43 replies to this topic

[fishandhunt4ever]

Age it at least a week before enjoying it.

[yote sniper80]

just remember its a wild animal and its going to have a gamey taste more than likely, i say you did everything right except taking it to a butcher... I trust no one wth my deer meat! Quarter the deer up let it set in the fridge for 2 or 3 days then cut it up and package it how you like. and it does matter where the deer came from low land bucks near sage especially will have more of a game taste

[Leonten]

First sight in rifle (or bow), then hunt, find critter, aim, shoot take pictures. What you have to keep in mind is to cool the meat ASAP. Then (Immediately) field dress the deer. Just go to Youtube and search field dress deer. View several of them. I don't remove the scent glands because I don't want any of the scent on my knife. I start by cutting around the anus before I start to remove the intestines, you want to keep all the poop inside the tract. Once I've cut the anus I tie it closed with a couple of twist ties. As mentioned before (and I'll repeat it as it is very important) don't puncture any of the intestines, bladder or anything in the intestinal tract. It's really not that difficult. If I'm on a hill I put the head at a 45 degree angle up the hill, lay it on its back to keep the innards on the inside. Once everything (diaphragm, intestines, lungs etc.) has been made free of the inside of the critter, I'll roll it to have the bottom face down hill and let everything just roll out. Stay out of the way (I stay above the animal) as the blood will come out also. I carry some plastic freezer bags with me for the heart & liver. Then (ASAP) remove the hide, the skin & hair act as a insulator and must be removed right away. I hang the deer for this as I can't skin an animal on the ground without getting dirt on the meat. If I can get the dressed deer to camp within 15 minutes I'll skin it at camp. Another important step is keeping all dirt, grass, leaves etc. off the meat as it acts like glue and is harder to remove later. Again, go to Youtube to see how to skin a deer. At this point I remove all the blood shot meat. Wash the carcass, inside & out, with clean water then bag the beast with a game bag (if you have a game box use it). Wash your hands and have a beer. There are several videos on butchering on Youtube, watch several of them. As stated before, remove all fat.....Just remove anything white and I mean anything white. I butcher the deer myself as I've heard to many stories about getting someone else's meat. This way I know exactly how the meat was cared for. Once I started doing everything myself, I haven't had any "gamey" meat. I bought one of those Kitchenaid Artisan Food processor's and the meat grinder, just follow the instructions for meat grinding. I'll blend equal amounts of fatty beef ground with the venison. You can also get a sausage maker attachment for this food processor. Congratulations on your first (of many) deer.

[mtn dog]

Leonten, You put a lot of effort and useful detail into that post. I always appreciate that. Thanks.

[novaman64]

Old thread... But if you soak it in Coke (the kind you drink ) for a few hours before cooking it will get rid of the gaminess.

[ShooterJohn]

If you soak it in the kind of coke you snort you won't care if it's gamey.

[KNOCKED UP]

If you did not get it gutted and skinned right after shooting it then it will be more gamey. Also how was it transported?? Where the sun/heat can get to it. I always let mine cool and if it is hot outside wrap it in several old sleeping bags to transport. If I have far to go I put dry ice wrapped in carboard in it and around it before wrapping.Now to try and deal with your problem. When you prep it for cooking first cut and toss all fat and any bones. The area around the bones will have stronger flavor if left in. Then put it into a baking dish and cover it with milk. Weight it down with a plate so all the meat is under. Put in refrig for 24+ hours. Then take out rinse and use whatever marinade you choose. Then cook but do not overcook.

Exactly, to the tee, What Doug said.
Tom

[modoc squeek shooter]

I always gut and skin as soon as possible. Have eaten bucks from the sage country(northeastern Calif.,Colo, and Mont.), Sierra foothills and the coast range, also from the Sutter Buttes. I believe deer taste different from different areas. How quick they die also makes a difference. I killed a hiefer(beef) one time while trying to load her in a trailer, after I had ran her and roped her. We butchered her as not to waste the meat. Lol it was terrible, but my cowdogs loved it. Ed

[Bisley]

I killed a hiefer(beef) one time while trying to load her in a trailer, after I had ran her and roped her. We butchered her as not to waste the meat. Lol it was terrible, but my cowdogs loved it. Ed

Adrenalin is not a good meat marinade

[sxshooter]

All the points made are good ones about the kill and field dressing asap, but given that some deer will be pretty strong from their diet, a marinade is in order.

White wine has acid which will break down the tissue and make it tender. Acid will also help with mellowing the taste. Red wine will do the same with a different flavor. The classic red wine marinated pepper steak recipe will mellow and mask some of the gameyness. Lemon or other citrus will do the same. Careful with marinades with acids...they will make mush out of your venison if left too long in too strong a solution. Find some recipes with marinades using wine or citrus. Strong flavors of garlic and onion also compliment the gamey flavor. Soy sauce and a red wine, onion and garlic marinade is a classic.

[KNOCKED UP]

Milk marinade will take any wild taste out of meat.
It works especially well on shark also.
Tom

[Emmo]

my sister n law is a chef and she told me that in order to get rid of that gamey taste in deer, rabbit, racoon, and squirrel that you boil the meat in milk. that absorbs alot of the enzymes from all the grass and shrubs they eat.

She was right too. I actually like jackrabbit now instead of using them for bear bait

[ShooterJohn]

But you really wouldn't use bait for a bear would you?

[KernRiverArcher]

Have eaten bucks from the sage country(northeastern Calif.,Colo, and Mont.), Sierra foothills and the coast range, also from the Sutter Buttes. I believe deer taste different from different areas.

my grandpa always said this himself