Venison

[Pat]

It is that time of year. What are your favorite venison recipes? What "secrets" do you employ to tenderize tough old Bambi? I don't use the piercing tenderizers or the chemical ones like Adolph's or even marianade in fresh pineapple juice. I like slow slow moist heat but would be curious to hear about other methods for success.

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[goat]

I cut my deer into three inch cubes. Next I lather it up with good cheap mustard, none of that grey poupon stuff. Add fresh ground pepper genoursly and rap with a good thick piece of bacon. Grill untill medium rare. Sip on a good mixed drink of bourbon until done.

[roho627]

Oh goosh GOAT, That's sounds sinful! Sourmash I hope! [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[goat]

Yes , after much experimentation , I have found Jack daniels single barrel is works best with this recipe.

[roho627]

Mr Goat, U keep speaking my langege, Uhh, I mean language! Jack & Water ! I like to get my 8 glasses of water everyday! and my dr said he didn't care how I got it!

[egon]

How's about marinating the meat in a beer, garlic, lemon juice, hot pepper and thyme for about 1/2 a day. If you are making a stew put it in the oven at about 200 - 250 degrees F for three or so hours and then add the rest of the ingredients.

Of course a malted drink or two while watching it marinate may be necessary.

Egon

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[Fred]

Yes there's nothing like a drink or two (but who counts?) to make whatever you're cooking taste more tender...

Pat, I've always cooked my venison like beef. If you can cook beef tender you should be able to cook venison to where it's tender. Most people tend to want to overcook game meat. If I'm grilling it I WILL put a pad of butter and slice of bacon on each side as I'm cooking it. I cook it medium to medium rare and it's always tender. I cook roasts covered, like a pot roast after I sear the meat.
I'm sure age of the deer, how it's handled and how long til butchering, what it eats all has some bearing on toughness, also.

[beenthere]

I've been cutting up my own deer and cooking venison for 41 years. Spent most of today cutting and wrapping venison. I trim off all fat and 'white' sheath-like material (as well as get rid of all the bone) which gives the meat a 'gamey flavor which I don't like.

The back straps and some of the large hind quarter cuts I put up for the grill. When grilling I cube roughly to 3x3" pieces and grill to medium rare (just before pink in the middle). Have yet to have a tough piece doing it that way. No wrap, tenderizer, or other seasoning. Have many a convert to this way of fixing venison.

The meat that doesn't fit this size, gets diced into roughly 1" cubes without fat or sinew and is packaged as 'stew' meat. My wife drops a package (about one pint or 1 pound) frozen into the crock pot with a can of mushroom soup, and cooks it for several hours. It comes out tender, and with a thick gravy. From there, one can go many directions. Stew with potatoes and carrots and onions. Stroganoff with some wine and cream and some pasta. Serve over potatoes, or whatever. Some of the finest eating I can think of.

Much prefer venison over beef.

Avoid the grinding for hamburger. If any left over after cubing for stew meat, I either have some summer sausage made up or toss it out.

[ljh2]

beenthere,
Couldn't agree more about the cutting being the the first big key.
As you said:
1. Leave no fat on meat. (deer fat just doesn't taste good)
2. Silverskin - (connective tissue) removed.
3. No bones (too tallowy)

are THE keys to good raw venison meat.

Next you hit the nail on the head with the cooking. Don't overcook it. It should still be between red and pink inside unless you are stewing the meat. Steaks should be seared at HIGH heat for as short of a period as possible to achieve rare to medium-rare. Mmmm... good stuff.

Spent a recent Sunday afternoon cutting up my deer. I could never trust a commercial butcher to cut up my deer. I would trust them to make sausages though, but probably not after I get a grinder and sausage stuffer.


Gamey tasting venison just means that it wasn't done right!

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larry

[LazyJ_Arabians]

Venison stroganoff is one my favorite dishes too. I'm curious why you don't grind any into burger? I often grind all except the backstraps, especially with an older deer, we love it in tacos or most any recipe calling for browned ground beef, just sizzle it in a little bacon grease. I'll agree it doesn't make very good hamburgers patties.

For roasts, especially if I'm going to slow smoke it, I'll soak it in a brine solution overnight. 1/2 cup of sea salt and 1/2 cup of brown sugar per 1/2 gallon of water. Tenderizes and really helps keep it from drying out while cooking.