Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: NWMO
Posts: 169
Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
My wife, upon trying deer steak for the first time, did not like the strong taste of it, as she is from the city, can anyone tell me a way to maybe prepare hers differently? I like mine grilled with a little pepper. One friend suggested soaking the steak in salt water for a few minutes to draw the blood out of it. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
#3
RE: Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
Draw the blood out with the salt water then sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper let sit in fridge couple hours then grill. Maybe just serve her the Backstrap or chops as some people call them. Make sure there is no fat, silver skin or bone in her piece or for yours as far as that goes . There should be no strong taste to begin with. maybe it was freezer burned.
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,540
RE: Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
Something I have tried with Antelope (sage grass taste can be strong) is soaking it in tomato juice. The acid in it tenderizes the meat and kills any other taste. Rinse it off and prepare it just like beef.
A lot of times when I go backpacking I' ll pack a couple of deer steaks in a zip lock bag in soy sauce. It doesn' t take much, just about a 1/4 cup in a bag with two small steaks. It help preserve them for the day hike in and when I grill them they taste great. Both simple but they work.
A lot of times when I go backpacking I' ll pack a couple of deer steaks in a zip lock bag in soy sauce. It doesn' t take much, just about a 1/4 cup in a bag with two small steaks. It help preserve them for the day hike in and when I grill them they taste great. Both simple but they work.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gunnison CO USA
Posts: 197
RE: Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
The number one cause of gaminess is poor handling after the kill. There are hundreds of articles and book chapters on it. Our deer around here graze in and around sagebrush, and when properly handled taste like our elk. (better than the best prime beef from anywhere) However, if the damage is done, I also recommend a good soak in buttermilk.
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: North Chili NY USA
Posts: 96
RE: Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
I' m with Beans Morocco (never thought I' d say that). The gamey taste (if not in the kill and the field dressing) is in the butchering. Gut it quickly w/o paunching the belly, get it cold fast, and get the hide off right away. Then, when you are butchering, avoid saws (get bone chips in the meat), and get the fat and gristle out. Fat in a cow tastes good. Fat on a deer tastes gamey. Then, take your steaks and I pour a bit of lemon juice over them in a baggy and then add Italian dressing. Marinate for at least 24 hours and then don' t grill them -- just walk them by the grill. Overcooked venison is dry and tough. Rare venison is out of this world. Finally, just as you' re about to take the steaks off the grill, season liberally with Lawry' s Season Salt. Can' t be beat!
#8
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,540
RE: Deer meat - " Gamey" taste
rhetoric, now thats a much better statement" The gamey taste (if not in the kill and the field dressing) is in the butchering. "
I took my first Antelope with the Bow last year in WY. It was dress within 5 minutes of the kill and since I' ve field dress over 150 animals I think I know what Im doing. No urine, waste or contaminants on the meat.
I dropped the skinned Antelope off at the butcher that the outfitter recommended and had it shipped because I wasn' t returning directly home after the hunt.
Some of the Antelope had a sage taste to it. I have never had that with any of my Deer, Bear or Elk. I was also told by several of the locals near Gilette WY that Antelope do have a sage taste. I can' t imagine they are all poor meat handlers???
I took my first Antelope with the Bow last year in WY. It was dress within 5 minutes of the kill and since I' ve field dress over 150 animals I think I know what Im doing. No urine, waste or contaminants on the meat.
I dropped the skinned Antelope off at the butcher that the outfitter recommended and had it shipped because I wasn' t returning directly home after the hunt.
Some of the Antelope had a sage taste to it. I have never had that with any of my Deer, Bear or Elk. I was also told by several of the locals near Gilette WY that Antelope do have a sage taste. I can' t imagine they are all poor meat handlers???