# What to do with Deer meat?



## Zwiefel (Nov 26, 2012)

I don't have much experience cooking deer...what I (think I) know is that it's very lean, which suggest that fast-n-hot methods are best....I don't have any experience cooking lean meat with lots of connective tissues though-thinking about cuts from the shoulder areas in particular. I'd think that you'd have to lard it somehow for those cuts to cook long enough to breakdown the connective tissues. 

In the past I've done stir-fry, stews (a little dry), and chili (ground meat). 

Any ideas?


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## tk59 (Nov 26, 2012)

Jerky.


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## Zwiefel (Nov 26, 2012)

doh! forgot about that! I haven't made it before, but I've definitely eaten it. Good stuff.

Got a recipe handy?


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## Mike9 (Nov 26, 2012)

Do you have the whole thing? We just grilled a front leg and shoulder two weeks ago. Use a wood fire, put a nice char on the outside and leave it rare next to the bone - delicious. The back straps can be treated like any loin, tender loin, but lends itself to fast & hot cooking. The hind quarters post a different problem as the rump is a large group of muscles. I took a rump a few weeks ago and made a bacon weave to wrap it in then cooked it slow on the grill using indirect heat. I trimmed as much tendon as I could before wrapping it.


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## Lucretia (Nov 26, 2012)

We used to just take thin slices (backstrap if we could get it!), dredge it in flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and fry it until just done through. A little cayenne would be good, too. For tougher pieces you could make cube(d?) steak and cook it the same way. We just ate it without any additions, but sauteeing some onions and mushrooms in the pan and making some milk gravy would probably go pretty well with it.


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## Zwiefel (Nov 26, 2012)

I totally forgot about the dredge-n-fry prep...I had that some as a kid, been a while though.

Good ideas, thanks Lucretia!


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## ajhuff (Nov 26, 2012)

Chili. Spaghetti. I used to make some awesome cheese steak sandwiches with thin cut tender loins.

-AJ


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## Zwiefel (Nov 26, 2012)

ooooohhh...cheese-steak sammies! great idea!


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## daveb (Nov 26, 2012)

Depends on the cut(s) you have. Loins, backstrap or inner loin, treat like tenderloin. Most excellent marinated, grilled then sauced. Chasseur (hunter) sauce is a favorite here. Leg quarters I like to have made into sausage. Processors open for deer season that do this. Roasts, Chili, Jerky or burger are also tasty options for quarters. Treat like chuck roast. I've never had good results steaking the quarters. Good luck!


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## Zwiefel (Nov 26, 2012)

Dave, do you have a recipe for Hunter Sauce that you like?


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## cnochef (Nov 26, 2012)

Deer pepperoni is one of the tastiest meat products I've ever eaten, so I think you should get a butcher to make you some.


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## sachem allison (Nov 26, 2012)

never forget the crockpot. beer, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, rutabagas, chilies and whatever seasonings you want. low and slow venison stew.


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## jmforge (Nov 26, 2012)

Also depends on the animal, both species wise and the individual specimen. I have had some whitetail that was smoked by a local BBQ joint that tasted like a cross between school cafeteria liver and burnt pencil erasers. At the other end of the spectrum, i have had some whitetail chops straight out of the freezer with nothing more than salt and pepper that tasted like a good cut of beef. For the lesser cuts, making chili is always a good option. I know that lots of folks like the chucky or "pulled" meat chili, but I would throw in a bit of pork fat and grind it up. With that said, IMO, when you start with whitetail, you are at a disadvantaqe compared to using say elk, red deer or one of the big exotic feral critters like nilgai. They are just better meat animals in my limited experience.


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## Zwiefel (Nov 27, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> never forget the crockpot. beer, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, rutabagas, chilies and whatever seasonings you want. low and slow venison stew.



Dont needany additional fat for this type of technique?


