Slow and low, then pull the meat apart off the bones. Hind leg roasts like for deer need to be hot and fast and cooked to medium-rare. Also, the younger the animal, the more tender it will be and the less you need to cook it. I hope that helps. As we prepare wild game we'll try to give more of an explanation. The marinade can be used with any wild meat and even domestic. I've got an terrific Asian marinade I'll be posting.
Pat
I am in the process of preparing the recipe as I have antelope backstrap available. However, you state brown sugar as an ingredient for the marinade, but the brown sugar and amount is not listed in the recipe ingredients. I will guess one tablespoon for now.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Pat!! It should have been 1 Tbsp of brown sugar -- you guessed right. Even two people proof-reading can forget. I apologize. Will add the amount to the recipe.
Veena Azmanov
Wow, this recipe really impresses! Looks very tasty. Very beautiful presentation! I really like. I think this recipe will be one of my favorites. I definitely want to try it and I'm sure it is very tasty. Thank you for sharing this great recipe! YUM!
Marisa Franca
Hello, Veena! Thank you! It is so good and it's really very easy to make. You can use the recipe for other meats.
Tatiana
Wow, very well written article, I learned so much, thanks! Not sure when the next time I am going to cook antelope but I will use your tips and recipe!
Sara
This looks completely delicious!
Debs
I'm a big fan of game meat. Our game in the UK is usually on the smaller side, like rabbit and pheasant, but this sounds really good!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Debs! We certainly are fans now, too. We'll have to try out the rabbit and pheasant. Hope you have a great week.
Kushi
Something new to me sounds interesting and yummy
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Kushi.
Carmen
I've never tried antelope! Is it gamey? If I see some in the store, I will pick it up!
Marisa Franca
It isn't gamey at all, Carmen. It's all in the processing of it. The meat is very mild, tender, and very good.
Jessa
This marinade sounds incredible!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Jessa! The marinade is really good and you can use it for other meats.
Amanda Mason
What an interesting post!! I love the history you included! I've never had antelope....I wonder is it gamy? I assume my local butcher would have this? What a nice venture!! I'll have to dive into stepping out and trying a new meat!!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Amanda! It isn't gamey at all, in fact it is quite mild and tender. I don't know if your local butcher would have it. They might at a processing plant where hunters take their meat. Out West antelope is quite plentiful so you might find it at a restaurant there.
Jenni
This sounds so amazing! I have never had antelope before, but I come from a big hunting family and grew up eating venison! Now I need to find a good place ot buy some!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Jenni!! Have the hunters in your family go out and get you an antelope. It's quite a challenge but the result is worth it. Have a great week.
Jennifer
I have a very good friend who’s husband is an avid hunter. They might really enjoy this recipe! I’m passing it along to them!
Marisa Franca
Hi, Jennifer! Thank you very much for passing it on. I'm sure they'll enjoy the recipe!
Ben Myhre
Can you have your son send some of dat tenderloin up to me? I need some vibrant food!
Marisa Franca
I wish I could, Ben! We are lucky that he shares.????
Denise Wright
I have never heard of anyone eating antelope and how cool that you did! That was a very interesting posts and of course the recipe looks and sounds amazing. I will probably never get my hands on some antelope and I will try it with the pork tenderloin. We seem to eat that a lot.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Denise! It will work great with pork. We'll do that with a tenderloin we have in the freezer.
Michelle
I have never had antelope, but this sounds so good. I love the marinade - it's similar to one of my favorites!
Marisa Franca
Michelle, I hope you get to try it. The meat is amazing. So much better than beef tenderloin. Have a great weekend. ????
Karyl | Karyl's Kulinary Krusade
Wow, and I thought I was making a huge leap by cooking venison! You just totally blew mine out of the water 🙂 This looks really delicious
Marisa Franca
Hi, Karyl! We are fortunate our son loves to hunt and gave us the tenderloin. This is the first time we taste pronghorn and I hope it's not the last. Have a great weekend.
Susie
Hi Marisa......The Filet looks absolutely delicious.....You can’t beat the real deal....????to you and Master for a delicious, picture perfect filet.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Susie! Sure wish we could share our goodies with you. Sending lots of love and hugs!! ❤️
Jenni
This sounds wonderful! What a great dish for a special occasion.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Jenni! The dish was so very tasty!!xoxo
Tamara
I have never had the privilege of trying antelope (though I've had alpaca, vicuna, elk, venison, etc.). This gorgeous dish has me wanting to track some down! I live in south Texas, so we shall see...
Marisa Franca
Hi, Tamara! You do have antelope in Texas. Jason, our son, got this in Wyoming. You'll love the taste.
Rachel
I did a double take when I realized that this recipe is for antelope! It looks DELICIOUS and this post was super entertaining to read!
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Rache! I really enjoyed finding out more about the antelope. Hope your week is going well. xoxo
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
We have NO hunters in our family. This sounds like a very interesting cut of meat. How does it taste compared to venison (which I have never had either)? I need to talk to our neighbour....he does hunt deer and moose.
Marisa Franca
Well, Gloria, you can do the same thing with the venison. I hear moose is excellent! We haven't tasted that yet. Perhaps your neighbor will give you some of his meat stash. ????
Jovina
I have never seen this dish before either and I wondered where you would get antelope. Now I know. You certainly do make it look delicious.
Marisa Franca
Thank you, Jovina! It was a real treat -- our son was kind to give that to us.
michele
We were driving to our Lakehouse in October and it happened to be on the opening day of hunting season. I come from a hunting family, but we saw some Elk that people had gotten and I was blown away at how big they were... and I sat there dreaming of all the different ways I could create recipes for them! I'm filing this away to try !
Marisa Franca
Hi, Michele! I hear that Elk and Moose are excellent meat. We've never had any but our son plans on going hunting for them in the future -- including bear. If you get a chance to taste antelope -- DO!! xoxo
Ciao Chow Linda
Well, I've never heard of anyone hunting an antelope, much less cooking it. But you make it sound like health food and it certainly looks delicious. I doubt I'll ever have the opportunity to find it near me unfortunately.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Linda! I didn't know that antelpe were as plentiful as they are. They aren't around our area but out west there are huge herds. The taste is a bit like venison but milder. I couldn't believe how good it was.