NY Bowhunter

I've been butchering my own deer for about 5 years now. Just looking for some advice on what I may be missing (especially hind quarters). Here's what I do...

Front legs:

Take them off first and use meat for grind

Backstraps:

Self explanatory... cut em out and either butterfly or leave whole for the grill.

**Oops forgot about inner tenderloins. They go first (usually don't make it to packagaing [8D]

Neck:

Bigger bucks I cut the neck bone out and make a roast. Smaller deer I just don't see how to make a big enough roast out of it so I'll use whatever good meat I can get off for trim.

** Next I trim all the pieces I missed off the whole front half of the deer until I'm satisfied I got about all I could.

** Then I cut the spine near the hams and drop the skeleton leaving the hind quarters hanging. Then I cut down the middle of the hinds and seperate them. Take them down and cut the legs off.

Hind Quarters:

now this is where I'm still somewhat fuzzy. What I usually do (only way I was taught). I seperate the different muscle groups. Top round, bottom round, center round, sirloin tip, shank(use for grind), and sirloin.

Sirloin tip I butterfly or cut into big steaks (good piece of meat IMO)

Center round I cut into chunks for pan fry with peppers and onions. Dont' really know what else to do with it.

Top and bottom round. This is what I'd like to know what else to do with it. i usually have enough steaks from the straps, tenderloins, sirloins. The rounds IMO aren't really that great of steaks anway. What else can I do with them. I tried making roast out of them but they arent' really big enough. I butterflied one lengthwise and wrapped it up and it came out ok. But i think I'm missing something here. Grind? steaks? pan fry? Roast? What do you do with them?

any suggestions would be appreciated.

Big Guy01

You got it right. I freeze them as roasts, when I defrost it I decide if it will stay a roast or not, a lot of thimes i'll turn it into swiss steak. cut thin steaks pound with a meat hammer thin, pound flour salt and pepper into the meat, brown in oil then into roast pan or crock pot with tomato sauce, onion,celery, potatoes, carrots, salt and pepper to tastecook until carrots are done. the meat should cut with a fork.

here's a few ideas

Crock Pot Hawaiian Venison[/b]

· 1 pound deer or elk round steak or stew meat
· 1/4 cup flour
· 1/4 cup butter
· 1/2 cup boiling water
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 2 or 3 green peppers, sliced
· 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
· .
· Sauce
· 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
· 1/2 cup pineapple juice
· 1/4 cup vinegar
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
Preparation:
Cut steak in 1 inch cubes and dredge with flour. Brown meat cubes on all sides in hot oil. Place in crock add water and salt. Place on high one hour, low for approx 6 hours. Add green peppers and pineapple chunks to meat. Cook one hour longer.
On stove top combine sauce ingredients. Cook until sauce is clear and thick. Pour over meat mixture and heat until ready to serve. Serve with hot cooked noodles or rice

French Fries Casserole[/b]
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1 lb. Ground Venison
1 small Onion chopped
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 can Cream of Celery Soup
Frozen french fries
pepper to taste


1. Dice onion and mix with ground meat, pepper and brown in skillet.
2. Press into bottom of a 9x9" Casserole dish.
3. Mix together both cans of soup but DO NOT DILUTE.
Spread over meat mixture.
4. Cover entire surface with frozen french fries.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes -- fries should be golden brown.
PS you may want to add some hot sauce to meat mixture if you are so inclined.
Enjoy!




Layered Dinner


5 large potatoes sliced thin
5 carrots sliced thin
½ cup uncooked rice
2 cans peas and liquid
2 onions sliced
2 cans tomato soup, diluted with water
2 lbs venison

In a large roaster, grease lightly with butter
Layer thin sliced potatoes 1" thick, sliced carrots
Sprinkle:
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 tins of peas (alternative cream style corn) with juice from tin
Thin sliced layer of onions
Top with 2 lbs. ground venison.
Pour 2 tins tomato soup over top of dinner diluted with = amt. of water.
Bake at 350 for 2 hours covered. Uncover last 30 mins.I lightly season with salt and pepper between each layer. If running a hot oven as I am I turn heat back to 325.




