Tough Chewy Meat??
#12

When meat is heated, the cells "constrict" forcing moisture out. When you let a steak or roast "rest" after cooking, the cells relax and reabsorb that moisture making the cut nice and juicy. Of course as long as you didn't burn the dang thing. That was one of the VERY few things my mom couldn't cook worth diddly. Chicken was about the only meat that woman made that was edible (was actually fantastic). All others was like cutting up me dang boots and chewing them. And all you old timers out there knows just how tough Dingo boots were!
#13

When I butcher my deer or elk I always keep the tender traditional steak cuts for steak, tougher cuts for slow cooking like stew and all the rest goes into the grind used for burger and sausage. No such thing as a tough cut of meat that way. Venison steaks need to be med rare or rare to be tender and juicy. Over cook and you might as well eat shoe leather.

#15

Good advice. Also dschaefer1996 make sure you slice the meat across the grain. And on tougher cuts if you want try pounding the meat to tenderize it or even marinating it in an acid type like a vinegar or citrus base. But like my 1st post said a slow cook Crockpot makes any meat fall apart.
Last edited by gjersy; 11-04-2016 at 03:48 PM.
#17

When I butcher my deer or elk I always keep the tender traditional steak cuts for steak, tougher cuts for slow cooking like stew and all the rest goes into the grind used for burger and sausage. No such thing as a tough cut of meat that way. Venison steaks need to be med rare or rare to be tender and juicy. Over cook and you might as well eat shoe leather.

#18

I'm in agreement with Oldtimr and Superhunt54. For my steaks I let them thaw and warm to room temp, rinse and dry them and give each side a light coating of cooking oil and season to taste (usually only Johnny's seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper). I get a cast iron frying pan nice and hot and cook the steak 2 1/2 to 3 minutes then turn it over and do the same to the other side. Constantly turning a steak over and over will make it tough. But a roast is different. I like to make mine in a pressure cooker. I brown both sides then place it in a pressure cooker on a rack with 2 cups of beef bullion, salt, pepper, garlic and onions and one bay leaf. Once pressure is built up cook for 55 mins and remove from heat and let cool on its own. (until pressure drops) You will eat the most tender and delicious roast of your life. But first be sure to remove all fat from both the steaks and roast before cooking.
#19

I'm in agreement with Oldtimr and Superhunt54. For my steaks I let them thaw and warm to room temp, rinse and dry them and give each side a light coating of cooking oil and season to taste (usually only Johnny's seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper). I get a cast iron frying pan nice and hot and cook the steak 2 1/2 to 3 minutes then turn it over and do the same to the other side. Constantly turning a steak over and over will make it tough. But a roast is different. I like to make mine in a pressure cooker. I brown both sides then place it in a pressure cooker on a rack with 2 cups of beef bullion, salt, pepper, garlic and onions and one bay leaf. Once pressure is built up cook for 55 mins and remove from heat and let cool on its own. (until pressure drops) You will eat the most tender and delicious roast of your life. But first be sure to remove all fat from both the steaks and roast before cooking.
#20

I noticed a huge difference in the toughness of the meat when me and my wife finished off the roasts from last year's button buck and started using roasts from my dad's buck (which was at least 4 years old). I didn't change anything in my slow cooker roast recipe, but man, even in a slow cooker those mature bucks just aren't as tender. It's as though their fat is just tougher and less buttery.
If I see a spike or doe in two weeks, I'm taking it. Tastes better the rest of the year.
If I see a spike or doe in two weeks, I'm taking it. Tastes better the rest of the year.