Deer Steak Thickness

[bgcorn]

When you guys cut your deer steaks how thick do you usually slice them?

[Champlain Islander]

I cut 3/4 " up to 1 ". I always bone the meat and cut off all fat and silver skin. I cut across the grain of the meat and package around 1 1/2 pound per package. I wrap in freezer paper then put 3 or 4 packages in a freezer bag and put that in a tub in the freezer. Between the paper and the bags I can keep meat nice for well over a year.

[Bank]

The first thing I do separate the muscle groups, then remove the fat and silver-skin. I cut different cuts at different thicknesses. I usually cut round steaks thicker than sirloin steaks because they are tougher. If I cut sirloin steaks at 3/4" I would cut the round steaks at 1". Always cut across the grain.

[Big Guy01]

I don't do steaks for the freezer. I remove all fat, sinew and blue membrane then make roasts from single muscle groups. Wrap and freeze. When I want a steak I thaw out a roast then slice into steaks. The steaks stay juicier if not cut until you want to use them.

[Phil from Maine]

I do what the others do when cutting up my deer. Although for me the loin I might cut a little thicker.. All the other steaks I cut at 3/4 inches thick..
I have a friend that swears by the way Big Guy does his. It is also easier to take care of cutting it into roasts until needed.. Then you can have roasts or cut the steaks just before cooking..

[jerseyhunter]

Anywhere from 1/4" cutlets for the pan to 1 1/4" loins for the grill. Most times I cut the loins into say 12oz pcs and grill like that.

[srwshooter]

the only way i ever do steaks is 1/2 thick ,then it goes in the cuber. twice,then its so tender you cant pick it up with a fork.

i can most of my deer.

[Alsatian]

For deer backstrap, I take each backstrap (one on left, one on the right) and cut it in half. I then wrap this set of two tubes of meat in plastic wrap. I wrap again. I wrap a third time. Triple wrapping. I then wrap in plastic coated freezer paper. This can be stored in the freezer for several years without any diminishment in the quality of the meat that I have discerned. I then thaw this package out and cut into steaks. Like someone mentioned above, I think waiting to cut the meat into steaks until later is a good idea. But that is just my opinion. For backstraps, I cut the meat about 1/2" to 3/4" thick. I do roughly the same thing for elk backstrap, but in the case of elk I may cut each backstrap (one left, one right) into four pieces -- each piece about 2 LBS to 2 1/2 LBS. In the case of elk backstrap, which is larger in diameter, I do not cut the piece in half because it is shorter (for the same weight, because of the larger diamter), and just triple wrap in plastic wrap then wrap in freezer paper.

With my elk this year I cut steaks out of the leading edge of the rear quarters, based on some information on cutting veal I read in a butchering book. I will probably start doing this with venison in the future. I like to eat steaks more than roasts. I would guess these steaks are not as tender as backstrap steaks, but this may be managed by marinading them longer, I would guess.

[skeeter 7MM]

For the grill 1" min. For minute steaks I cut 1/2" and run it through the tenderizer 3 to 4x's (alternating each time).