Country fried Steak[/b]




Ingredients
2-3 lbs. venison meat (either top of round or backstrap)
3 eggs- beaten well
3/4 cup butter milk (don't use milk, doesn't taste the same)
1 cup flour
1/2 C Italian bread crumbs
1 t. garlic salt
1/2 t. black pepper
Preparation: Slice meat into 3/8 inch thick slices. Place slices one at a time on a cutting board, and lightly pound with stipple faced tenderizing mallet to 1/4 inch thick.
Mix together the flour, bread crumbs, garlic salt, and pepper in a large bowl or in a large ziploc bag. In a separate bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, and the milk.
Dip the tenderized cutlets into the egg/milk mix, one at a time, then dredge through the flour breadcrumb mixture, coating well. Arrange 3-4 cutlets in approximately 1/4 to 3/8 inch hot vegetable oil in a cast iron or heavy non stick skillet. Cook until golden brown and crispy on both sides(about 2-3 minutes per side.) Remove and drain over paper towels.
Gravy
3/4 cup butter milk
2 T flour
2 T reserved oil
2 T salted butter
Salt and Pepper .
Remove pan from heat after frying all cutlets. Pour off all oil except for approximately 2 Tablespoons. Add butter on medium low heat to pan. Scrape bottom of pan to release drippings. Add 2 T flour, and stir until smooth. Slowly add milk, stirring while adding until all milk is in the pan. Add salt and pepper.
Serve hot with cutlets and biscuits or Texas Toast.


Braised Venison Pot Roast

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2-2 ½ pounds venison round steak, cubed
1 Tbsp. oil
1 (14½ oz.) can double strength beef broth
1 (15 oz) can tomato puree
¾ C. Cabernet Sauvignon
1/3 C. flour
1 tsp. dried basil
¾ tsp. Mrs. Dash
2 medium sweet onions, diced chunky
1 (6 oz.) package portabellini mushrooms, large slices
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat chunks in skillet until well browned, then transfer to a 4-5 quart slow cooker. Stir together in a small bowl: broth, puree, wine, flour and seasonings, and pour over meat. Cook on high until mixture is hot, then turn to low and let simmer about 4 hours.

Add onions, cook another hour; add mushrooms and cook one more hour. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, take off lid and let mixture cook down to a thickened sauce.





Cowboy Casserole

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1 lb. Ground venison
1 medium onion, chopped
10 strips of bacon, cut into pieces
1 can 15-oz. Pork and beans
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1 can white kidney beans, drained
1 can navy beans, drained
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup ketchup
2 Tbs. vinegar
2 Tbs. prepared mustard

In a skillet brown burger and onions break up meat with a fork. Remove and place into a crock-pot. Fry bacon in the pan until crisp. Add all ingredients to crockpot cook 3-4 hrs.




Momma’s Meat Balls

2 lbs. Venison burger
½ pkg. onion soup
1-cup cracker crumbs
3 eggs beaten
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup barbecue sauce

Combine venison, onion soup, cracker crumbs, and eggs. Form into meatballs. Place in a 9x13 pan combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl. Spread mixture over the top of meatballs. Bake uncovered at 325 for 1 hour.




Smothered Venison Steaks

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2-3 lbs. Venison round steak
2/3 cup flour
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
½ cup water
3 Tbs. oil

Sprinkle one side of steaks with flour and pound in flip and repeat, cut into serving portions. Heat oil in frying pan and brown steaks. Add water, onion soup mix and mushroom soup. Cover and simmer for about 2 hrs. or until tender.

Venison Biscuit Roll

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2 cups cooked ground venison
½ cup brown gravy
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried parsley
2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 Tbs. shortening or lard
¾ to 1 cup milk

Combine cooked ground venison with gravy, salt, pepper, onion and parsley. Add more gravy if necessary to get a spreadable consistency. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the shortening until about pea size; add milk to make soft dough.
Roll out the dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick, spread with the venison mixture. Roll up the dough like a jellyroll and place on a greased baking sheet in a circle. Cut/slash the dough with scissors or a knife about 1/3 the way through the roll. Bake 30 minute at 400 F until lightly browned.


Venison Pizza Bites

1 lb. Ground venison
1small onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 6 oz. Can tomato paste
½ tsp. salt
1 10 oz. Can of refrigerated biscuits
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Brown and drain venison, stir in tomato paste, onion and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Stirring often. Place biscuits in a greased muffin tin, pressing to cover the bottom and sides. Spoon about ¼ cup of meat mixture into biscuit lined cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.





