Confused about deer parts...

[Biberche]

My father's hunting group shot a couple of young does and he brought one home. It was properly prepared and dressed in the woods. It was shot in the chest, so rib parts were useless. He skinned it and butchered it himself, even though this was his first try (the man is a retired surgeon afterall!). He brought meat inside and I bagged it, labeled it and put it in the freezer, smiling in anticipation.

I am fairly new to cooking game, but I also want to get the most out of this wonderful animal. So I started reading about different preparation methods, and noticed it was compared to beef in terminology. But my pieces of deer did not look like any roasts or steaks of beef I've ever seen! They looked more like lamb. And now I am confused: What to do with front quarters, which he left whole (from elbow joint up, with shoulder blades)? Can I braise them like I would a lamb's leg? What to do with neck and spine parts (they have a decent amount of meat on)? Hind quarters he deboned and I already have ideas about preparations (maybe a hearty "daube"). Tenderloins are beautifully separated and waiting a culinary muse to visit.

I'd appreciate any advice on this.

 

[pdswife]

I'm not an expert... hubby brought home his first deer this year too. I think you've made a mistake though leaving the bone in the leg from, all that I've heard that makes the meat taste bad.

For the boneless pieces if they are small enoungh we've just been frying them up in either a little olive oil or butter adding salt, pepper and or a little garlic. Roasts I believe can be cooked just like you do beef. Did he save the heart and liver? Those are really good too.

Good luck!

 

[Biberche]

I am going to defrost the front leg and try it out - if it tastes bad, I'll know for next time! And, no, he didn't save the heart and the liver - where we come from game includes pheasants, quail, rabbits and occasional wild boar, but no deer. So, he had no idea, and I was of no help.

Thanks, pdswife!

 

[Michael in FtW]

Although venison cuts may be similar to a dressed beef in name (if properly processed) - they will appear more like a lamb due to their size ... especially for a doe. And yes - they generally need the "low and slow" treatment.

Here are some recipes from your home state's division of Natural Resources - and here are some other venison recipes you might find usefull.

 

[Dove]

Biberche,
Years ago a group of husbands went Deer hunting in North Florida..one Saturday one of the wives and I drove up to their camp..They had a Deer already field dressed so Lou and I brought him home...As we looked at him on her kitchen table we decided " this couldn't be any harder than cutting up a chicken..just two more legs and no wings" so cut and saw away we did..she cut, I washed and wrapped it up. That was our first and last attempt to get one ready for the freezer...

 

[Candocook]

The venison we get now is not nearly as tough as what my father used to get--lazy deer!! 'o)
The tenderloin can be seared and finished in the oven. Cook to only medium rare or it will be very tough. Martha had Jean Georges on her show a while ago and he made a wild mushroom rub to put on it. Whizzed dried wild mushrooms in a coffee grinder or FP.
Sauerbraten is a great use for the roasts. A rich ragout with red wine and mushrooms is great.
Grind some of the neck roast, etc. for burger and make great chili and spagetti sauce.
What Michael said about size is a good observation.
I have found venison to be much more tender than expected--just VERY lean and it will dry out if overdone, even in a stew.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I bone most shoulders out for "grind"...they do make excellent roast for braising as well. The loin and tender loin are excellent for "flash" searing in a hot pan. The hind quarters depending on the muscle are great for frying and/or roasting/braising. Ribs I bone out for grind also.
Like someone said it is either "low and slow" or "fast and furious" depending on the cut.
If you are not to keen on the taste of deer...try juniper berries in with your roast..they kinda take the edge off.
Lastly neck roast braised is delicious.

 

[Candocook]

I am going to have to get a neck roast. We have land that we let folks hunt on in exchange for venison. I have heard a LOT about neck roasts of many animals--lamb, in particular.

 

[sparrowgrass]

The bone-in shoulder roast will be delicious--the bone will not make it taste bad. (Speaking from experience--the only thing I miss about my ex is the wild game he used to bring home. One year, between the ex and my older son, I butchered 4 deer.)

I would probably brown it on all sides, then half cover with liquid--beer is nice, or broth, or just water. Lots of onions and garlic, some rosemary and thyme. Cook on top of the stove or in oven, slow and low, covered.

 

[Shunka]

sparrowgrass is right about the bone not making the meat taste bad. Also about the cooking of the shoulder roast.

 

[Half Baked]

We always aimed for the neck ao we didn't mess up the body meat.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Yo..CandoCook....

