Venison steaks

[FishingWebGuy]

I have a bunch of backstraps I need to cook up. The last time I made them, they were so fishy tasting I thought we were eating a 30 inch walleye.

I'm guessing I just overcooked them. Any recommendations on how to prepare and cook the rest of them?

I made a bunch of venison brauts and have found that they don't like to be cooked much. They probably get cooked to about rare or medium rare. Is it the same situation with the steaks?

I'm gonna try some tomorrow for lunch I think. I'll be cooking over a maple fire if that makes any difference. When I do beef steaks I get the fire hot hot (probably 600*) and leave them for 5 minutes or so a side and call it done. Should it be the same for venison or should it be more low and slow?

Also, any simple seasoning advice?

TIA

[Archerysniper]

If they are more than medium they are over done I like mine rare, also if thier is any tallow or that silvery skin on the meat trim it off that will also cause them to have a stronger game flavor.

[McGurk]

Couple of things to try for venison to "de-game" them.

Thaw in a fridge only, and use or get into a brine/marinade quickly!

-cut any and all of the silvery, shiny stuff off (tallow? That's where a lot of the gaminess comes from)

-soak them overnight (24 hours max) in a salt brine, too long will make it mushy

-soak them overnight (24 hours max) in buttermilk (only tried once, didn't do much for me)

-soak them overnight (24 hours max) in a mild oil/vinegar dressing (haven't tried it)

-after a soaking, scrape any off-color coating off with a knife, and double check for the silvery stuff.

Backstraps: cut them into 1" sections, and coat them in E.V.O.O. for a bit before grilling, with any seasoning you may want (sea salt and pepper will work fine). You may want a smaller gapped rack or screen for grilling, as they will be small. DO NOT OVERCOOK THEM! Brown them over a med/hot grill, flip once only, and finish on the other side. If you want them more done, warm them a bit longer over indirect heat, but they will dry out fast and get tough. Try them less done than your normally would with beef, you might be suprised!

Steaks and chops: Cut them thinner than a normal steak if they aren't already sliced. They'll be small, but you can slice them thicker and then butterfly them if you want more size. Steaks and chops will dry out very fast, so do not overdook them! You want them cooked hot and fast, as there is little fat to render out. On a grill, it almost just needs searing on both sides to be finished. Venison tastes awful when cooked well done, but can be quite tasty at med rare or medium. I'm a med rare guy, myself, and you will reach that very quickly.

[harvey lee]

I saute onions and then fry or grill my back straps for a few minutes over low heat with the onions on top of the straps while cooking. I do not know if I have ever had a tough or strong back strap.

Don't overcook them as they do get tougher and I think it brings out a stronger tasting meat.

maybe due to the fact I only butcher yearling does.

[Bear55]

I like my venison to be cooked hot, fast, and rare. One of my favorite marinades is olive oil, apple juice & apple cider vinegar and throw in whatever other seasoning you prefer. Get your grill or pan super hot and just touch each side for a couple of minutes and enjoy. You can also wrap them in bacon for extra yummyness.

[McGurk]

BACON! Of course! How did I miss that?

[buddha]

The biggest prob as mentioned above is don't overcook them. If you like steak rare to medium rare venison will be just as great that way. If you do the whole loin the ends may be more well done then the center. If you slice them in steaks they will only take a few minutes each side on medium to high heat and they are done. Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes and you should be good to go. Obviously season them with your favorite spice never hurts.

[reinhard1]

this is regarding the deer brats. it sounds like you are not using enough pork in your mix. fresh deer brats should be fully cooked before eating due to the pork. by what you are saying that they are not juicy when fully cooked you have made them too lean. when i prepare venison brats i simmer them in onions and beer just like regular brats and then give them the grill marks. i hope i understood your post right and i helped some. good luck.

[Ebiz]

Throw them in a bag with a can of regular Coke, marinade overnight.

[Farley]

I dont marinate. Backstraps I would butterfly cut, season with salt and pepper only and grill untill they just, and I mean just, starting to firm up. Poke them with your finger when they are rare and they will feel jelly like in the middle. When the middle just starts to get firm pull them off. They should be fairly rare in the middle. Shouldnt take more than 8 minutes with a warm grill. Or you can grill the whole thing and slice it after but thats a little more tricky.

[FishingWebGuy]

Thanks every one! Mine are all butterflied -- I guess I shoulda shared that earlier. I will try searing on a hot grill with some salt, pepper and maybe some olive oil.

Hopefully removing the tallow and being medium rare will get us what we've been missing.

[eyeguy 54]

I cut em 3/4 inch thick, MEAT only, trim it. I have used a filet knife for 30 years. lol. fry em fast in butter or olive oil then salt and pepper to taste. beyond medium rare is a mistake in my opinion. eat em like this or add whatever you like. I'll fry up onions and mushrooms a lot but always seperate or the venny gets too done and then it's tough. grill works also but for taste I for sure prefer thr fry pan. dang it, now I gotta go thaw some out. maybe I'll post a pic. 3 deer in the freezer and almost gone.

[deerminator]

I agree on the trimming all the silverskin and fat off period. I like to use a small sunfish sized fillet knive for this task as it lets me work nimbly and minimizes the amount of meat I waste. One of my favorite simple marinades is to whisk together a 1 1/2 cups dark beer, 1 1/2 cups low sodium soy sauce and 2 tablespoons each of minced garlic, dijon mustard and brown sugar. Its basically along the lines of a homemade teriyaki. I got it out of field and stream, which suggested slicing up the steak or backstrap and serving it on a tray with extra sharp cheddar cheese and townhouse crackers. Its a pretty dang good combo.

