My husband loves to hunt and brings home venison. What are different ways to cook it without the "gamey" taste?
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Put a piece of salt pork in the fry pan with the meat! The same pork you would use to make home made beans! I did this and it worked Just throw the pork fat to the birds when you finish! Good luck from Canada
Soak it in vinegar overnight. That takes the gamey taste out. Then cook it any way you want.
My personal experience has been to trim ALL the fat and 'silver skin' (that is the silver colored membrane over parts of the meat). Depending on the cut of meat, I also try to remove the sinew as that makes it easier to chew, especially when making venison jerky.
A disclaimer: I've been a vegetarian for nearly 30 years, so I don't know squat about meat, & I'm sure you already know this, but just in case you've never heard this, I have a friend who's raised & butchered goat-meat for many, many years to feed her family & she told me that if you don't want that gamey taste in any type of meat, then when you clean & dress the animal, you have to turn the skin inside out & NEVER let the outside hide or fur touch the meat.
Thank you readers of Thrifyfun for your tips. You are a great resource of information. We cooked some freshly harvested deer and it was quite good. I'll keep working at it and find other ways to cook the deer. Husband already makes jerky and we'd like to try sausage. (Husband is from the North country-Michigan originally)
Barbara
I am from the north country where game meat is a necessity. The best method I have found is soaking it over night in beer.
If the deer is skinned and quartered promptly and put on ice, it won't have a gamey taste. The gamey taste comes from mishandling of the venison after it is killed.
Here in Michigan, the deer sometimes eat a LOT of acorns that will give the meat a strong flavour. My Gran uses an old Swedish way of cooking it... she soaks the meat in Milk over night. You can mix up powdered milk for this or use it from the container.
I agree with slowbob. We promptly quarter the deer out, put it on ice and let it "bleed out" for 2-3 days. Always keeping ice on it. We have never had to soak or add anything to ours and have recently smoked a ham that was exceptionally tender.
Hi, we have a recipe for Crockpot Venison Barbecue that is very good:
2 lbs boneless venison, cut in 1" cubes
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/4" strips
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
4 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Friends from north country (U.P Michigan) taught my husband how to process a deer. They were very picky about getting ALL the tallo off. Made him get every little piece.
Use a slow cooker to do a neck roast. Add, with spices etc, 2 cups brewed coffee.
This works for elk, which should be similar: ALWAYS soak the raw meat in milk (I use powdered milk and water) to cover, at least an hour. It takes away alot of the gamey taste, which I don't care for either.
Our favorite way to eat elk is to chicken fry strips of steak, add pan gravy to dip in! (Flour made into a roux with the drippings, add seasonings and milk and cook till thick)
I have also slow cooked a roast in onion soup and cream of mushroom soup. Very tasty.
Also good as fajitas. Marinate the meat first.
Hi Barb, I cook venison all the time and when I fry the steaks I usually fry some onions and green peppers in the pan first then add the steaks...really good that way. I live in Michigan too. A lot of venison eaters here. Use the onions and green peppers with a roast too. Good luck, Barb from Michigan
You can use onions and garlic if you like them. Also, I use beef or chicken soup base. Don't like the ham; to salty.
Hi, I have cooked venison for years and the only way I have found to remove the gamey taste is to soak it overnight in buttermilk. To make your own buttermilk, just add a little vinegar to regular milk and you have buttermilk. You can soak it in this alone or you can add whatever spices you like..I add garlic.
Rinse it off the next day, rub the venison with olive oil, and rub spices on it, rosemary, pepper, garlic, (whatever) then slow roast it or do it in a crock pot. It will melt in your mouth and taste like roast beef. Add onions, peppers, carrots, and potatoes if you like, while cooking.
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