DIY: Smoke An Almond and Parmesan Crusted Bottom Round of Venison

Warning: Handling raw game meat requires proper sanitation. Smoking and oven-finishing meat to specific temperatures is critical for food safety and quality. This post reflects a personal cooking process; ensure you follow internal temperature guidelines for wild game.

With the holidays upon us, I’ve had a little extra time to experiment in the kitchen. I decided to take a venison bottom round and try out a Parmesan and almond crust. It’s a great way to add texture and healthy fats to a very lean cut of meat, and because we're using almond flour and cheese, it stays completely Keto-friendly.

Materials Needed

• Upright Pellet Smoker (like a Pit Boss)

• ThermoWorks Smoke Thermometer

• Cast Iron Skillet

• Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil

• Crust Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Cup Almonds

  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese

  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt

  • 1/2 tsp Paprika

  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

  • 2-4 tbsp Melted Butter

Step 1: Prep the Meat

Once your bottom round is thawed, pat it dry to remove any excess liquid. Use a sharp boning knife to trim away as much silver skin as possible. Silver skin doesn't render out well in a smoker, so taking the time to clean the roast now will result in a much better texture. [00:00:17]

Step 2: The Smoking Process

Set your smoker to "Smoke" to get a fire going, then crank it to 275°F to preheat. Use a dual-probe thermometer to track both the smoker and internal meat temps. Once preheated, back the temp back down to the "Smoke" setting for about 20 minutes to infuse wood-fired flavor. After that initial smoke, turn the heat back up to 275°F for the rest of the cook. [00:01:17]

Step 3: Make the Almond-Parmesan Crust

Put 1/2 cup of almonds into a food processor with the paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Pulse the almonds until broken down but not quite a fine powder. Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese and pulse again. Adding the cheese last prevents the mixture from clumping due to the moisture in the Parmesan. [00:01:50]

Step 4: Prep for the Oven Finish

When the internal temp of the venison hits 115°F, preheat your oven to 400°F and place a large cast iron skillet inside to get hot. [00:02:26] Create two "dishes" out of heavy-duty aluminum foil—one for your melted butter and one for your crust mixture—to make cleanup easy. [00:02:48]

Step 5: Dredge and Bake

Pull the meat from the smoker when it reaches an internal temp of 120°F. Roll the roast in melted butter until completely coated, then dredge it through the almond-parmesan mixture. Use the foil to help mold the crust around the roast. [00:02:52] Place the crusted meat into the hot cast iron skillet and into the oven.

Step 6: The Final Pull

Watch the roast carefully! You only want to raise the temperature the final 5 degrees to reach 125°F internal. The goal in the oven is simply to melt the Parmesan and get a nice golden-brown color on the crust without burning it. [00:03:32]

Wrapping Up

Once you pull it from the oven, let the meat rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to settle and prevents the crust from falling off. You should end up with a beautiful smoke ring and a perfect medium-rare center. [00:03:51] It’s a great way to dress up venison for a holiday meal. Hope it helps y'all!