Venison = gamey

campclose · 10-12-2011, 08:39 PM

I have tried to cook venison several different ways (grilled, slow-cooker with Italian dressing or BBQ sauce and in the oven. I can't get the gamey taste out of it. I know it's supposed to be really healthy for you and all but I can't figure out how to cook it so the family will eat it.

Tips?

Grandpa · 10-12-2011, 09:17 PM

Most gamey venison I have seen was because the following was not done quickly and properly.

1. get those scent glands off the animal, even before the blood letting. There are two sets. A pair on the inside of the back legs and a set on the outside on the lower back legs. DO NOT cut into them but around them and skin them off.
2. get that blood out as fast as possible. Cutting the juglar vein is the easiest but if you plan on caping the head and horns, then cut between the first and second ribs behind the front shoulder to open the heart area for bleeding. (I hate to do this because it makes for a bloody entrail removal.) Also make sure the windpipe is completely severed when cutting the juglar vein.

A deer that has been run hard before death is still going to have a little gamey taste. But a quick, quiet death, even with a big buck during the rut will give you good meat if field dressed properly.

Lamebeaver · 10-12-2011, 09:29 PM

Part of that is the taste, and part of it is the way it's killed and seasoned.

For most good butchers, the cattle are brought in the day before and allowed to rest overnight. Then next morning they are killed, and hung up so the blood can drain out within just a few minutes. Next they are gutted, skinned and rapidly cooled, and then kept at a constant cool temperature for about two weeks.

Your typical deer has been running a bit, because of this exertion, lactic acid builds up int the muscles. He hangs in a tree for a few days, the travels home in the back of a pickup (or worse). Instead of a nice young tender steer, you may also have a tough old buck. For food a nice spike yearling would be ideal.

You're never going to completely get rid of that distinctive taste, some of us get to the point where we actually prefer it to beef, but keeping these things in mind can go a long way towards improving the quality of your venison.

Hazel · 10-13-2011, 12:24 AM

I am a horrid hunter so I have to depend on the kindness of friends for my venison fix. Unless I'm making chili, (Where I can spice the heck outta it) I marinate the meat in milk overnight. This makes a huge difference. My boyfriend is hooked.

wvbreamfisherman · 10-13-2011, 06:13 AM

One of the most important things to do in butchering venison is to never cut bones. The bone dust and marrow will go rancid very quickly.

When you cut up your deer, you should bone the meat and remove all visible fat. you can add suet or pork if fat is needed in cooking.

scarlett · 10-13-2011, 08:35 AM

I do not cook "gamey" venison....especially once we started butchering our own. After my husband gets a deer, it is field dressed and taken immediately to a friends apple farm where they have a huge walk in cooler. The backstraps come home and are immediately marinated for dinner. The deer hangs in the cooler on average 7-10 days. Then the deer comes home and my husband and I butcher it. I am super fussy with how I clean the meat. Every bit of fat and silver skin is completely removed. The meat is then vacuum sealed, often in a marinade depending on the cut, and put in the freezer. Since we started doing this, I have only eaten tender, mild meat that you can usually cut with a fork. Our whole family loves it.

southerngal · 10-13-2011, 08:01 PM

Thanks for all the awesome tips guys. This will be the first year we have hunted deer since my husband was a kid so I am printing this out and passing it along to him!

Soldat · 10-16-2011, 04:26 PM

I always soak it in buttermilk before cooking. I never taste any gaminess then.

OldSole · 10-16-2011, 05:43 PM

Good ideas! I would like venison a lot better if it doesn't taste as gamey. It's always been gamey for me, even when cooked with sauces and such. The ideas that you guys have for butchering are fantastic and I'll have to try that. We usually eat the meat even if it is gamey because it's cheap and gives us a lot of protein.

ejdixon · 10-17-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soldat

I always soak it in buttermilk before cooking. I never taste any gaminess then.

I've been trying to get my girlfriend to eat venison for the longest time, but she keeps complaining about the smell and taste. I'll definitely try this out. Hopefully, she can enjoy it as much as I do.