Off Topic - Venison Tips/Recipes

[naperdog]

I have a questoin for the deer hunters out there. How do you go about getting the gamey taste out of your venison, especially the roasts and bigger pieces of meat? Also I am willing to try any good recipes you have. Thanks!

[birddogsunlimited]

you can cut down on some of the game tast if you trim as much fat and gissle out of the meat as possible. i dont really have a problem with the tast but my uncle soaks his in milk for a couple hours.
some times if im looking for a quick meal or snack ill have some venison cut into about 1 inch peices roll them in fry magic and cook them in butter on med-high it only takes a couple min and it tast pretty good as well. you just wait untill you see the blood come to the serface and then flip them cook the other side a couple of min and done. also if you take a roast put in in a crock pot with taco sessoning and some stewwed tomatos cook it on low untill the meat falls apart "takes about 6-7 hours with my pot" drain it shread it and make tacos.

[Ruffshooter]

I like the gamey taste but you can use a marinate or injection, or saltwater brine. Don't over cook the smaller pieces. Older larger deer can have a bad taste. Had one that a dog would not eat. A Quick kill also helps as the deer does not have an adreniline rush.

[naperdog]

the gamey taste doesn't get to me too badly, but my wife won't eat venison because of it. My Mom is also excited about trying it out, but I am looking for something that won't turn her off forever.

[postoakshorthairs]

I used to have the same issue with my wife...she would eat the burger in chili etc but hated the "gamey" taste. Someone suggested for us to try soaking the meat in a salt water bath in the fridge for 12-24 hours and it worked like a charm. Now my wife and kids request deer steaks. I use just enough water to keep them covered and a couple tablespoons of salt and then rinse of when I'm ready to cook. I would also add that it helps if you start with a young deer. My son started hunted last year and has killed a yearling both years. I don't discourage him because they taste great and easy to drag.

[ezzy333]

99% of the gamey taste comes from the fat and bone marrow. To eliminate it get rid of all the fat you can and do not saw any bones. Cut the meat off of the bones and then cut it into the cuts you desire. Doing it this way you may smell a difference when you first start to heat the meat but you shouldn't taste it. We also grind all of the scraps and add the cheapest hamburger you can buy from Walmart and add it at about equal amounts. Makes great hamburger for chili or spagettie sauce.

Ezzy

[kninebirddog]

Biggest thing is to get all the sinew and tendons and fat off the meat

also what we do with our deer meat is let it age for 7-10 days best way is in an ice chest open the drain hole and let it drain place somewhere it is in the shade and where the bloody water drain off will not bother anyone
everyday replace ice on the top

then what we do is seperate each muscle making sure all the sinew aka blue skin is off we will then either leave it as a whole muscle for a roast or cut it up in to 1/4 inch steaks put in about 10 or so for future meals as they will be medallion size

we like to marinade the steaks in Paul Newmans Balsamic vinegrette dressing for a few hours then
cook over a low heat turning every 5 minutes or in a smoker key do not over cook

we do all our game meat this way ..and people will scarf it up when bob cooks for a group of people ..seriously he can make hamburgers and hot dogs and a big pile of game meat medallions and the game meat will be gone

we don't bother with other processing anymore always processed to fast and taste awful and from old bucks to young does the way we process our own meat it doesn't taste gamey

[Bird Dog 67]

For low and slow cooking you can add a dark beer or some coffee and it addresses any gaminess. For steaks and such..............butters and onion is the way to go.

[PntrRookie]

Make sure you use the prccessing tips above.

For cooking there are two very easy tips...

1. - STEAKS - rub with olive oil then salt and pepper to taste - do NOT over cook...usually only needs 6 minutes per side on a hot grill

2. - ROASTS/SLOW COOKER - put one can of Coke and one jar of Chili Sauce in slow cooker with roast...no game taste at all. Roast is tender and tangy! VERY simple.

[wems2371]

Great thread and I'll have to try some of these tips.

We also mix some hamburger in with the deerburger, and no one can tell the difference.

When it comes to roasts, I usually do them in the crockpot with veggies, and top the roast with mushroom soup, salt, pepper and a little red wine. Makes for a good gravy in the end.

The other day I cubed some deer meat up and mildly coated it with Shore Lunch Hickory BBQ seasoning and fried it in a little butter. It was delicious. The Shore Lunch was actually a jerky seasoning kit, but I just used the seasoning packet from it--and not the cure packet.

[brittfans]

no bone, no fat, garlic salt works for me.roast or hamburger makes me hungry.

[luke0927]

cooked a venison loin yesterday that was soaked in Italian dressing it was very good....im soaking one in milk that i will wrap in bacon and grill tonight

[TimSchoenborn]

Your getting some good advice here.........

Two things not mentioned is a lot of how a deer tastes depends greatly on what they eat while they are alive. Southern deer here in Michigan that eat primarily corn and soybeans taste amazingly different than deer that are harvested up north who fight to find any source of food.

