Venison?

teresamwhite
teresamwhite Posts: 947 Member
DH got a deer two weeks ago, and now I am looking for a "tried n true" recipe to cook it. We got several roasts, and ground venison out of it, plus he is taking some to the processors to make summer sausage.

In culinary school, we only touched on game meats briefly, and I haven't had to do anything with it since then. I know I need to run it under cold water for ten minutes and soak it in salt water for ten minutes. After that I would treat it as any other very lean piece of meat. Still, though, a good recipe to compliment the venison would be welcome!
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Replies

  • jeepyj93
    jeepyj93 Posts: 392 Member
    I cook venison all the time, I will mix the ground venison with ground beef and use it in meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, meatballs and chili.
    I rarely use it alone just because it maybe to dry.
    I have a recipe for a fabulous tenderloin and I will look it up.
  • jeepyj93
    jeepyj93 Posts: 392 Member
    Sorry I can't copy the link but it is on Food.com Bacon wrapped Venison Tenderloin very good not low in points but very tasty.
  • halips
    halips Posts: 134 Member
    In a family of hunters, we always have venison in the freezer. I just made venison chili this weekend. I treat it just like ground beef. I love it in pasta meat sauce, in meat balls and also meatloaf. I have used the roasts to make BBQ pulled venison too. The steaks also make great swiss steak and "chicken fried" venison. I like the tenrderloin grilled like any beef steak-Med. Rare with garlic salt. Enjoy!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Venison-Goulash

    Also spicy venison sausages are pretty awesome
  • emjean76
    emjean76 Posts: 116 Member
    We use ground venison just like you would use ground beef or turkey in dishes like chili, meatloaf, spaghetti sauce, tacos, etc. One of my favorites is to take pieces of tenderized round steak, sear them a bit in a pan, put them in a baking dish and cover with cream of mushroom soup, onions and green peppers. Bake for about 30 mins or so until meat is done.
  • BringingSherriBack
    BringingSherriBack Posts: 607 Member
    The roasts can be prepared just like you would make Italian beef as well.
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    I'm not sure if you have the equipment to do it, but if you do, venison jerky is the best. It makes me wish I hunted just so I could have some right now.
  • Julzanne72
    Julzanne72 Posts: 468 Member
    <
    Hoping that the fiance kills a deer soon so my freezer if full !! I love it, use the ground venison hamburger just like I would ground beef/chuck. Venison Roasts in crock pot all day with cream of mushroom soup, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  • superfox12082
    superfox12082 Posts: 512 Member
    I soak it in water with a couple tablespoons of vinegar for a day or two to get the gamey taste out. Then I marinade it in red wine vinegar, soy sauce, rosemary and garlic powder. Fry or grill. Yum!
  • jess7386
    jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
    I love venison as well! Just make sure to cook it like you would a VERY rare piece of meat - it tends to get rubbery quickly!
  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 843 Member
    no recipes as such, just remember the meat will be drier (low in fat) so lower temperatures especially with plain ground venison. Notso much a big deal if your ground is mixed with pork or beef.
  • rachface1234
    rachface1234 Posts: 227 Member
    I've had some pretty stellar venison stuffed jalapenos off the grill before :)
  • My favorite is Venison Soup. Venison, onions, celery, potatoes with the skin still on, carrots, peas, and portobello or shiitake mushrooms. Salt, pepper, and thyme to flavor. OMG, soooo yummy and super easy to make.
  • MikaMojito
    MikaMojito Posts: 680 Member
    Interesting. When I buy venison in Germany or get some from my uncle who hunts, I never have to soak it. Do folks in the US not let the meat hang or whatever it's called in English?

    In winter I quite like making venison goulash, so basically a stew but I dont use a specific recipe.
  • jmcreynolds91
    jmcreynolds91 Posts: 777 Member
    We are big hunters up here in Wyoming. I make stews, soups, chilis, LOTS of homemade jerky, roasts. Grill it, you can do just about everything with it as you can beef.
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    Venison is lean - so you either need to cook it forever or for seconds - when I have venison steaks from the loin I have them super-rare. When I roast legs etc, I have them pink. Stews need cooking for a day, at least.
  • AbFabKat
    AbFabKat Posts: 16 Member
    When forced to cook it I always used ground and made chili. Enough spice and you can't taste that disgusting gamey flavor.

    <---not a fan of wild game
  • stephysd
    stephysd Posts: 2,410 Member
    If you still have time request hot dogs. Venison hot dogs are the best!!

    The next best way is that my dad will take steaks and butterfly them thin. He will then put a layer of raisin dressing and roll it up pinwheel style. Sometimes he will add a slice of bacon and sometimes not. He then bakes them until meat is done. He does not add any other seasoning as it all comes from the dressing. Usually only gets made this time of year as raisin dressing is his German side of the family's tradition in place of sage dressing for the holidays.
  • Mr_Starr
    Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
    My favorite is mince meat pie made from the meat in the neck. I use my great granny's old "recipe", but I am sure you can find a better documented recipe )

    Here is the mincemeat filling part of the recipe. It does have to be cooked down before using. Granny used to can batches of it.
    cooked and shredded venison, elk, or beef
    1 lb. tart apples
    1 lb. pears (do not use asian pears)
    1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries
    1 cup chopped prunes (can substitute or mix with raisens or dried cranberries)
    1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts and/or hazel nuts (i guess you can use pecans if you are not from NW )
    1/4 cup sugar (great granny originally used honey in her recipe, but i lost that version :( )
    1/2 cup pinot (also can use brandy, apple cider, etc)
    zest from 2 lemons
    1 Tbsp. lemon juice
    1 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
    1/2 tsp. nutmeg
    1/4 tsp. clove
    1 tsp. cinnamon
    1/4 tsp. salt
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    get two pieces of tin foil, lay a layer of onion, bacon and deer steaks. cover with layer of bacon and onion(I also add a little butter), cover with other piece of foil. cook on grill or stove til you like it. I like rare, so only a few minutes on the grill.
  • Mr_Starr
    Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
    Interesting. When I buy venison in Germany or get some from my uncle who hunts, I never have to soak it. Do folks in the US not let the meat hang or whatever it's called in English?


