polo1665
Veteran Member
i think these are funny:
-"most people don't know how to cook deer meat, they cook it too long"
-"if you shoot the deer after it has been spooked, it'll taste gamy....a lot of people whistle or shoot the deer and this makes it taste gamy"
-"you'll have to mix some beef fat in with it"
-"if you cook it in spaghetti or chili, you'll not know it because it covers up the flavor"
-"if you soak the steaks in milk, it'll take the game flavor out of it" (i did this once for two days, then grilled it....it really didn't have any game flavor....i didn't add any seasoning so it didn't have ANY flavor.......great texture, though......my fault, i need to try this one again)
-"you have to let it hang, the longer it hangs the better it is most people don't let them hang long enough"
-"you have to bleed it out real good, a lot of people just bleed it enough"
-"a lot of people just don't cook it right"
and there are more.....i just think it's funny......
OR, you could just cook some beef!
i'm trying, i really do want to acquire the taste.....i'll keep watching this thread.......actually, i haven't tried the smoked loin.....i brought it home and put it in the freezer......maybe i should have tried it right away....hopefully i didn't ruin it....
I understand your thinking that the guidelines you posted are funny to you. You should understand that alot of the items you point out here are true also.
What makes beef so tasty and tender has alot to do with its fat content. The most tender and the tastiest beef steaks are those that have a higher fat content. I am not speaking of the fat around the edges, but rather the fat that is "marbeled" in the meat itself. Venison is very lean meat (very little fat content). That means that is more difficult to cook venison in a way that leaves it moist and tender. If I gave you a dry, tough beef steak and a dry, tough venison steak on the same plate I would venture to say you wouldn't care for either. As a matter of fact they may taste strangely similar to one another.
Using venison in stew, chili, or spaghetti is one easy way to keep the meat moist and leave it tender.
Adding beef fat or pork fat to venison sausage and ground venison is absolutely necessary.
Soaking the meat in milk (I've been told to use Buttermilk) is supposed to take any gamey taste out of it. I believe this process is the same as any marinading process. It is not so much to remove gamey taste, but rather to allow the meat become more tender without drying out before cooking. Italian dressing or your favorite marinade would probably accomplish the same end.
Letting the meat "hang" before cutting it up is very important. Hanging the meat allows bacteria to start to break down the meat, this makes the meat more tender and flavorful. This does not mean to leave it hang in your garage and rot. The temperature needs to be contolled above freezing to make sure the meat is allowed to age without spoiling. Have you ever heard of aged beef? Its the same principle.
All in all it is not so much having to aquire the taste. It is a matter of cooking the venison so that you can enjoy it on your own terms. I hope never to acquire a taste for tough dry meat
By the way, I am in the same boat as you. I am not a deer hunter yet, but bought land that is absolutely riddled with them. I do however know alot of people that hunt and I get "free handouts" whenever I can. Backstrap or tenderloin is my favorite. There are not too many hunters that will part with that cut of meat, so it is hard to come by (as a handout).
Good luck with your venison. Hope you come to enjoy it.
Mark