Second thing is absolutley "Do Not" overcook it! I see more venison overcooked than anything else. Also as mentioned in a thread above make sure to remove any silver skin as that will taint the meat more than anything.

Good Luck!

Tim

www.timschoenborn.com

[naperdog]

there is some great stuff in here ! i really appreciate all the feed back. One meal i have found that I absolutly love and doesn't taste to gamey are tacos. i use some ground seasoned with Kirkland's steak seasoning, throw some sour cream and giardenara on a soft taco shell. I can't get enough of that!

I am hearing alot of advice not to overcook. I can tell when beef is where i want it, but how can i tell when venison is done? is there a generally accepted temperature?

[TimSchoenborn]

there is some great stuff in here ! i really appreciate all the feed back. One meal i have found that I absolutly love and doesn't taste to gamey are tacos. i use some ground seasoned with Kirkland's steak seasoning, throw some sour cream and giardenara on a soft taco shell. I can't get enough of that!

I am hearing alot of advice not to overcook. I can tell when beef is where i want it, but how can i tell when venison is done? is there a generally accepted temperature?

If you harvested the deer and it was healthy you can pretty much eat it as raw as you want. Any type of steaks or chops etc I get my grill as hot as I can and depending on the size of the cut no more than 3 to 5 minutes a side. But I like meat towards to rare side. Hot quick and fast on real coals and it can't be beat.

Tim

[luke0927]

i eat it medium rare....never above medium

[LEGLIFTER]

Also I am willing to try any good recipes you have. Thanks!

Try this recipe. It is for Goose/ duck pot pie but just make the following changes.

Substitute Venison for foul

Substitute Beef broth for chicken broth.

Th recipe kicks buttocks and is very versatile.

Outstanding recipe my sister came up with.

Many of us shoot geese cook 'em up and lie to ourselves that they taste great so we don't waste the meat. This recipe will actually make you want to hunt geese 'cause you like 'em. Even snow geese

Ingredients for one goose/duck pot pie

1 smallish goose breast (1/2 of goose) or 2 duck breasts (1 mallard)

1 pie bottom and one pie top (store bought) found in frozen foods.

Roughly 1/2 cup of the following:
Carrots Sliced
Brown Onion Chopped
Celery Chopped
Mushrooms Sliced
Whole corn kernels (canned)

1 clove garlic (chopped)

1 Tsp Sage

1/2 can of cream of mushroom soup (12 oz can)
1/2 can of chicken broth (12 oz. can)

Directions:

Cook/sweat the veggies then set aside.

Dice/ cube /chop (whatever) the goose flesh.
Cook/saute the goose in olive oil with the sage seasoning. Do not cook the goose meat all the way through as it will finish cooking in the pie.

Brown the pie crust bottom per the directions (optional)

Combine the meat with the veggies and mix in one half can of campbell's cream of mushroom soup. After mixing place in the browned pie bottom.

pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth over the filling this keeps the filling from drying out while baking.

Cover the pie with the pie crust seal at the edges and cut vents into the pie crust so the moisture can vent.

Bake in oven for about 20 minutes at 325 degrees.

If you have questions PM me as I won't likely recheck this thread otherwise.

[birddogsunlimited]

this is a good thread makes me hungry iv even saved a couple of these recipes to try the pot pie one sounds real good no mater if you use duck goose or venison

[pstrman]

In addition to all the other posts the other thing that is important is that the meat must be served hot. Put the plates in the micro or run them threw the dry cycle on the dishwasher. The cooler the meat the gamier it tastes, been doing this method for years and years.

Good luck

[PntrRookie]

I can tell when beef is where i want it, but how can i tell when venison is done? is there a generally accepted temperature?

That is a dilemma I face...grilling my venison steaks AND my wife's regular steaks...it doesn't work. Venison does NOT take near the time the regular steaks do. I cook her steak first and then do mine...like said before, 4-6 minutes per side for venison chops/steaks (inch or so thick) and that is all they need.

[Ayres]

Any meant that you think might be "gamey" try this:

Cut into 1" to 2" chunks. Marinate with Lawry's Herb & Garlic (30 mins minimum). Wrap each chunk with bacon & toothpick. Grill. Good.

I usually grill the tenderloins whole, then slice off thick steaks. I make jerky from the rump roasts (it's a lean cut). And, as Ezzy said, I use burger a lot in tacos, spaghetti, chili, etc. It's a tremendously lean meat.

[Mike Clutter]

Shoot does!!! If you hunt and want to eat it /enjoy it. You want a trophy shoot a buck.

[Two Bears]

Biggest thing is to get all the sinew and tendons and fat off the meat

also what we do with our deer meat is let it age for 7-10 days best way is in an ice chest open the drain hole and let it drain place somewhere it is in the shade and where the bloody water drain off will not bother anyone
everyday replace ice on the top

Venison does not "age" Studies have been done by some universities and found that deer meat does not age at all, they say that it takes the muscle about 8 hours to turn into meat and after that it starts to "decompose" or "rot" after that time. Unlike Beef the venison's fat does not help with letting it hang.
Remember to wash out the deer when you get it and make sure that the temperature outside is BELOW 40 degrees, this temperature is vital to your meat tasting great or like crap. If it is over 40 your venison will rot.

