How many people think they are eating deer tenderloin when they're actually eating back strap? I see these two words/cuts of meat being used interchangeably on here a lot. I think the confusion comes from peoples familiarity with "Pork tenderloin". I've never liked the tenderloin, taste like guts IMO

agree on the confusion part, Im confused!

I normally cube the backstraps.....I do not fool with the tenderloins in deer.

The first piece of meat I take off a deer.

Of the two cuts, I much prefer the back straps.

My dad use to split the backbone and cut the whole loin like a pork chop/ t-bone and that was the best part just like a porterhouse steak

Tenderloins, the ones which come from inside the body cavity, are the most tender cut. Good for grilling. Backstraps are better for roasts or country fried steaks IMHO.

Tenderloins are the filet mignon of the deer, and they get pulled and pan seared whole at my house. Once the backstraps are off, you can actually pull them without gutting the animal.

Back strap is the sirloin/new york strip/ribeye, depending on how far forward you go. If I'm processing the animal myself. I start under the hindquarter, and go almost all the way to the head, filleting the meat from the spine and ribs. I'll cut this into steaks or small roasts and cook any number of ways.

The actual tenderloin, inside the body cavity, that runs either side of the spine, is the most tender piece of meat on a deer, and a lot of folks don’t even know they’re there. I rarely get them because as has already been stated, they are the first cut to start smelling and tasting ruined unless you get them very quick. The intestine sit right up against them, and they spoil rather quickly.

The tenderloin gets sliced and fried. The backstrap gets Conecuh sausage run through the center of it, wrapped with Wright's bacon, and grilled.

bunch of younguns, backstrap and tenderloin are the same, it's INSIDE TENDERLION for the INSIDE cut.

That's what we always called it, the tenderloin and the inner loin, but if someone wanted to get technical and refer to the backstrap and tenderloin, we knew what they meant. BTW, I like the inner loins but one deer only feeds one person one meal..

Ive heard both and processed a lot but i only refer to backstraps or tenderloin i guess cuz my dad made it a point when i was younger than i am now cuz im stiil young compared to yall old farts
Ive heard both and processed a lot but i only refer to backstraps or tenderloin i guess cuz my dad made it a point when i was younger than i am now cuz im stiil young compared to yall old farts lol

I've always called them tenderloins and underloins.

Tomatoe- Tomato what's in a name all I call em is umm good. Sliced fried,cubed,smother fried,grilled it don't matter. If'n you don't send em to me they are some count. All I got to say bout that.

I always called them tenderloins/backstraps and inner tenderloins. An aged backstrap is about as good as a beef filet if cooked properly.

I guess I've just always called the backstrap ...the backstrap. The under loins I've always called them "tenders."

Dr. B

I used to help a friend at a commercial hunting lodge , I'd help clean and hang deer in the walk in cooler. We'd throw out the inners as bad gut meat and put em up later. LOL I had a freezer full of them.

Inners are the best piece of meat on a deer. I have always referred to them as tenderloin's. And referred to the outside loin as backstraps

I've always called the inners "sweet meat". That's what my processor always labels it too.