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## daveb (Nov 27, 2012)

Z, I have recipe I like as a pdf file. Link below. (Not sure how to insert pdf file or even if it can be done) Leave the loin whole to cook/grill. The many chefs here can probably provide better guidance.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/55001407/Foodie Stuff/Beef Tournedos Chasseur - Rene.PDF

And please don't overcook it.


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## sachem allison (Nov 27, 2012)

Zwiefel said:


> Dont needany additional fat for this type of technique?



I forgot throw in some bacon or fat back.. Remember you are going to use the rump or hind quarter with all that connective tissue. the slow nature of the crockpot will break it down and release the collagen giving you some tender fall off the fork meat. The beer will also act as a tenderizer. cooking at a low temp with the lid on is going to keep all the juices in.


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## quantumcloud509 (Nov 27, 2012)

Whichever direction you decide to take this, be sure to drink at least a 6 pack before you do


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## DeepCSweede (Nov 27, 2012)

I have a really great stew recipe I will try to hunt up tomorrow.

One of my favorites is to slice medalion's of loin or split a tenderloin in two (since they are not large to begin with) season them with Salt and Pepper, put a teaspoon of bacon grease in a hot cast iron skillet and fry to MRare. Add mushrooms (I like shitakes, portabellas and buttons). I like mushrooms so I usually put in 10-16oz. Deglaze the pan with a quarter cup of brandy (I usually let it flame up and then add some fresh taragon, a cup of chicken stock and salt to taste. Saute the mushrooms / reduce the sauce for a few minutes and then add in some cream and then I usually add the medallions back in along with the jus that they have released for one to two minutes to warm them back up (but not enough to cook them). Serve with Spaetzle or potatoes.


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## maxim (Nov 27, 2012)

Haha Now i need to try it, some pics later  



tk59 said:


> Jerky.


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## Lucretia (Nov 27, 2012)

For beef stew, I usually fry up a few slices of bacon (that get crumbled into the stew) then add some olive oil and brown the meat in small batches in the fat, adding olive oil as needed. Onions get browned after the meat (with some garlic) and then a little flour added to make a bit of a roux. Then the wine, broth, veg, etc are added--and all that tasty olive oil and bacon grease are part of the stew. Maybe it would work for venison? And it could go in the crockpot after everything is browned.


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## sachem allison (Nov 27, 2012)

It will work. I just omitted all those steps because, I figured he know how to make a stew. My bad. I forgot the more info the better.lol


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## Lucretia (Nov 27, 2012)

My mother's method of making stew: dump all raw ingredients in water and boil until nasty. Used to HATE stew---until I had some that was done right. uke:


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## Zwiefel (Nov 27, 2012)

sachem allison said:


> It will work. I just omitted all those steps because, I figured he know how to make a stew. My bad. I forgot the more info the better.lol



I do...still interested learning what other OCDtypes do thats different from me though 



Lucretia said:


> boil until nasty. uke:



Heh, had to chuckle at this. I did it this way for many years....until a recipe from cooks illustratedmade me think aout it very differently....and made the old approach nasty indeed.

Lots of good ideas here guys (& gals!)... thanks!


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## Duckfat (Nov 28, 2012)

Use your front shoulders for grind meat and jerky. The backstarp and tenders are going to be your prime steaks. Clean the silver off the back strap the very same way you would clean a tenderloin. From there you can leave the loins whole and roast them or slice into steaks. One of my favorite methods for backstap is to coat the steaks with crushed black pepper and juniper berries and then sear in a cast iron pan, sautee some frozen Morels from the spring (if I have any left) and put that together with a demi to simmer.
A quick marinade I use for Venison chops on the grill;
5 crushed Cloves of Garlic
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Oregano
Juice from 1 fresh lemon
2 Tablespoons balsamic or red wine Vinegar
S &P

I put the chops in this the night before I grill. If your new to grinding meat or making sausage don't be afraid to mix your base grind meat 50/50 with any bulk pork sausage you like. 
Enjoy. We had a slow and warm deer season here.

Dave


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## Zwiefel (Nov 28, 2012)

Gotta respect recipe ideas for game from a guy named "duckfat!" 

Thanks.


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