Venison

[HaagenDazs]

Based on posts elsewhere (that shall remain nameless due to the nature of the posts j/k) there is at least a bit of interest in venison.  Just like there is a difference in grass fed versus grain fed beef, there is quite a difference in farm raised versus wild deer.  Before I go further I suppose the term "venison" incorporates all kinds of hoofed and horned creatures from moose, to elk, to antelope, etc. but here in south it refers almost exclusively to white tail deer.  I've enjoyed venison in many forms over the years, both farm raised and wild.  It was always a treat when my cousin brought over a piece of smoked hunk of something or other for Thanksgiving, likewise it is (usually) a treat when I see venison mentioned on a menu.  With that said, I've sometimes struggled to prepare it in a way that the wife approves of.  Tenderloin is always a favorite because it is... well, tender and it is quick and easy to prepare.  Sliced into medallions, sometimes wrapped in bacon, it rivals the best beef tenderloin I've had anywhere.  Shoulder roasts on the other hand are not the easiest to cook because they are so lean and often end up a little bit livery for my wife to thoroughly enjoy.  As a result these cuts often end up in the freezer for prolonged periods of time until I can come up with a way to try something new.

As fall hunting season 2010 rapidly approaches does anyone have any good venison recipes to share?

[Lorenzo]

Is there a local source of farm-raised venison at reasonable prices?  I've had to beg hunter acquaintances for scraps.

[HaagenDazs]

I've never heard of any around here.  The only thing I could think of is internet/mail order for things like farm raised venison.  New Zealand red deer is a name I've come across at restaurants before.  You could ask at places like Whole Foods, they might be able to order it for you.  Back when Harris Teeter was around you could order all kinds of things.

[Girly]

Funny you mention it - I'm headed to a neighbor's tomorrow night and he has said venison is on the menu. I will see if I can sneak some pictures in and get recipes.

I've never seen farm raised - most of the deer in fences are in petting zoos. I guess you could inquire as to how you purchase one. 

[Girly]

I've always soaked venison in water, changed the water daily and used within a few days. A hunter boyfriend of mine did this and I just figured it was a way to keep it from being gamey. It's never been gamey but other factors may have been at work.

[Loundry]

I'd love to know what the real cause of "gamy" flavor is.  I think there are two likely culprits:

1) What the deer eats becoming metabolized as nasty chemicals in the deer fat (such as skatole).  This seems pretty likely.
2) The hunter not getting a kill shot and the deer running its life out causes adrenaline to course through its blood vessels tainting the meat.  This seems suspect.

[HaagenDazs]

To copy and paste what I wrote in the other post, "Depends on the animal, depends on the cut of meat you're eating, depends on the preparation, depends on how (and how soon) the animal was dressed in the field.  All can have some impact on the taste."  As with many (if not most) things in nature there is rarely a singular answer.

I think the taste is two-fold, meaning there are 2 separate and different tastes that one can equate as gamey.  #1 there is a flavor that can be stored in the fat of the animal that is reminiscent of things like lamb and grass fed beef.  This would likely be your beloved "skatole" flavor.   #2 it can be a livery taste in the meat itself that probably comes from the blood.  

[Jmolinari]

Interesting through about the adrenaline affecting the tasty. I do know that Iberico ham producers take great care to not stress the animal on the way to the slaughter house, as they say it greatly affects the product quality....

[HaagenDazs]

There has to be some truth to the stress/adrenaline factor but I'd be interested in real studies on it.  The only reason I question things like that is based on my very limited, very second hand knowledge of things like the myth of boar taint in male hogs.  Talk to the folks at Nature's Harmony about that. 

http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog/2009/12/1/is-boar-taint-a-myth.html

[KoPP]

There has to be some truth to the stress/adrenaline factor but I'd be interested in real studies on it.  The only reason I question things like that is based on my very limited, very second hand knowledge of things like the myth of boar taint in male hogs.  Talk to the folks at Nature's Harmony about that. 

http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog/2009/12/1/is-boar-taint-a-myth.html

Here's a good website:

http://www.pabucks.com/Cooking_Venison.html

They're spot on (from conversations with hunting friends) about the blood, the acids, and the fat. Where the tales differ is in the adrenaline, since it isn't a large amount that gets pushed into the bloodstream, and the concentrations die out after the initial fight/flight response.

[Girly]

There has to be some truth to the stress/adrenaline factor but I'd be interested in real studies on it.  The only reason I question things like that is based on my very limited, very second hand knowledge of things like the myth of boar taint in male hogs.  Talk to the folks at Nature's Harmony about that. 

http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog/2009/12/1/is-boar-taint-a-myth.html

Here's a good website:

http://www.pabucks.com/Cooking_Venison.html

They're spot on (from conversations with hunting friends) about the blood, the acids, and the fat. Where the tales differ is in the adrenaline, since it isn't a large amount that gets pushed into the bloodstream, and the concentrations die out after the initial fight/flight response.

I wonder if that's why my hunter boyfriend drained the blood for a few days.

Had the venison last night. It was in spaghetti sauce. It was WONDERFUL, however the sauce was overpowering so there was no clear taste of the venison. It could have been ground beef for all I knew. He's giving me several pounds the next time he kills one and gets it processed and some will be ground. I'm going to try burgers and meatloaf and be lean with the flavorings.

[HaagenDazs]

After a few minutes the blood starts to coagulate and I would be very surprised if after "a few days" you're still getting any draining.  Hanging for a few days is likely because it is far easier to work (no rigor) and the meat is more tender after hanging (aged, if only slightly).

[Larkemon]

I thought I saw a video on sushi preparation where the chef severs the spine without killing the fish.  The fish remains alive, but calm/unaware while the proceed to prepare the filet, etc.  If I recall correctly, it had something to do with keeping the fish in that state so it didn't release chemicals which deteriorated the quality of the flesh.  Of course I can't find the video now.   

[HaagenDazs]

It sounds very Japanese but again, I'd like to see real research on the subject.  Of course fish is an entirely different kind of animal compared to a 4 legged creature, so who knows.

[LizR]

There has to be some truth to the stress/adrenaline factor but I'd be interested in real studies on it.  The only reason I question things like that is based on my very limited, very second hand knowledge of things like the myth of boar taint in male hogs.  Talk to the folks at Nature's Harmony about that. 

http://www.naturesharmonyfarm.com/grass-fed-meat-farm-blog/2009/12/1/is-boar-taint-a-myth.html

I'm totally naming my band "Boar Taint" and our first single will be "Myth of Boar Taint"!