Step 1

Trim and remove any silver skin from the meat.

Step 2

Make the brine. In a large pot add all of the ingredients except the venison loin and black pepper.

Step 3

Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.

Step 4

Place the brine in the refrigerator until it has thoroughly chilled.

Step 5

Add the venison loin to the brine. Place a plate on top of the meat if needed to keep it fully submerged. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

Step 6

Remove the loin from the brine and rinse it under cold water. Dry the loin off with paper towels until no moisture appears on the surface of the meat.

Step 7

Lightly dust the loin with a little ground black pepper. Place the loin on a wire rack that is sitting over a baking tray. Place the tray in the refrigerator uncovered for 12 to 24 hours. This allows for the brine to evenly distribute throughout the meat and for it to develop a tacky surface for the smoke to better adhere.

Step 8

The next day place the meat on your smoker's grill grates and smoke the deer loin at 200 degrees F. Smoke until you reach your preferred internal temperature by checking it with a good meat thermometer. Again, I recommend cooking to around a 135-degree internal temperature.

Step 9

Let the loin rest at room temperature between 20 and 30 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain. If stored properly It will keep in the refrigerator for about 7 days.