How to make Deer Steak Wrapped in Bacon

This recipe is not something that I grew up on. Honestly, I think that the first time I had deer steak wrapped in bacon was at a church function. One of those “Dinner on the grounds” Sundays, where the men were grilling and the ladies brought the sides. There would be all types of grilled meats and you really got to taste a lot of new and different things.

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Now, you see all types of things wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cream cheese and peppers.

(Most people use hotter peppers but my kiddos didn’t enjoy that, so I chose to use a flavorful but milder pepper.)

You can even find it on restaurant menus everywhere, usually in the appetizer section. But a long, long time ago, it was a newer concept, at least to me. And while it was super delicious, I was concerned about the seasoning and the amount of time it would take to put it all together. There was some assembly required.

Another thing that I noticed was that most people would cook the wraps but not get the bacon super crispy. The bacon would still be pretty fatty and therefore would have that stretchy and gelatinous texture that I wasn’t crazy about. My husband would unwrap it and only eat what was inside because he wasn’t going to touch a piece of bacon that wasn’t crispy…and still won’t. (LOL) I can’t say that I blame him for that. I feel the same way.

So, I knew that when I started making these wraps for my family, that I wanted to cook them a little more slowly on the grill or in the air fryer to let the fat in the bacon render down and allow it to become crispy. And you really don’t have to worry about overcooking the steak because the cream cheese inside the wrap keeps the meat juicy and moist, along with the marinade and seasonings.

I’ve been making this recipe for many, many years and I’ve always done them on my charcoal or gas grill.

(I love to grill.)

But when I bought an air fryer, I decided to try them in there because then I could have these wraps on a rainy day or in the winter, when grilling is just not “in season”. They turned out great and I’m so glad that I found this alternative that still gives them the right texture and smokiness. To mimic the “smoky” flavor that only a grill can bring, I added Mesquite Liquid Smoke to the marinade and it worked perfectly. (That wasn’t originally in my recipe when I did the wraps on the grill outside because it wasn’t really needed. Now, I just put it into the marinade no matter what.)

watch me make it here!

deer steak wrapped in bacon recipe

Equipment Needed:

• Air Fryer or Grill

Protein Needed:

• 2 lbs. Deer Steak
• 1 lb. Bacon

Pantry Items:

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• Toothpicks
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• A bottle of Italian Salad Dressing
• 1 teaspoon Mesquite Liquid Smoke

Fridge Items:

• Slices of pepperoncini peppers
• 8 oz. cream cheese

deer steak wrapped in bacon instructions

Marinating the Steak:

• First, season the deer steak with garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, and Mesquite Liquid Smoke. Mix well.
• Second, pour the entire bottle of Italian Salad dressing over the steak in a large bowl.
• Third, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate overnight in the fridge.

Preparing to make the wraps:

• First, slice the steak into strips to prepare to make the wraps.

• Second, take the lb. of bacon and cut it in half. Set aside.
• Third, open the cream cheese and let it come to room temperature.
• Next, place slices of pepperoncini peppers in a bowl that is easily accessible.
• Set up this station on a cutting board and have a container close by to place the deer wraps into after they are put together.

Putting the wraps together:

• Take a half slice of bacon and spread a teaspoon of cream cheese on it.

• Next, grab a slice of a couple of slices of pepperoncini peppers and lay on top of the slice of bacon with cream cheese.
• Then, take a slice of marinated steak and lay across the slice of bacon with cream cheese and peppers.

• Roll it up together and secure with a toothpick.
• Repeat this process until all the bacon has been used. If I have any steak left over, I just cook it separately.

Cooking the wraps:

• Pre-heat Air Fryer to 375 for 5 minutes.
• Place Deer Steak Wraps in a single layer into the Air Fryer.

• Let wraps cook until the bacon has started getting crispy and turning brown on one side and then turn over.

• Let wraps get crispy and a golden brown on the second side and then remove.
• Serve with your favorite sides!

Deer Steak Wrapped in Bacon

Jessie & Seasonal, Southern Living in Spanish

Bite size pieces of marinated deer steak, stuffed with cream cheese and peppers, wrapped in bacon and cooked until crispy on the grill or in the air fryer. Sure to be one of your summer go-to recipes. A crowd pleaser for those Memorial Day and July 4th weekends when the friends and family come over to celebrate!

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Prep Time 1 day d

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Equipment

• 1 Air Fryer or Grill

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs. Deer Steak
• 1 lb. bacon
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bottle Italian Salad Dressing
• 1 teaspoon Mesquite Liquid Smoke
• Toothpicks
• Slices of pepperoncini peppers
• 8 oz. cream cheese

Instructions

 

Marinating the Steak:

• First, season the deer steak with garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, and Mesquite Liquid Smoke.
• Mix well.
• Second, pour the entire bottle of Italian Salad dressing over the steak in a large bowl.
• Third, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate overnight in the fridge.

Preparing to make the wraps:

• First, slice the steak into strips to prepare to make the wraps.
• Second, take the 1 lb. of bacon and cut it in half. Set aside.
• Third, open the cream cheese and let it come to room temperature.
• Next, place slices of pepperoncini peppers in a bowl that is easily accessible.
• Set up this station on a cutting board and have a container close by to place the deer wraps into after they are put together.

Putting the wraps together:

• Take a half slice of bacon and spread a teaspoon of cream cheese on it.
• Next, grab a slice of a couple of slices of pepperoncini peppers and lay on top of the slice of bacon with cream cheese.
• Then, take a slice of marinated steak and lay across the slice of bacon with cream cheese and peppers.
• Roll it up together and secure with a toothpick.
• Repeat this process until all the bacon has been used.
• If I have any steak left over, I just cook it separately.

Cooking the wraps:

• Pre-heat Air Fryer to 375 for 5 minutes.
• Place Deer Steak Wraps in a single layer into the Air Fryer.
• Let wraps cook until the bacon has started getting crispy and turning brown on one side and then turn over.
• Let wraps get crispy and a golden brown on the second side and then remove.
• Serve with your favorite sides!

Keyword Air Fryer, Bacon, Cream Cheese, Deer steak, Grilled, Steak

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