Exmark Z Turf Equipment Backyard Life
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Exmark's Backyard Life

Living Happens Outdoors

  • Mowing
  • Outdoor Living
  • Lawn + Garden
  • Ambassadors
  • Originals
  • About Exmark
  • Subscribe to Backyard Life
Search
Home / Outdoor Living /
October 22, 2024

Easy Deer Cube Steak Recipe With Michael Waddell

The weather’s getting cooler, and days are getting shorter, which means it’s Michael Waddell’s favorite time of year: deer season. As he says, “When you’re cleaning up the old deer cooler and when you’re cutting up the meat, that’s a good time of year.” And what better way to enjoy the best of the season than with some deep-fried backstrap off a doe? So, follow along as the Bone Collector fries up his wild game with his simple, mouthwatering, deer cube steak recipe.

Prepping the Deer Cube Steak Recipe

Michael is in his favorite place on his farm: Susie’s Ridge, complete with all the meat processing equipment you can ask for—grinders, cubers, dehydrator, and everything else he needs. However, for this cook, he’s going super simple—no sausage or anything too fancy. As he says, “the best food is always the simplest.” So, he’s kicking it back with a meal his mom and grandmother used to make: deer cube steak.

Waddell typically likes to fillet and then grill his backstrap, but in this case, he’s going to cube and fry it. He starts by cutting his deer—and some elk—into little medallions. Then, he takes his meat tenderizing hammer and starts pounding away, flipping his cuts over and hammering at various angles. He also uses an electric meat tenderizer to get the same result, just alternating the angle at which he drops the backstrap in.

After the meat’s been tenderized, he dumps some flour into his batter shaker bowl and tosses in his backstrap. (However, if you don’t have a fancy bowl like he does, a plain brown paper bag works all the same.) And to kick this recipe up a notch, he’s seasoned his flour with a little Cajun seasoning, salt, garlic salt, and other similar herbs and spices.

Then, he makes like Taylor Swift and gets to shaking off the excess flour. Swift might sing about breakups, but if she ever fried deer steak, she’d probably sing about that instead!

Frying Up the Deer Cube Steak

While he’s tenderizing and cubing his game, Waddell heats a generous amount of peanut oil on his electric skillet at 350° F. After all, “you can’t be from the south if you’re afraid of some grease.”

Once the oil has reached the desired temperature, he throws his meat in and gets frying. He says there’s no set time; he likes to cook until the steak’s golden brown, “just like a chicken finger.” Michael jokes that’s there’s no avoiding making a mess, it just comes with the territory.

After the deer’s been fried to perfection, he sets it aside on a brown paper sack to drain away the excess grease. And, if you’re getting extra adventurous, you can always take that grease and make some gravy—the perfect pairing for any fried meal (especially this cubed deer steak recipe).

Independence Through Hunting

As Michael states, “When you learn how to hunt, it gives you a whole other level of independence.” And, you can “take pride in the fact that you’re feeding your family some really healthy vittles.”

He still goes to the grocery store for meat and other necessities when he needs them. But when you understand the renewable resources in the wild and how to hunt them, it totally changes the game. This helps give you an added boost of confidence, to boot.

But that’s enough reminiscing—now’s the time to eat! As Michael chows down on his freshly fried meal, he signs off with a happy hunting and good luck for the season ahead.

More Like This:

  • Michael Waddell’s Tasty Elk Chili
  • Wild Game Cooking Tips with Michael Waddell
  • Prime Cuts: Michael Waddell’s Jalapeño-Dill Wild-Turkey Nuggets Recipe

By Michael Waddell

Play Creator of the beloved Bone Collector series and regular collaborator on shows and DVDs…

Tags

cookfallhuntinglifestyleOutdoor Prowinter

Primary Sidebar

Stay Connected

Keep living your best backyard life all year round. Get alerts on the latest Original Series updates, along with the inspiration and know-how you need to enjoy backyard life to the fullest!

Loading
More from Michael Waddell
The Bone Collector’s Archery and Arrow Setup
Collage of Michael Waddell holding eggs, his chickens, and chicken coop
Michael Waddell’s Backyard Chicken Coop Guide
Collage featuring Michael Waddell, pot of elk chili, and the ingredients
Michael Waddell’s Tasty Elk Chili
Staff Picks
10 DIY Projects for Backyard Living
Deer Season Prep with Michael Waddell
5 Great Fire Pit Seating Ideas
Mosquito Control in Ponds and Backyards
Greg Mrvich’s Copycat Le Barchen Mac Wagyu Burger
  • Home
  • Mowing
  • Outdoor Living
  • Lawn + Garden
  • Ambassadors
  • Originals
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook
  • x
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2025 EXMARK - Backyard Life

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • DMCA

Trending