    LOL -- perhaps it is a regional thing in US? I know in my family and in the community i grew up hanging venison (and beef) to age was common practice. It helps break down the collagen and makes the meet more tender and flavorful. I am pretty sure this is why beef served in the finer restaurants is always aged a couple of weeks or more.
  • JCM1969
    JCM1969 Posts: 141 Member
    I dont think you need to soak it or rinse it or talk nice to it or whatever....
    I have a pot of elk stew in the fridge at home.... just cook the tougher cuts forever.. (a day).. add some tomatoes to the soup or roast.. .the acid helps break it down and make it tender... very good and super low fat.
    We grill the backstraps like steak... they are a little tough but not that bad.
  • teresamwhite
    teresamwhite Posts: 947 Member
    The guys he hunts with typically process it quickly and freeze it. So it idn't get the opportunity to age. The soaking helps with the gamey flavor and getting the blood out. (I wish it could hang for a while, it would make this easier, and taste better)

    I'm familiar with cooking methods, so that part is easy. And I've combined equal parts ground venison with ground beef or turkey. It was the marinade recipes, and recipes for cooking the roasts that interested me most.

    This is the first deer he has gotten in 4 years of bow hunting, so I was prepared for him to eat his tag again! NOT prepared for coming up with recipes! LOL!

    Thanks for the suggestions!
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    DEER TACOS! ... and if you have tenderloins, Just cook them rare (sear the outside, like you would a filet mignon ... Boisari seasoning salt (original flavor) is yummy with venison ... but plain salt and pepper works too ... rosemary goes well with it too) ... Deglaze the pan w/ red winw and add some frozen (pitted) cherries, thaw cherries, reduce liquid ... BOOM you have a sauce ....
  • CrusherKun
    CrusherKun Posts: 353 Member
    My Father and I are avid deer hunters. Up till a few years ago, we have had great success in our bounty for the year, but since my weight became an issue, I dreaded the hunt. However, I would still take place in cutting and processing deer every year. We even started to do our own smoked summer sausage and other smoked treats along with hotdogs and kielbasa. Seeing your husband takes it in to be processed is not only more expensive that doing it yourself, you run the risk of decontamination from other food sources (In Wisconsin Chronic Wasting Disease was one reason) - but you can also control the recipes and adjust the type of filler(if any) is used.

    If your interested in any more, I would be happy to get some info for you.

    Crusher!
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    I started mixing my drier meats with ground BS Chicken breast. The drier meats absorb the large amounts of water from the chicken with fewer fats and calories.
  • Bobbie8786
    Bobbie8786 Posts: 202 Member
    The best chilli I ever had in my entire life was made with venison.
  • tlacox1
    tlacox1 Posts: 373 Member
    Interesting. When I buy venison in Germany or get some from my uncle who hunts, I never have to soak it. Do folks in the US not let the meat hang or whatever it's called in English?

    In winter I quite like making venison goulash, so basically a stew but I dont use a specific recipe.

    Depends on where you are and the traditions that you're used to. I am from East Texas. We hang it, drain it, and quarter it up. Hubby puts it in a cooler with ice and every day he will drain the water off and add more ice. After about three days we cut it into steaks, backstrap, grinding meat, roasts, etc. and get it in the freezer.

    However, there have been many a night that we cut the backstrap right off the deer after shooting it and cooked it right then. I LOVE deer meat! Since six of eight people in our household, including my five year old, hunts, we always have a freezer full!
  • MyLowCarbSanity
    MyLowCarbSanity Posts: 3 Member
    My husband hunts and venison is one of our favorites. I have cooked it many ways and always enjoy Hank Shaw's recipes for venison and all other game meats. He is a James Beard winner and you can see his recipes on his blog--http://honest-food.net/wild-game/venison-recipes/. We've made the corned venison many times and it is spectacular.

    I have a venison chili that I entered into Robb Wolf's Ultimate Chili Cook-Off earlier this year. If you like spice it is a great recipe to make with venison. It is called Spice-Full Venison Paleo Chili (#83) and is located at http://robbwolf.com/2013/01/11/time-vote-favorite-chili-recipe/. Hope this helps and enjoy the venison!
  • grandmamere
    grandmamere Posts: 155 Member
    My favorite recipe is "asian style beef and broccoli" of course I use what "deer meat" we have whether its antelope, elk, mule deer, it all is good. 1 and 1/2 lbs of steak sliced thin (best sliced when still slightly frozen) 1 bag 16 oz of broccoli or one head of fresh broccoli, lawry seasoning - asian beef and broccoli packet stir in 1 cup of soy sauce and 1/3 cup of water. Cook meat strips til most redness is gone, leave a little pink to prevent from drying out, then put in broccoli and stir in the seasoning mixed with soy sacue and water. Cook about 5 - 7 minutes or until broccoli is tender/crisp.

    My next favorite is "vegetable beef soup" 1 and 1/ 2 lbs of ground vension, a can of diced tomatoes, 2 carrots shredded, 2 stalks of celery chopped coarsley, 1 large onion chopped coarsely (ie big chunks), 16 oz bag of frozen veggies (I use california style) 1 frozen box of artichoke hearts, 3 tablespoons of dried onion, 1 bay leaf, garlic salt and pepper to taste. Brown meat. Then put cooked meat and everything else in a large crock pot and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours!

    Enjoy! We do in my house!