How to take the "Game" out of Venison.
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Stony
Member
Your video didn't work. I have seen a lot of folks try all kinds of methods to remove the taste of venison and make it taste like a cow....but personally I like deer meat for what it is. All meats don't have to taste like either beef or chicken. Maybe some different kinds of game need a little help with the wild taste, as I have to admit I've shot some mule deer over the years that were pretty strong tasting and antelope seems to be an acquired taste.
1911 guy
Member
I've found that the best method for less "gamey" taste is to use onions when cooking game, avoid overcooking it and adjust cooking methods to account for the much lower fat content than store-bought meat. Speaking of fat, trim the fat off of venison before cooking. That's a main culprit, too.
JackSprat
Member
I know people that won't even eat a rutting buck,but I have no problem with the taste,I was always taught to remove the scent glands from the back of the legs (we always saved them to carry with us to attract other bucks),of course you need to remove them,and the male parts asap..And I usually hang them from neck,so I cut the big black arteries on the rear legs at the knee joint as soon as I hang them..I have heard of people soaking squirrel,and groundhog with onion to remove the gamey taste,but we never did.
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I try to hang my deers or antelopes a few days to a week if the weather is cool enough.
Trimming all the fat helps, as does getting them gutted right away and cooled out. Keeping the hair off the meat also helps I think. I bone it all, I don't want any bone products in my meat for any reason and never cut bones directly. Ill cut through joints if need be to get them apart, but otherwise avoid cutting bones (and have never cut the pelvis or sternum for field dressing). With the Chronic Wasting Disease going around, it lowers the potential that it could be transferred I believe. I leave the brain and spine intact also, parts associated with CWD prions.
Shooting does/fawns instead of bucks in the rut also helps. Ive given antelope meat to people that werent game meat eaters, they all thought it was excellent. Most deer I shoot have been fat does or young bucks.
Trimming all the fat helps, as does getting them gutted right away and cooled out. Keeping the hair off the meat also helps I think. I bone it all, I don't want any bone products in my meat for any reason and never cut bones directly. Ill cut through joints if need be to get them apart, but otherwise avoid cutting bones (and have never cut the pelvis or sternum for field dressing). With the Chronic Wasting Disease going around, it lowers the potential that it could be transferred I believe. I leave the brain and spine intact also, parts associated with CWD prions.
Shooting does/fawns instead of bucks in the rut also helps. Ive given antelope meat to people that werent game meat eaters, they all thought it was excellent. Most deer I shoot have been fat does or young bucks.
Dog Soldier
member
The deer, elk, moose etc do not have a wild taste. Meat of any kind beef, pork or lamb can have a bad taste from improper handling. There is no tricks for hiding the tainted meat smell or taste. Scent glands and lanolins are usually the culprit as is heat.
entropy
Member
Keep scent glands away form the meat, cut the tallow off as fast as you find it, don't "hang it for flavor for a week or two", and cool it and cut and package it ASAP-these will ensure the best taste you can get from a particular animal. I will say from personal experience that corn-fed doe 
will taste better than a rutting swamp buck, 
handling being the same.
will taste better than a rutting swamp buck, handling being the same.
Dog Soldier
member
That holds true in butchering cattle. We do not process Bulls for meat. The Steers and Stags are table meat. Male animals not castrated are not table grade.
Patocazador
Member
Deer taste like .. DEER, squirrels taste like squirrels and skunks taste like skunks. None of them should taste like beef. If you want something to taste like beef, buy steaks at the supermarket.
I like the taste of deer and elk better than the taste of beef. To each his own.
I like the taste of deer and elk better than the taste of beef. To each his own.
Sorry about that gang, the video link should be fixed now.
This is pretty similar to my own method. I have found that the threads of silver skin/tendons etc are by far the worst offenders. CWD has not yet reached my local population (much), but my wife works for the conservation department and had to miss opening weekend of season because of mandatory testing in norther Missouri.
I really have to give MO credit for making every attempt to get in front of this. I really hope that a vaccine can be found. In the mean time people I know have stopped feeding corn etc and other things that would cause the deer to gather in a tight place.
This is pretty similar to my own method. I have found that the threads of silver skin/tendons etc are by far the worst offenders. CWD has not yet reached my local population (much), but my wife works for the conservation department and had to miss opening weekend of season because of mandatory testing in norther Missouri.
I really have to give MO credit for making every attempt to get in front of this. I really hope that a vaccine can be found. In the mean time people I know have stopped feeding corn etc and other things that would cause the deer to gather in a tight place.
+1 I just don't like the taste of the things that should not be left in. It seems like many people here are well informed on the subject, but after tasting deer many times before know this myself I figured its only right that I pass on this gem to the world
Sunray
Member
If your venison is gamey it's because it wasn't handled properly in the field.
