How to make it broadly appealing?

[joes1986]

Greetings!

Just out of curiosity,

I like "wild" meat, but have a number of friends who refuse to try it. I like a decently gamey taste, but I think too much would probably turn them off. Any recipe ideas that might satisfy all involved? Mostly venison, but different small game as well (squirrels typically).

Thanks!

[ET]

To me the most important part pertains to meat preparation/butchering.

All my deer meat is de-boned. If you cut through bone and meat comes in contact with marrow, yuck.
I take the meat and any what I call silver skin or sinew is removed so all that remains is pure meat. Bit of work involved but if you want quality taste this is the route I go.

Cooking is the next step and I have only a few rules here.
Deer meat is lean and requires some oil or wrap in lean smoked bacon. For roasting start heat low say 275F and after about 45-minutes increase heat to about 300-320F. Low starting heat allows meat fibers to open and cook more evenly IMO.
Easy on spices and throw some carrot and celery chunks with meat in roasting pan.

Another method I enjoy is using meat in Stir-Fries.

Hope this is helpful in some way.


Ed

[orion]

The two most important concepts with venison in my experiance are to #1 make sure you are not eating gut shot meat and if a deer is shot, to make sure it is dressed properly and has not spoiled.
and
#2 trim as much fat away from the intended cut of meat before freezing it and/or eating it. Fat or tallow will impart gamey flavor but more importantly as time goes on the fat or tallow will get rancid (or more gamey tasting).

Cutting your own meat is the best way to ensure this. Many deer cutters leave the fat on and people can't figure out why their big fat corn fed deer tastes like crap. Usually it is because of #1 or #2. Many large scale deer cutters pool meat also, so you don't even know if it is your deer your eating.

Try marinating that always helps. Deep frying is not bad either. Many game marinades are listed on-line. A sure fire winner is always Italian Salad Dressing with a cup or two of red wine mixed in and some balsamic vin. (24 hrs).

[rossman40]

I can not add much more except maybe young does are best eating.

I am a firm believer in the fact that if you want it processed right you have to do it yourself.

The all time favorite is country fried back strap with pepper gravy and fried potatoes. Another favorite in my house even with the finicky eaters is deer steak fajitas with the meat cut into 1/4" X 1/2" strips. I'll saute the veggies with the meat then throw in some taco mix.

[smokepole50]

Squirrels make some might fine gravey and squirrels and dumplings are very good as well. I started canning Squirrels a couple years ago. Take you old and tough squirrels and quarter them up, pitching the back section with the ribs because all the back meat is on the lower section of the back. Stuff the quarters in a quart jar and can just like venison. ( freeze the squirrels until you have enough for a canning batch) When you open the jar the meat falls off the bone and you can use the broth for cooking. Its a great way to use the old tough ones. Of course fry the young squirrels.

I believe how fast a animal dies makes a lot of difference in how it taste. Make a good lung shot and this drains all the blood from the animal fast. In the case of squirrels I always go for head shots with a .22

Getting a deer cooled out fast is also important.

I also do not allow any water to contact the meat if at all possible. I age my Venison for about a week in a cooler with ice packs.

Does of course make tender eating with less gamey taste but Big ole bucks can be very good as well if they die quick and are properly stored until processed.

Processing you own meat (Venison) is a must for good tasting game.

Any meat that come into contact with stomach fluids is only good for the dogs. Don't waste your time trying to soak out that taste, it will never completely go away.

De-bone your Venison but also seperate out each of the large muscle groups so you can cut your meat across the grain to make it more tender.

Smokepole50

[pposey]

Sept 21, 2010 9:56:39 GMT -5 smokepole50 said:

Squirrels make some might fine gravey and squirrels and dumplings are very good as well. I started canning Squirrels a couple years ago. Take you old and tough squirrels and quarter them up, pitching the back section with the ribs because all the back meat is on the lower section of the back. Stuff the quarters in a quart jar and can just like venison. ( freeze the squirrels until you have enough for a canning batch) When you open the jar the meat falls off the bone and you can use the broth for cooking. Its a great way to use the old tough ones. Of course fry the young squirrels.