[BobT]

Silver skin won't add much if any flavor but is tough. You'll know you missed some when you find that you have what seems like a piece of rubbery skin that you can't chew up. Tallow will definitely add flavor and although in domestic meat it is desirable, in wild meat it tends to add a strong gamy flavor that is often somewhat pungent and undesirable. A little may not hurt and may even help keep the meat from drying when cooking.

The next time you get a deer try aging the meat for a week before processing. IMPORTANT! Aging must be done in a controlled environment between 35-40 degrees F. I cut my meat, place it in containers, and then place the containers in a refrigerator for a minimum of one week before doing the final trim, grinding, etc. and freezing. It really seems to make the meat more tender and improves taste.

[Bear55]

I do the same thing Bob, quartered and into the fridge for close to a week. I don't notice a huge difference but it does help. I kind of think that cooking techniques can be more important then aging with venison. Years ago I didn't know what I was doing and the meat was ok to sometimes bad, now even if I can't age the meat and have to freeze it asap it still turns out great.

[reinhard1]

if possible the best way to age venison is to leave it hanging with the hide on. of course the temp has to be right for this. also the tenderloin should be removed [actualy i remove it on the field] if it is not done you will loose some of the meat because it will dry out and get black. i usualy let my deer hang one week depending on the overnight temps. if its too warm i proccess it as soon as possible. i do respect your way of doing it. good luck.

[BobT]

We prefer to remove the hide as soon as possible so the meat can cool down quickly. Leaving the hide on, the meat will remain warm for days even at temperatures in the 30's. If you prefer to leave it hang whole try skinning it and then covering with a cheese cloth. This will prevent the meat from drying and still allow the heat to escape. The faster you can cool the meat the better.

We've also learned not to do any processing for at least 24 hours after the kill. This allows time for the muscles to relax from the effects of rigor mortis. Doing this can help keep your meat more tender.

[reinhard1]

thank you. i leave it hanging with the hide on as i said depending on temperature. usualy in most years [i hunt in northern mn.] when we get a deer we hang it there leaving the body cavity open. this is your colder firearms season days. you are right on in warmer temps. i am a retired meat cutter after 35 years and proccesed deer on my property for 10years. so in general you are correct. but when its cold the hide also retains the cold after the body cavity has been cooled down. so i'm talking cold just so you know. i see nothing wrong with what you are doing. when you hunt 50 miles north of duluth its tough to go right home if your up there for 5 days. but we have been lucky so far. at night it gets in the teens sometime. i still cut up deer for my friends and make fresh sausage for them. still fun. good luck.

[swamptiger]

I like to take the tenderloins and marinate them in Italian or Ranch dressing overnite. Slice about 1/2 inch thick, throw in a pan of hot oil, and enjoy.

My favorite way to cook venison steaks is to slice them about 1/2 inch thick, coat in Krusteaz pancake mix, and fry in hot oil. Discovered this by accident on a hunting trip to Colorado about 15 years ago, and it's been my favorite recipe ever since.

[TruthWalleyes]

Venison Steaks...Gotta be rare for me. The meat is too dry to be fully cooked!

[FishingWebGuy]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I trimmed them down to just the meat, seasoned with cavendars, grilled very hot for 3 minutes 1 side and less than 2 minutes on the other. They cooked fast! They were probably just under medium when I pulled them off. Tasted excellent though and were very tender. Just a little game flavor to remind me of the hunt.

I'm guessing a combo of tallow and cooking too long ruined the previous attempt.

[motley man]

In warm weather +35 degrees, I skin and quarter and put in cooler with drain open so water does not soak meat. Block ice or cubes work, just put whole bags in cooler and put meat on top. The large white cooler [4 footer] with a tube from drain to run out of truck bed always goes hunting with me just in case it gets warm out. I don't like hanging deer in our camp because it draws critters - two legged and four. Have had deer stolen from camp while out hunting on state land. Also had wolves and bear come around because they smell the fresh blood and meat. I always cut my deer up after I get it home and it cools down so it's easier to cut steaks, chops, etc. I put quarters in fridge to get them cold the night before cutting them up. My girlfriend loves to cut deer up and does not hunt, ain't she great. I think I'll keep her for a long time, maybe even marry her.

[reinhard1]

wow, sounds like a keeper. i think you have good ideas. you're doing the right thing by putting the ice on the bottom and meat on top. one thing i have always stressed to customers [when i was working] is to never put meat or any food item in plastic bags for storage in the fridge. bacteria builds up fast and the meat spoils faster. its best to cut them as soon as you can and get them in the freezer. i'm impressed with your girlfriends willingness to cut up deer. like i said a keeper. i've been hanging deer since i was a kid. i remember when i lived in duluth we had a fruit celler were it was always cool. my dad would let the deer hang for a week before we cut it up. one day was set aside and we all worked together and got it done. i haven't had the unfortunate things that have happened to you [especialy having one stolen], i have one of those big salmon coolers and i will bring it along this year. just in case we have a warm november. thanks for the post and good luck.

[BobT]

Here's what I did today.

Venison Backstrap trimmed and cubed in 3/4" cubes.

Onion coarsely chopped

Celery coarsely chopped

Red bell peppers coarsely chopped

Bella mushrooms sliced

Lowry's seasoned salt

Black pepper

Worcestershire

Shredded white cheddar cheese

Saute onion, celery, bell peppers in butter until crisp tender in wok or frypan.

Add venison cubes and season with salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkle of Worcestershire.

When meat is about medium add mushrooms and cook to heat through.

Add a layer of shredded cheese on top and serve when melted.

[reinhard1]

gosh that sounds good. add to my stuff. thanks good luck.