When I cook meat off the deer legs they seem to be stringy and chewy. Is this normal or am I messing up? If it's normal should I have groung it up in burger?
Thanks,
Chuck

yes, Talking about the bottom part I hope, the shanks as I call them, The top part is steak and stew.

I usually grind the meat we take off the shoulders and extra trimmings. We usually have enough steak from the hindquaters that we get plenty of
ground meat from the shoulder and neck.

Depends on the cut. I butcher my own and cut the rounds into steaks, cube the leftovers for stew, then grind the rest. Shoulders, I cut roasts, cube the rest into stew meat, then grind the left over.


For steak cuts, it is normal for it to be chewy or stringy, if you cook it like beef. The best way it so marinad it in some form of acid (lemon/lime juice, alcohol, vinegar based products, etc.) and oil. I like bb q sause, thousand Island dressing, and soy sause in a ration of 1:1/2:1/4. Marinade over night, then cook on high heat for a short period of time. deer is much leaner than beef and requires much less time to cook. Another good marinade is Beer/white wine (either works great), oil, and lots of garlic, salt, and pepper; all to taste. I have found that if you cook hot and fast, it tends to be more tender. It is very easy to over cook and make it chewy.

Tough cuts will always benefit from slow cooking , if you can't invest in a smoker then find a way to create one . You won't be wasting effort .

Thanks Folks,
You have been very helpful.
Chuck

I noticed on this net you are a Life Member. How does one become a Life Member?
Chuck

Chuck 7 I think it is by the amount of posts you make, not sure how many it takes to be life member or even just what life member means.

As to deer legs I have gotten spoiled and only eat loins cooked rare. the rest if the deer goes to burger, sasuage, and mostly jerkey. See next post for a new recipe.

1000 posts to become a lifeless member, I mean nolife member,... Opps I mean lifemember.

Thanks Folks

I've had neck roast before and they ae wonderful. I may do as one man advised. Roast the loins and burger the rest.
Chuck