I have never had wild animal steak. Deer. I guess it does not exist?

MelaniaTrump
MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
It has always been ground deer.
In a hamburger, sausage, over pasta with spaghetti sauce.
To me, it just tasted like either corn meal, rice, breading, or regular ground beef.
(last time they mixed the ground deer with hamburger meat).
I've even had deer jerky and it was made from ground deer meat.

My question is: I guess you can't just have a deer steak?
Does that even exist?
Why don't people do this?
Is it too lean?
What is the reason for this?
«1

Replies

  • pootle1972
    pootle1972 Posts: 579 Member
    edited February 2016
    They are called Venison steaks here in the uk. It's becoming more popular as it's lean.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    I am pretty sure venison steak is a thing. I have never had it but, I have heard of it.
  • Thowe92
    Thowe92 Posts: 109 Member
    Venison steak exists. It just comes from a different part of the deer/elk.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Yes, you can have venison. It's not sold at supermarkets (at least I've never seen it here in Ohio/the U.S.) Most people get it from hunting or from friends who are hunters. I haven't had it since I was a kid but I liked it then.
  • LHWhite903
    LHWhite903 Posts: 208 Member
    I've never tried venison, but I'd kind of like to, out of curiosity.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
    We have a burger place that sells elk burgers. They're delicious! We have a lot of deer where I live though.
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
    Mmmmm, venison. I can get it in Wegman's. I like venison steaks, but I prefer to cut it into chunks and make a casserole.

    And now I'm hungry, and it's a long time until dinner.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    The biggest issue is it seems like you can only get them from hunters. Deer meat is hard to find in grocery stores, at least for where I live. Not a lot of deer farms around.
  • mean_and_lean
    mean_and_lean Posts: 164 Member
    Like everyone said it's called venison steak. They're very good but they have to be cooked extremely rare otherwise it's like eating an old shoe.
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    The biggest issue is it seems like you can only get them from hunters. Deer meat is hard to find in grocery stores, at least for where I live. Not a lot of deer farms around.

    You can order online from farmed deer. Yes they have steaks, I love backstrap steaks, cooked rare. The rear steaks make the best fajita meat.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Grew up on venison steaks. Ate it about 5 nights a week cuz we were poor and Dad was a good hunter. I hope I never again have to eat venison steaks...
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Venison steak! I love it!
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    I had it only once when I was a kid. My family made me cry as they told me that I had eaten Bambi. :disappointed:
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
    I come from a family of deer hunters, and we have deer steak. It has a very strong gamey flavor (and smell) which takes some getting used to.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    I've not had venison steaks but roasts are very common. After soaking, marinating, and slow cooking it is very good and the gaminess is gone.
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
    Venison doesn't cook up the same as beef for a steak. The best cut of meat for a similar experience to me is the chops (loin). It is tender enough that a quick sear on either side with a bit of salt and garlic and you have a delicious bite of meat. The problem with Venison is it is so lean that you actually need to add oil to fry it. It is really easy to make it chewy and tough and taste gamey. I much prefer most of the meat ground and in a casserole of some kind.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I've had venison steak. Don't know anyone who hunts locally, so I've bought it at a meat market in my neighborhood. You can also get it at various restaurants.

    When I was a kid we used to have moose, but haven't had that in years. That we'd get from hunters we knew.
  • Steff46
    Steff46 Posts: 516 Member
    Venison tenderloins are the best! Lots of hunters in my family:)
  • JodehFoster
    JodehFoster Posts: 419 Member
    edited February 2016
    yes backstrap! I often get meat from my father's pals when they hunt. I'm making elk chili tonight in fact, from a pound of ground & a pound of elk steaks I need to use up, adding a bit of fatty beef & chorizo.