I believe how fast a animal dies makes a lot of difference in how it taste. Make a good lung shot and this drains all the blood from the animal fast. In the case of squirrels I always go for head shots with a .22

Getting a deer cooled out fast is also important.

I also do not allow any water to contact the meat if at all possible. I age my Venison for about a week in a cooler with ice pack

Exactly,,, tree rats are great canned as well as is Deer.

[deadon]

Oct 9, 2010 4:20:02 GMT -5 pposey said:

Sept 21, 2010 9:56:39 GMT -5 smokepole50 said:

Squirrels make some might fine gravey and squirrels and dumplings are very good as well. I started canning Squirrels a couple years ago. Take you old and tough squirrels and quarter them up, pitching the back section with the ribs because all the back meat is on the lower section of the back. Stuff the quarters in a quart jar and can just like venison. ( freeze the squirrels until you have enough for a canning batch) When you open the jar the meat falls off the bone and you can use the broth for cooking. Its a great way to use the old tough ones. Of course fry the young squirrels.

I believe how fast a animal dies makes a lot of difference in how it taste. Make a good lung shot and this drains all the blood from the animal fast. In the case of squirrels I always go for head shots with a .22

Getting a deer cooled out fast is also important.

I also do not allow any water to contact the meat if at all possible. I age my Venison for about a week in a cooler with ice pack

Exactly,,, tree rats are great canned as well as is Deer.

How long can one keep canned meat, particularly squirrels? Due to trial lawyers I know that expiration dates on most stuff you buy leaves a lot of room and most of stuff is still good long after the date has expired. I would like to can as much as I can just in cast Obama is reelected and my work doesn't pick up for another 4 years . Thanks to all in the know, Rusty

[rossman40]

Supposedly properly stored canned meats will last 5 years. When I was in boot camp we were eating C-rats that were 15 years old.

[tar12]

Aside from all of the above mentioned great advice use beef base stock in your venison canning/recipes whenever possible.It imparts a beef flavor to the venison and those eating will be hard pressed to know the difference,you will probally have to tell them.You can make a marinade out of the beef stock "base"and it works wonders on the taste buds!For thicker cuts of vension inject the beef base marinade into it prior to grilling,baking,frying ect... Venison and noodles is common meal around this house as well. It is very good!

[pposey]

I found some canned bear at my grandparents house that I know is 8 years old,,,, I was leary of it but granny was all gunho and we had some for lunch,,, twas fine

[10ga]

Squirrels are about the gamiest of small game. If you want something different and "sweet" get some beaver meat. Contact your local trapper. Mom used squirrel for "salad" meat. Parboiled, deboned, then chopped and made into salad like chicken salad spread. Yummy.
For venison and newbies to game try some backstrap chops, about 1/2 " thick, and "chicken fry" (that means breaded) and serve with your favorite gravy, brown or white(do not overcook chops). Good sides are mashed sweet potatoes and greens, I like curly kale best, collards or turnip greens good. For a real change find some "cresses".
If you are real adventuresome then liver from a young doe is extra good. Sautee with onions, make brown gravy and serve with mashed potatoes and peas.
I love to cook the game I have brought to bag. 10

[boarhog]

A Beef Stroganoff recipe does pretty well with venison. Another of my faves is pound meat with a tenderizing hammer, marinate overnight in buttermilk, then double dredge strips or small steaks in seasoned flour, and fry in peanut/Canola oil. I prefer just salt and fresh ground black pepper in my flour, but like it also with Cavender's Greek Seasoning, or Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning. If you think venison is gamey, the stronger seasoning will cover that up nicely. A good milk gravy, like Mom usta make, ladled over the meat and mashed taters is food o da gods! One other tip. Don't overfill your skillet with meat. Leave room around each piece, so that the coatings will be crisp, and meat tender. An electric skillet works great because you can set the temp at 350*, and have less chance of burning your gravy makings. Yummy!!
Boarhog

[rossman40]

To back up Boarhog, the favorite meal in this house is country fried backstrap with fried potatoes and lots of gravy. I'll take the backstraps cut about 1/2-3/4" thick then put them between heavy sheets of plastic and take a about a 18" 2X4 and pound them about 1/4-3/8" thick. My favorite breading is Andy's Cajun chicken (now called Andy's hot&spicy).