Neck roast are great...not one you would slice mind you..but cook until it falls off the bone(s) tender with lots of gravy! Serve with smashed taters/rice and "catface" biscuits.

 

[pdswife]

Really? Heck ya mean we did all that de-boning for nothing. UGH!!!!

LOL...next year the butcher does it all.

 

[Candocook]

The thing that WILL make venison taste bad is the fat. They eat acorns and it can be strong and does go rancid quickly. Get rid of all the sliverskin also.

 

[pdswife]

We did. Hours of trimming and de-fatting. : )

 

[Biberche]

Thanks, everybody!

My shoulder roast is almost defrosted and ready to start becoming a wonderful meal. I'll try making notes for every cut I cook, just as a reminder for the years to come.

I brought a bag full of wild juniper berries from the mountain where my dad has a cabin and was looking for a reason to use them. I didn't eat a lot of venison in my days, but I think the taste is not going to bother me (just this summer I had a wonderfull brain dish and a goulash-type of meal made with bull testicles - enjoyed them both, but not together, of course!).

I'll let you know how my dinner turns out tomorrow! Today is the day for a mellow chicken - cannot overwhelm the family!

 

[Candocook]

I think you will find the meat very rich tasting. Ours is not gamey, but I find I cannot eat a lot of it. The ragout I made many years ago would have made a bistro signature dish--and rich it was.
Concentrate some wine (simmer to half) and use it for part of your liquid.

 

[sparrowgrass]

Unless it was a very young deer, I always boned out the carcass completely. Meat went into meal size packages, labeled "steak", "roast" or "stew".

Pieces of meat with no sinew or tendon are generally tender enough to quickly sear for a steak, or to thinly slice for stir fry. (No matter where they come from on the animal.)

Large muscles from the hind quarter or the loin were marked as "roast". High heat cooking if from a young animal, low and slow if it was one of those tough old bucks. (Give me a young doe any day--antlers don't taste good.)

Lots of tendon/sinew--either grind or cut into cubes for long, slow cooking.

 

[JDP]

Here's a great recipe for the shoulder roast:

2-3 # shoulder roast boned

2 quarts water
1/2 C canning salt
1/2 cup tenderizing salt ( Morton's tenderquick)
3 T sugar
2 T Pickling spice
2 bay leaves
8 Blk peppercorns
2 cloves minced garlic

Place roast in glass or emamel pot, or plastic ziploc bag.

Combine rest of ingredients into sauce pan and bring to a boil, then allow to cool. when cooled pour over roast. Put into frigde and let it sit for 4-5 days turning meat daily.

Drain and rinse the meat. Place into a Dutch oven and cover with cold water. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours.

It's great out of the pan, and also makes great cold sandwiches. When cold it has the texture of a dried beef because it is so lean.

With the tenderloins I like to make carpaccio with them.

Happy hunting,

JDP

 

[MJK]

Simple Venison Stew

A number of years ago I hunted with a gang that had a rib roast after the season was over.
This was a rather laborious process of simmering them in a "secret sauce" all day long while
consuming large quantities of adult beverages and reveling in the memories of the past hunts.
Regular BBQ sauce off the shelf would work too but the cooking was 300 degrees and
4 hours in a covered roaster with the meat submerged in sauce. And when I say submerged
I mean submerged. I tried that recipe later using a choicer cut and the results were fantastic.

Venison also lends itself well to a "beef stew" but avoid a crockpot as that tends to make
it ....I don't know ....yucky is the best term I can think of. Brown the meat in a cast iron skillet
in about 1/4 inch of oil or melted fat, after first dredging it in seasoned flour. Then in a seperate
pot add a little water, some garlic, potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, more garlic salt and
pepper and oh some more garlic. Bring to a boil. Pour a glass of red wine and reduce the
pot to a simmer. Add the browned meat with the oil it was browned in be it bacon grease,
olive oil, canola oil or what have you. Begin to simmer the mixture and let cook until the
vegetables are cooked through. If you have a wood stove go get one made out of steel before
you burn your house down. If you have a wood burning stove you can place the pot, covered
on top of the stove and let it simmer. Oh and the glass of wine you poured earlier, drink it.
You can add other vegetables if you like, for example corn, peas, lima beans, bell pepper
and even mushrooms. Season to taste and a little ground cayenne will help. Serve with fresh
biscuits as the snow blows around outside.