Local News
Venison
By Douglas H. Domedion
Some good eating here!
Venison, like other wild game meat, is much better for you than domestic meats such as beef, pork and etc. For one thing, there are no chemicals in deer meat like the domestic meats, which contain “additives” from their feed to fatten them up.
Another factor that makes venison desirable is that it is not marbled with fat. Yes, this makes a more juicy steak but it is not the best thing for you.
The cholesterol in venison is of the “good” kind, not like in beef, which is not good if it is already high. This is because they don’t just eat and lay around like domestic animals. Deer are very active and eat a variety of natural foods without artificial additives.
Many people say they don’t care for venison because they claim it has a strong taste or is tough. True deer meat may taste gamy and can be tough if it isn’t handled properly.
The problem comes from several sources, the first being how the animal was handled after it was killed. It starts right in the woods when the entrails are removed. Accidental cutting of the bladder or intestines can ruin the meat quickly as it promotes the rapid growth of bacteria, thus spoiling the meat.
A similar problem develops when the weather is warm and the deer is not cooled quickly by skinning and processed quickly.
The gamy taste often comes from meat that hasn’t been trimmed up or cleaned up carefully. The fat that you see on the outside of a skinned deer caress is not fat but tallow. This tallow turns rancid, even when it is frozen, and makes the meat “strong.” Most butchers are used to handling domestic meat and it is common to leave some fat on the meat to add to the favor and keep the meat juicy when cooking. When they cut up the deer they treat the tallow as fat, and that’s where the problem starts.
There is a lot to be said for butchering your own deer because it eliminates this problem if you take the time to do it right. Boning out the meat and then carefully removing all the tallow on the individual muscles will yield some fine eating.
Another way to ruin venison is by freezing it incorrectly. After about 50 years of cutting up my own deer I have come to some hard conclusions. First it is best to freeze bigger chunks of meat and cut them up later when they are thawed out for use. The smaller the cuts the more vulnerable to freezer burn, which will ruin the taste of any meat.
How the meat is wrapped before freezing is also very important. I wrap my “chunks” in two layers of Cling Wrap, removing as much air as possible. It is then wrapped tightly in freezer paper. The last step is to place it in Ziploc freezer bags and remove as much air as possible. This can be done with a vacuum sealer or the cheap way like I do. My way is to seal the bag almost shut but then insert a straw and pinch off the sides around the straw. I then suck the air out and at the same time pull out the straw with my mouth and seal it quickly. It does sound funny, but you know it has worked wonderfully for me for years. I have found packages of venison “lost” in the freezer for three years and discover that they are just as good as when I processed them.
But wait, there is another way to ruin venison: just overcook it. Most people treat deer meat like beef, and that is a real problem that leads to lack of favor and toughness. Remember, the beef is marbled with fat, so it will remain juicy and moist. Venison is very lean and it is easily overcooked and dried out. This takes away its unique favor and makes it tough. I feel that this is how most people ruin venison.
When cooking deer meat I usually cook it in a frying pan with just water and whatever seasoning is to be used. It is then watched closely to make sure it is not overcooked. The trick is to cook it only long enough to brown the outside but leave it pinkish inside. It all depends on how thick the meat is cut.
Treat venison for what it is and you will experience delicious eating which is also much healthier for you than domestic meat.
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