"...don't "hang it for flavor..." Absolutely. Beef is hung to age and tenderize. Game meat doesn't need that. In any case, meat tastes of what the beat was eating. A deer feeding on acorns will taste of tannic acid. Same as a cow fed corn doesn't taste the same as a range fed cow.
"...don't "hang it for flavor..." Absolutely. Beef is hung to age and tenderize. Game meat doesn't need that. In any case, meat tastes of what the beat was eating. A deer feeding on acorns will taste of tannic acid. Same as a cow fed corn doesn't taste the same as a range fed cow.
I feel hanging improves the flavor of the local Mule deer that live in sagebrush country. Yes, they do taste like what they've been eating, but I don't think they actually eat sagebrush, just the grass. I do think the sage flavors them to a point from laying in it, walking through it all the time. They smell like it, especially their hair.
Best Mule Deer I ever ate was a young buck hit by a car in Nebraska, it was crossing from one corn field to another.
Being as far from a decent cook as most humans can be and still manage to feed themselves, I found that pan frying deer steaks in butter with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper works pretty well.
Best Mule Deer I ever ate was a young buck hit by a car in Nebraska, it was crossing from one corn field to another.
Being as far from a decent cook as most humans can be and still manage to feed themselves, I found that pan frying deer steaks in butter with a little garlic powder, salt and pepper works pretty well.
alsaqr
Member
"If your venison is gamey it's because it wasn't handled properly in the field."
Exactly^^^^^^
IME: "Gamey", "strong tasting", etc. are synonymous with rotten and/or contaminated.
i was taught to cut the deers throat let the animal bleed out ASAP after killing: That makes a difference in the taste. Guys burst the bladder, stomach or intestines while field dressing and never wash out the body cavity afterwards. Dirt on the outside of the deer is allowed to contact the meat.
Exactly^^^^^^
IME: "Gamey", "strong tasting", etc. are synonymous with rotten and/or contaminated.
i was taught to cut the deers throat let the animal bleed out ASAP after killing: That makes a difference in the taste. Guys burst the bladder, stomach or intestines while field dressing and never wash out the body cavity afterwards. Dirt on the outside of the deer is allowed to contact the meat.
I'm like Stoney, I love the flavor of venison for what it is. If you hunt wild turkey it too will taste different from what you buy at a grocery store. Wild game tastes different because of their diet, which is passed on to the meat, which I like. I never try to mask the taste by using exotic rubs or soakings. I just use ice baths and change the ice water frequently until the meat no longer releases blood when I squeeze it. When the water is clean it is time to cook.
Glockula
Member
I love venison for what it is but have found a few ways to ensure that the meat is of the highest quality. Number one is getting the meat below 41 degrees, preferably around 37 as quickly as possible. Gutting the animal as soon as possible is a must. Removing the tarsals on a buck immediately is a must. Hanging the deer without the fur for at least 3 days helps a lot. All beef is aged much longer than this. I quarter the animal and let the quarters hang out in the fridge uncovered for 3 or 4 days. I am not a fan of cooling the meat I n ice as the meat soaks and gets a nasty(to me) brown and wet texture. The dry hanging gives the meat a beatific deep red color. The loins and tenderloins are packaged immediately.
Venison plays well with cured or smoked meats. I will grind mine with ribeye fat and hog jowl. Best burgers ever! Whole cuts are best cooked by the paradigm cook it 2 minutes or 2 hours. We eat a lot of med rare to medium venison and a fair amount or braised and stewed. It gets tough fast when cooked past medium. I also smoke a lot of venison including the ribs on my Big Green Egg.
Handling the meat well from the get go is key. After that it is all about your tastes.
Venison plays well with cured or smoked meats. I will grind mine with ribeye fat and hog jowl. Best burgers ever! Whole cuts are best cooked by the paradigm cook it 2 minutes or 2 hours. We eat a lot of med rare to medium venison and a fair amount or braised and stewed. It gets tough fast when cooked past medium. I also smoke a lot of venison including the ribs on my Big Green Egg.
Handling the meat well from the get go is key. After that it is all about your tastes.
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wankerjake
Member
Keep the meat clean and cold and it will taste good. Bulls, bucks, cows and calves are all delicious. Removing tendon and deep fascia (you won't find the phrase "silver skin" in an anatomy & physiology book) is a myth, it is not "gamey" if you keep the meat clean and cold. Remove the large tendons and deep fascia because it is chewy by all means but it does not have a stronger flavor than the meat. A good grinder makes short work of "silver skin" and I don't even trim it. Grind twice, second thru a 1/8" plate and enjoy. I've ground a literal ton of elk burger (likely closer to two tons) without trimming out all the fascia and people talk about my burgers.
Aging a few days makes a noticeable difference with tenderness. We always do hide off, not cold enough in AZ generally to leave it on.
Clean and cold. That's the ticket.
My bona fides:
Aging a few days makes a noticeable difference with tenderness. We always do hide off, not cold enough in AZ generally to leave it on.