Venison-A-Roni[/b]



3 lbs ground venison
1 cup cup chopped onion
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1/4 cup salad oil
2 jars of spaghtetti sauce
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt for sauce
2 tsp. oregano
2 tbsp. salt for macaroni
1 lb. macaroni product
2 cups cottage cheese
1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Lightly saute ground venison and onion until meat is evenly browned. Add spaghetti sauce and spices. Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes until mixture is reduced to consistency of sauce.

Cook macaroni in salted water, drain and mix it with the cheeses. In a large flat pan, spread 1/3 of the meat sauce; then half the macaroni and cheese mix. The another layer of meat and more of the macaroni cheexze mix, Then another layer of meat and then top with macaroni cheese mix. Add a bit of parmeasn cheese on top; dot with black olives and bake at 350 degrees F. 20-30 minutes until bubbly. Cool 15 minutes, cut into squares and serve. Serves 12.


White tail Roll-ups

1 lb. Ground venison
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 Tbs. Jalepeno pepper, chopped
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbs. Chili powder
1 Tbs. Oregano
2 Tbs. Sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 cups water
1 10 oz. Can tomato paste
2 cups water
¼ lb. Butter
8 oz. Sour cream
1 pkg. Fillo dough


Sauce:
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs. Flour
1 cup milk
8 oz. Velveeta cheese

Over medium heat brown the venison in a little oil, drain. Add onions, peppers, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, salt, sugar, tomato paste, and water. Stir and simmer for 30 minutes.
Melt1/4 lb. Butter in a small saucepan, set aside. On a large clean surface place one fillo leaf and fold in half, brush with melted butter. Place 3 heaping Tbs. Of the meat mixture in the center, add 1 Tbs. Sour cream on top of the meat. Carefully roll up the fillo dough tucking the outside edges in continue to roll up like a burrito or egg roll.
Brush seam side with butter and place seam side down on a large baking pan. Repeat until all the meat mixture is used up. Should make about 12 rolls. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.
While rolls are baking melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in flour. When bubbly slowly add the milk while stirring. When thickened add the cheese while stirring.
When rolls are cooked remove from pan and let cool for 10 minutes. Top with the cheese sauce.

NY Bowhunter

So is that the right way to make roasts out of the rounds? Slice them in half (thickness) and roll them up? Do you leave them as they are and wrap them? Or can you leave them as they are and tie them both together?

Big Guy01

For my roasts I prefer solid muscle pieces, I don't like tied up pieces. I grind up the bits , or chunk it for stew.

kevin1

I don't get fancy with the hindquarters, I separate the major chunks as you described(although I don't give them fancy names), and assign them as either "roast" or "stew meat chunks". If the piece is large enough it's a roast, if no tit gets cubed for stew.

Colorado Cajun

Throw them in a crock pot with a brown gravy mix, water, seaoning and a can of onion soup and cook all day while at work. When it is done, the meat is falling apart. Put that on some french bread with lettus and mayo. Then you got a good po-boy. If they gravy isn't running down your arms while eatting it, you didn't put enough on.

NY Bowhunter

Not really fancy names..... just what they're called.

Pro-Line

NY...I've been butchering my own deer for over 20 years...and I do exactly the same that you do.

jerseyhunter

Stew or grind,
After I take off all the neck meat I cut the rest of the neck bone into manageable chunks and add to spagetti sauce, then pick the cooked meat off. Very tender. or I use along with a lamb bone for scotch broth or cabbage and lamb stew.

Lamb Bone and Venison Neck Bone
Chopped cabbage
Salt, pepper and Peppercorns
Onion ,carrots celery
2 tbls butter.flour.


Venison and Cabbage Stew with Lamb Bone for Flavoring

Simmer lamb and neck bone, with a slice of onion, 1carrott, and a stalk of celery, in water along with a tsp salt and 10 peppercorns.
Make Roux from Flour and Butter
Chop Cabbage ,
Cool Bones and Broth, Strain Broth and pick meat off.
Mix Meat with Cabbage,1 slice chopped onion, 1 finely chopped carrot.
Bake at 300 for about 1 ½ hours. Drain broth into roux , mix in 1/2cup sour cream and add back to stew.