I am so grateful to have found this recipe: it's great for everyone from beginners to experts. My co-chef and I used venison. We let the meat marinate in cold coffee overnight (thanks for the tip!). Even though I only quickly marinated the backstrap in the Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke mixture for a few minutes before grilling it, it still absorbed an amazing amount of flavor. No gamey taste whatsoever. I suggest wrapping the bacon around the seasoned meat before skewering the whole piece so that there's no chance of the bacon falling off during grilling. Next time I will adhere to the original recipe completely. We incorporated a spice rub into the seasoning that contained salt because we had it on hand, and it was too much; you don't need any more salt than what is called for (the bacon + sauce combo is enough). Timing them is tricky because some pieces will cook faster than others. We would not recommend doing the full 5 minutes per side because the morsels ended up being a little too crispy, maybe just 5 minutes for the first side and 2-3 after they're turned, but they were still delicious. Despite the slight errors above, and the fact that this was only the second time I made a dish with venison, you would never know it! Here are some reactions I got from my boyfriend/co-chef (the hunter), his housemate (also a hunter), and two never-had-venison-before girlfriends: "WOW- tastes just like good steak." "No gamey taste!" "Not tough or chewy at all."

Changed liquid smoke to low sodium soy and used venison. Awesome!

WOW! I doubled the marinade, used Montreal Steak seasoning in place of just pepper, and put an onion on top of each piece of bacon wrapped venison--used a toothpick to keep it all together! By far, the best grilled venison I have ever tasted!

This recipe was really good! It had delicious flavor and was fairly easy to prepare. My only complaint with it is that you have to be pretty good about cutting every piece of meat the same size. Our pieces were all similar in size but not exactly the same and the smaller pieces ended up being too tough because we had to cook it long enough for the bacon to fully cook. I'll try it again but next time I'll try to be very careful about making everything the same size.

Ridiculously good! I am a bit squeamish about eating game like elk and venison, and I have to say I was shocked at how good this was. I did add coffee and marinaded the meat for a few hours before grilling. It was fantastic! I won't afraid of cooking and eating elk any more.

I have done these cut as medallions also and if you can't use a grill you can pan sear them for 3-4 minutes (depending on preferred how done you like them) a side and finish them right in the same pan in a 450 oven for 4 more minutes. I like to make them even a little more gourmet by topping them with bleu cheese crumbles while finishing in the oven...nice recipe enjoy!

We made this with venison backstrap and it was delicious! I took the advice of other reviewers and marinated the medallions in coffee for a few hours which I've never tried before. I skipped the liquid smoke and onion powder since I didn't have either on hand. We used an indoor grill and had a little trouble getting the bacon to cook through while still keeping the meat medium-rare, but overall, a fantastic recipe with wonderful flavor!

Excellent! Incredibly easy recipe, and every ingredient complements each other. I made this for my Dad with his elk and we used the tenderloin and followed the directions exactly. The only thing we did differently is cook on medium high for less time and it all came out medium to medium well. In hindsight, for a good medium rare I would cook on medium for about five minutes or less each side, just until the bacon is nice and crispy. We both loved it and will make this again and again!

1st time eating elk, 1st time cooking it, and first time leaving a comment (despite using this site for years). This recipe was amazing! Husband, young children all agree. For ease, I mixed all ingredients then applied to steaks and wrapped in bacon. This will be our go-to elk recipe from now on!

My family LOVED this! They are not big on marinades or to many seasonings that mast the true flavor of the meat. This recipe enhanced the natural flavor of the elk and added just the right amount of spices. It's January in MN- so I broiled it in the oven. I can't wait to try this recipe over an open flame!! Thanks- definitely a "do-over"!!