A backstrap might be the most prized cut from a whitetail or other big game animal, provided you cook it properly — rare or medium rare! — and first remove its silverskin. The video below shows how to remove silverskin. The task is straightforward, but isn’t something you can rush through.
Janis Putelis, a producer for MeatEater, hosts the video and does an excellent job explaining and then demonstrating his two favorite methods for removing silverskin from a whitetail backstrap. Sure, you can cook and eat a backstrap with silverskin attached, but it will make the steak chewy. Nobody enjoys backstrap bubblegum, so take time to carefully remove the silverskin prior to cooking.