The Venison Gourmet

How to Make Venison Taste Delicious

by Richard Baimbridge

There’s nothing more disappointing than feeling the excitement of shooting a deer vanish once you taste the meat. Venison is very lean, compared to beef and pork, so it’s easy to get it wrong and end up with meat that’s tough and dry, or tastes gamey. Between everything from shot placement to how the field dressing is done and potential mishandling at the processor — a lot can go wrong.

There’s a reason beef taste good, and a lot of it has to do with the precision with which the whole process is set-up, versus hauling an animal around in the back of your pickup truck. But a properly-handled deer, whether an older buck in mid-rut or an early-season doe, can and should taste delicious. So, today we’ll take a look at some of the secrets to perfect venison, and also bust some of the myths.

Let’s start with hunting for meat versus for trophies. There’s truth to the argument that a doe or a young buck is likely to be more tender than a trophy deer worth mounting on your wall. But with proper treatment of the meat, an older buck can still taste delicious. There’s also a belief that bucks are stressed during the rut.

People point to the beef industry as proof of this, as cows that are butchered when they’re stressed are known “dark cutters." This meat is dry and gamey, full of lactic acid and adrenaline, and generally not fit for sale — it often ends up in pet food.

The difference is that, unlike domesticated cows, deer are wild animals. So, the fighting during the rut, for example, is unlikely to stress them to the point of affecting taste. What can affect flavor, though, is shot placement. An animal that’s wounded and runs a lot before it falls is full of adrenaline, compared to one than one that’s dropped quickly. So, aside from the ethical reasons for good shot placement, there’s the practical side of not wanting to stress the animal.

Headshots are ideal for this reason…if the shot (and your skill level) allow for it, that is. And, of course, everyone knows a poorly-placed shot to the guts is going to spoil the meat. So, get your marksmanship skills up to speed and aim to drop the animal as precisely as possible.

That said, here are some additional Tips on Ensuring the Best-Tasting Venison:

Field dress the deer within the first two hours, before gas and bacteria can start to affect the meat. Hang the deer up by its legs with a hoist. This will really help make the meat more tender as it passes through the process of rigor mortis. But if it’s either warmer than 42 degrees or below-freezing outside, quarter the meat and get it packed in ice as soon as possible.

Most hunters believe it’s important to remove the scent glands when field dressing. But MeatEater’s Steve Rinella actually advises against it. “Many hunters have been conditioned to remove tarsal glands before skinning a deer. This unnecessary step can spread bacteria and scent all over yourself and the meat.” Another thing you don’t want to cut out is the kidney fat. Leave it in the carcass.

If you’re going to drag a deer through the woods after field-dressing, poke some holes on either side along the incision and use zip ties to close the cavity, preventing dirt and leaves from getting inside. You can also stuff a rag in its rear-end for the same purpose.

Rinse the carcass with cold water thoroughly – the more, the better. It should be as clean as possible on the inside.  

Leave the skin on. This is controversial, and yes it does make it harder to remove later on. But if you’re gonna age the meat, the benefits of leaving the skin on the animal are undeniable. Venison that’s left exposed without the skin is far more dry than if you leave on the hide, especially considering how little fat deer have to protect them.

Age your meat for at least 10 days. Find a good processor you can trust to hang the carcass in a walk-in cooler for up to two weeks. Or vacuum-pack the cuts in plastic bags and age them that way. This willl really help remove the gamey taste in venison.

Add about 20% of pork fat to ground venison. Marbled pork butt is another option. Beef suet also works, but pork fat is best. Some say ground venison doesn’t need any extra fat, but it’s hard to make something like a hamburger without it – and to be honest, the taste is much better.

How to Cook Venison Organs:

Check out my previous article on why you should be eating deer organs, then follow these steps:

Wash and clean organs thoroughly (heart, kidneys, liver), then submerge the entire organ (uncut) completely in a pot of cold water. Add dark soya sauce until the water becomes dark brown. Add freshly-chopped ginger slices, garlic, a few bay leaves, 2 stars of anise, 1 whole cinnamon stick, and boil on high heat for about 10 minutes, or until organs are soft and cooked completely. Remove from heat and leave it to marinate overnight in refrigerator (or for at least 6 hours). Remove from pot, discarding the liquid. Slice dry organs into ¼ inch thin strips. Serve chilled or room temperature, together with a dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce: Prepare fresh in a small bowl: Light soya sauce, black vinegar, chili oil, salt and a small amount of water. Add in some finely-chopped fresh cilantro, ginger and garlic and stir until well-mixed.

Enjoy! And please send us your feedback!

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