For the Chef's...need help
 

Harvested my first deer this year...and what an experience ( a doe). After successfully fielddressing I removed the tenderloins in the woods :) That night I cut them into bite sized "filets" and prepared them in a very hot skillet with butter and minor seasonings. Cooked them to rare...great flavor but extremely,extremely, tough...what did I do wrong???

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

should have been really tender.I have never had any that was tough ; even on an old buck.
I don't know why they would have been tough.I usually just season,flour and pan fry.they are finger licking good.

I season with lowyers seasoning,garlic,pepper,cavanders,place in ziplock,pour 4 or 5 tablespoons of zesty Italian salad dressing ,let set overnite,flour and fry.that is the way I cook all my fry meat.if it is an old buck I will add a little tenderizer and pound befor putting in the ziplock.

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

Are you sure you got the tenderloins? I have never heard of them being tough. They are inside the body cavity attached to the backbone between the ribcage and the hips.

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

Geees.....I've never heard of tough tenderloins either! I alway cut them into 1"x 2 1/2"x 3/8" thick pieces. Fry in hot butter and a few sliced onions and green peppers. I even always cook them very well done, and they're still always tender.

Good Luck on the next round!

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

I know of many a bowhunter that have mistaken the " what we call backstraps" on the top outside of the spine, for the tenderloins located on the inside cavity of the deer under the spine. Is this what you did???
Fillet your tenderloins into small butterfly chops and cook to med rare. A nice berry reduction sauce will acompany the meat nicely and help to inhance the flavor of the meat( lust like cranberry sauce with turkey does) Also a combination of bacon , brown sugar and saute onions goes along nicely with the venison.

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

Making me hungry..........ok back that sure was tender and delious, never heard of back strap being tough, maybe a little wine in it, helps break the meat down,,, makes tenderer, is that a word anyway all sounds like good advice.....congrats on the deer:D

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

doober the only thing I can imagine could make them tough is if you cut it up with the grain of the meat instead of across the grain. I hope that makes sense, I know if you don't cut the meat in the proper direction to the grain the cut will be tougher.

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

tenderloins suck. Send them to me and I will get rid of them for ya.;)

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

Not sure what i did wrong then. perhaps i didn't remove the tenderloins. what i removed ran along both sides of the spine as you looked down into the body cavity, almost half way down to the pelvic region and attached pretty close to the pelvis. Either way I appreciate your insight and had such a great time on my first hunt that i'm certain there will be many an oppy. for tenders. Thanks much!

RE: For the Chef's...need help
 

You had back-strap. Still shouldn't have been tough. did you get that 'film' off of it?