As far as the gravy a good sawmill pepper gravy works great since you do not get the pan drippings if you deep fry. Even my youngest daughter who is the finickiness eater of the family will eat this no questions asked and she will not eat deer any other way.

Since the wife and oldest daughter both work in heart hospitals I only get it twice a year. Super Bowl day and a family cook-out during the summer.

[petev]

If you live in a cooler climate (like I do) you are probably better off hanging the deer for 2 or 3 days. Even after you butcher the meat off the deer, you probably should let the trays of venison sit in the fridg for a few hours to drain some more blood off before freezing. I use a vacuum sealer and it keeps meat really fresh for a year at least. This may not answer your question, but there have been alot of good answers already. When eating liver I have started adding some hot sause along with a little spedie or garlic sauce and it is quite good. If you make summer sausage, and dont want to just eat it straight all the time, you can cook some, and chop it up with a knife, and add it to spaghetti sauce and it is real good. When making deer suasage I use 1/3 pork chops (the fatter the better), and 2/3 venison. When making deer burger, I use 1:1 venison to about 80% lean burger from a good store.

[thelefthand]

In addition to the other suggestions already made, I usually go to the store and pick up a pork shoulder for ever deer that I butcher and I mix it in evenly with the hamburger on the first grind through a coarse plate. This takes most, if not all of the wild taste out of the meat, and adds some fat content back in (since I throw most of the fat away). I don't mind the wild taste, my my wife doesn't care for it, so the $10 for a pork shoulder is well worth it.

[sawmillgunner]

I used to take my deer to a local slaughter house and I was unable to eat the meat. I got turned against deer meat of any kind, even hated the smell of it. Then I started to do my own, at home and bought a grinder and WOW it is great. I remove all of the fat I can, and if it is cold out let it hang as much as a week. I donate the big bucks to feed the hungry Org and I try to get myself a few nice does. Last year I bought a box of bacon ends and pieces and ground it in with my burger and we used it for hamburgers. It gave it a little smoky flavor and everyone that ate it loved it, in fact my son and another good friend added the bacon to their meat also. I also make just plain burger for chili and sloppy joes. What ever is left of the sloppy Joes we use for hot-dog sauce. We try not to waste anything.
I cut the shoulders up into stew meat and we make Deer Stew same as beef stew. Make a pan of cornbread and some Cole slaw and that is some good stuff.
Steaks< I like to divide the muscles up in the leg and slice them up into steaks, I take one of those tenderizers with the blades and work it over, roll in in flour and fry it till brown and then add a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of water, do this in a iron skillet and cook for about 2 hrs, making sure to add water if needed, cook low temp. Serve over buttery mash potatoes and have some biscuits and I am getting hungry. I got to go eat.

[thelefthand]

I'm sitting here eating some cubed deer steak fresh off the grill. Tried something different tonight. A friend of ours was having one of those "Pampered Chef" parties, and my wife was invited. I thew a fit because she always feels like she needs to "help" the hostess reach her goal and she'll buy all kinds of junk that we never use. I basically forbid her to go, which didn't end up mattering because she had to work anyway (otherwise she would have went....). So, her friend gives her a catalog, and we have another fight. Then I look through the catalog and say, "If your going to get anything, it might as well be some of these dry rubs they have. At least we will end up using them eventually." So now I have 12 different dry rubs. I opened them up this afternoon. The package of cube steak had 4 pieces, so I tried a different flavor on each one. So far they are all good, and it doesn't taste at all like deer meet. I'll have to make some for the family (wife's working tonight).