    There's a place called Broken Arrow Ranch that specializes in game meats as well. We've bought from there before, excellent products... https://www.brokenarrowranch.com/

    I love to braise venison for pot pies, this was most of a venison hind that was given to me...omgyum

    6urcmdhlof3m.jpg
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I've never had venison but I've had moose. It tastes like a gamier beef
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    It's just a cut. Steaks, roasts, burger; they are all just methods for butchering. They most certainly do exist. If this seems like I'm just stating the obvious (I feel like I am), I'm only doing it because I'm confused by the OP. There are lots of foods I've never eaten, or versions of food in this case, but I don't assume they don't exist just because they've never made it past my pie hole. But maybe I missed something. Apologies for my lack of understanding.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Venison is tasty - it's available here at Central Market (occasionally) and at my local butcher's. Plenty of restaurants, too. I usually skip the steak and go for stew instead.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    brower47 wrote: »
    There are lots of foods I've never eaten, or versions of food in this case, but I don't assume they don't exist just because they've never made it past my pie hole.

    This was my thought from the title too. The OP didn't actually clear it up, but I got from the post that she had looked for it and not been able to find it. Then again, at one point (years ago) I looked for a suet pudding and could not find one and did not then conclude that those people in the UK were playing an elaborate con on us and that they did not really exist.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    ITS POPULAR HERE IN THE BOONDOCKS OF NC. NEVER SEEN IT IN STORES BUT MOST FOLKS KNOW HUNTERS WHO ARE HAPPY TO SHARE,.

    sorry, caps not typing all that back out. LOL
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,746 Member
    Lasmartchika wrote: »
    I had it only once when I was a kid. My family made me cry as they told me that I had eaten Bambi. :disappointed:

    Well, now, that's just mean! Did they tell you that you ate Bessie the cow after you had a hamburger? I hope it was all in jest and not serious.

    Anyway, I used to eat a lot of deer and elk meat because my first husband was a hunter. Still get some steaks from him occasionally, but I gave up meat a while back anyway. There are a few local butchers you can buy it from but it's not readily available at the grocery stores.
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    To get venison here, you have to kill it yourself, or know a very generous hunter. I typically send my deer out for processing, and get back the backstraps and tenderloins, ground venison, and custom made summer sausage. I could just order it butchered, and get back roasts and steaks. It's incredibly lean, however, and unless you like your meat rare or medium rare, you won't care for it. cooking it past medium changes the flavor, and makes it tough due to a lack of natural fat. I have my butcher add beef suet to my ground venison to add fat and flavor.
  • kenwoelk
    kenwoelk Posts: 1 Member
    I have 100 lbs of Venison burger and 100 lbs of venison steak in my freezer. You can't buy it in the store, it's illegal to sell wild animal's meat in the USA. I bow hunt, and had a good year. It is VERY lean, and VERY healthy. With deer overpopulation, we need more hunters to keep the population in check.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    brower47 wrote: »
    There are lots of foods I've never eaten, or versions of food in this case, but I don't assume they don't exist just because they've never made it past my pie hole.

    This was my thought from the title too. The OP didn't actually clear it up, but I got from the post that she had looked for it and not been able to find it. Then again, at one point (years ago) I looked for a suet pudding and could not find one and did not then conclude that those people in the UK were playing an elaborate con on us and that they did not really exist.

    No, I didn't get that at all from OP's point. I got that she was wondering why if you can cut a steak from cattle, why she's never heard of a deer steak, only ground venison... But again, rather than going to the Google, OP has chosen to ask the wise folks of MFP to solve the world's mysteries for her.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    We live to serve!
  • M3ltD0Vvn
    M3ltD0Vvn Posts: 76 Member
    Generally need to add another fat since venison is so lean. Duck fat is popular. I do a 24 hour marinade in Beer, Worcestershire Sauce, and spices (pepper, salt etc). I dislike venison as it tends to be too gamy - tastes like soil to me with the exception of deer salami, but my kids LOVE it.

    I prefer Elk - and even then I prefer it slow cooked and shredded into a chili.

    As a side note, I don't like pheasant either, and all my friends rave about it when I come home with a fat hen. I BBQ it and let them tear into it, while I eat an inconspicuous chicken breast haha.

    \m/

This discussion has been closed.

Categories