Clean and cold. That's the ticket.
My bona fides:
SwaneeSR
Member
Well done video. I am looking forward to giving it a try.
Arkansas Paul
Member
Good video.
I too love the taste of venison and do not want it to taste like beef. But I am a firm believer in cutting away all that connective tissue and fat like the video shows. It takes me longer to butcher my deer than my friends, but every time they come over and eat it they always rave and ask what my secret is.
I too love the taste of venison and do not want it to taste like beef. But I am a firm believer in cutting away all that connective tissue and fat like the video shows. It takes me longer to butcher my deer than my friends, but every time they come over and eat it they always rave and ask what my secret is.
entropy
Member
How many of your friends have you butchered?
Arkansas Paul
Member
How many of your friends have you butchered?
Hmmmmmmmm.
One looses count after all this time. lol
Stony
Member
wankerjake....Man you have it goin' on. We eat a lot of wild meats and fish I catch, and I can appreciate your approach to living like a guy should. Good healthy protein.
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Cooling the meat ASAP is a key to fine tasting game meat. Don't ever hang a critter with the skin on. The quickest way to cool a carcass is to get the hide off. Cutting the throat, splitting the ribs and other methods aren't nearly as effective as simply peeling the hide off and hanging the carcass. I don't age game at all. I skin it, quarter it, if possible get it on ice and process it as quickly as possible. If I can't get it on ice immediately I'll hang it skinned in the shade with good air circulation which cools it rapidly.
X-Rap
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Having butchered wild game for more than 40 yrs I will say that I've adapted and morphed to what I believe produces the best tasting meat.
Quick skinning, quartering and cooling for starters.
I don't follow any hanging or aging protocol because I don't believe deer and elk meat has the same composition as does beef and doesn't benefit from hanging beyond the time it takes to bleed out.
I don't concern myself with the condition of the meat facing inside towards the guts since over the years I've dealt with many broken paunches and other disrupted digestive tracts and have yet to have suffered from ecoli or other illness.
The 2 soured animals I can think of were both left in the field and found early the following morning and while the temperature dropped below freezing they were large bodied and the meat was soured throughout.
I have come to believe that you get the best product when you take the extra time to trim all possible tendons, tallow and silver skin from the meat including that which will be made into hamburger, sausages or jerky.
Package in vacuum bags or wrap in cellophane and butcher paper.
Quick skinning, quartering and cooling for starters.
I don't follow any hanging or aging protocol because I don't believe deer and elk meat has the same composition as does beef and doesn't benefit from hanging beyond the time it takes to bleed out.
I don't concern myself with the condition of the meat facing inside towards the guts since over the years I've dealt with many broken paunches and other disrupted digestive tracts and have yet to have suffered from ecoli or other illness.
The 2 soured animals I can think of were both left in the field and found early the following morning and while the temperature dropped below freezing they were large bodied and the meat was soured throughout.
I have come to believe that you get the best product when you take the extra time to trim all possible tendons, tallow and silver skin from the meat including that which will be made into hamburger, sausages or jerky.
Package in vacuum bags or wrap in cellophane and butcher paper.
JeffRaines
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I only have one deer under my belt - shot at 20 yards with her oblivious to my presence. She ran 15 yards and piled up. I was skinning her within 30 minutes of the shot(I found her while looking for the arrow).
I used the gutless method and the quarters and loins/etc went straight into the cooler. I stopped by the store on the way home and grabbed some ice for her to sit in overnight(as it was after 9pm and I was already tired from working the morning shift, so no way I was processing immediately).
Next day I processed and bagged/froze. None of the meat, including the ground that I left the silverskin on, has been gamey at all. I did trim off most of the tallow. I made a pot roast with it about a month ago, and none of the meat was gamey. The small amount of tallow had a "unique" taste, but the meat was great.
In short, I don't think I'd do it any differently in the future. Gut or skin/quarter immediately, no hanging, process as soon as possible.
edit- The only difference would be if it were a heavier animal like elk, I'd probably bone it out immediately unless it was below freezing outside. I may bone out a deer immediately as well depending on temps.
I used the gutless method and the quarters and loins/etc went straight into the cooler. I stopped by the store on the way home and grabbed some ice for her to sit in overnight(as it was after 9pm and I was already tired from working the morning shift, so no way I was processing immediately).
Next day I processed and bagged/froze. None of the meat, including the ground that I left the silverskin on, has been gamey at all. I did trim off most of the tallow. I made a pot roast with it about a month ago, and none of the meat was gamey. The small amount of tallow had a "unique" taste, but the meat was great.
In short, I don't think I'd do it any differently in the future. Gut or skin/quarter immediately, no hanging, process as soon as possible.
edit- The only difference would be if it were a heavier animal like elk, I'd probably bone it out immediately unless it was below freezing outside. I may bone out a deer immediately as well depending on temps.
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