My favorite crock pot stew is to remove all fat rinse with water and season to taste and toss in celery, carrote, patatoes, onion a little water. When it is finished shread the meat and you will have a great stew, it tastes very much like roast beef...EVERYONE will love it !

But Venison on the grill is awesome and hard to beat.

[The Zephyr]

Shoot does!!! If you hunt and want to eat it /enjoy it. You want a trophy shoot a buck.

Amen!!!

Two to three year-old does are the way to go, preferably taken from farm land. My best eating animals are taken from annual rye, spinach and other fall/winter vegetable crop.
I can smell the bucks I've shot in the rut having eaten acorns, poison ivy, bull briar when I'm looking for them, before I actuallly find them.

A marinade may help to some extent. I worked with a chef who steeped venison in white wine, olive oil, juniper berries and crushed black pepper. Other folks use red wine prior to making sauerbrauten.

A while ago, when I was working on the farm, one of the guys asked me for the ribs of a big buck. He returned with a couple of days later with a tray of barbecued ribs, they were quite good. He told me his wife had let them soak in red wine vinegar before she cooked 'em real slow.
As he said " 'til the meat, it falls off the bone."

Happy New Year!!!

John L.

[kninebirddog]

All I can tell you is when we do the meat the way we do doesn't matter buck doe antelope what ever game meat we shoot which FYI we do a lot of game meat specially from Texas the meat is good ...when we take meat to ANY processor it is gamey and distasteful...So That is from personal experience with well more then one deer a year

[Mike Clutter]

I agree knine, I do all our meat. I don't do anything special, no tricks before cooking etc. and we use it in any beef recipe. no one is the wiser.

As for what they eat making them smell.... its more the scent glands hormones and such whether it be an old buck, old boar etc. You ever smell grandma cooking sausage you could tell if there was an old boar in the mix.

Lockers around here can lose a lot of business if they don't do a good job in the processing of deer. but I know its MY deer if I do it myself.
no one else to blame it on if I do it.

[kninebirddog]

the way we do our meats ..Heck Even a speed goat is pretty tasty

[zodiakgsps]

Venison shishkabobs:(yep, I grill in the winter!)

2-3 lbs venison round steak chunked
2-3 medium onions, quartered
3-4 green bell peppers, quartered
1/2 pineapple peeled
3-4 tomatoes
4-5 potatoes, boiled but not cooked completely
1 bottle teriyaki sauce

Marinate venison chunks in teriyaki sauce for 2 to 3 hours. Drain marinade; salt and pepper venison lightly. Cut pineapple, tomatoes and potatoes into chunks , and skewer venison with any combination of fruit and vegetables desired. Refrigerate until applewood coals are ready. (Applewood enhances the flavor of the meat and other ingredients.) Roast slowly, turning often until meat is thoroughly cooked. Serves 5 to 6.

[zodiakgsps]

This is great for "picky" eaters in the family, and one of my personal favorites!

1 - 2-3lb(or larger) venison roast
1 - lg can V-8 Juice
2-3 stalks celery
2-3 cloves garlic
1 med onion
2-3 slices bacon
Season roast with Montreal steak and brown in olive oil,place in crock pot, lay bacon over roast, pour over V-8(I don't use the whole can usually), add remaining ingredients. I usually prepare this in the AM and cook in crock pot on low while at work, turns out great!!! Goes well with egg noodles to spoon broth over.

[zodiakgsps]

Venison bites:
Thi is tasty & easy!!!
1/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sesame seed
1 cup oil
6 tbsp. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 tbsp. crushed red pepper (to taste)
Desired amount of venison, cut into small bite-size chunks
Bacon

Shake above ingredients in a small jar. Cut about 1 pound of venison into small bite-size chunks. Place venison in a bowl and marinate in above sauce several hours. Wrap a small slice of bacon around each chunk and spear with a toothpick. Set oven to broil. Place venison bites on broiler rack or pan. Cook on the lowest rack from heat and then move closer to heat to crisp the bacon.

[zodiakgsps]

Venison & black beans:
1 bag black beans
1 lb. browned ground venison
1 jar of salsa (28 to 32 oz.)
Hot sauce - to taste

Cook beans according to directions. Add salsa and burger. Add hot sauce. Cook over medium heat until hot. Serve with nachos or corn chips, or corn or flour tortillas.

This ones a big hit around here for football parties.....I put in a cake pan, melt cheese over it & serve with nachos as a snack!

[scout_on_38s]

Didn't read them all so it may have been hit already but, I've had good luck soaking in milk and worstershire, for people unsure about the taste. I've eaten it my whole life and like it gamey or not. If its just me and the wife I use garlic and onion salt cooked medium rare - medium on the grill.