Large Venison Roast

[jasonk]

I would like to grill/smoke a large chunk of rear quarter off of a buck. I am thinking an all day slow roast. It is about 5 pounds I would guess (the whole back "ham"). Any suggestions? Marinade it? Rub it? etc.

Thanks

[fishorgolf]

I don't think you would be to happy with the results as venison needs to be cooked rare or it gets very tuff and dry. But what the heck give it a try.

[Ebiz]

If you do some searching in here there are some good crockpot recipes that work well with venison (also good with goose breasts)and keep it juicy.

For an easy meal we do some of these:

1-2# venision, cubed

2 Cans of cream of mushroom soup

1 packet onion soup mix

Splash of red wine, optional

Put on low all day, serve over egg noodles

---------------------------------

2-3# Venison Roast

Large can of beef broth

1 cut up onion

Garlic, optional

Cook roast on low all day, can be sliced and served or shreded for sandwiches. Sometimes we'll make gravy out of the juice and have mashed potatoes.

[Mike89]

If you brine it and pump it, the slow smoke will be good. Other wise I would grill it too. In steaks, but other wise, I would also crock pot it or place it in a roster with spuds at 225 at the most. Season it to your likes as you set it up. Good luck!

[jasonk]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't clear enough with my first post. I have a grill with a smoke box on the side that I will be using to cook this. I am just worried with such a large chunk of meat that the outside will be black and the inside raw. Tips to avoid this? Or am I asking for trouble trying to do this with naturally dry venison?

Thanks again for any info

[polarsusd81]

I have a similar if not the same grill as you. I think what you are looking at doing probably isn't going to work the best for you. Cooking low and slow on the grill like you are talking can only be done if you brine the roast, and even then it could still dry out pretty bad. Venison is a very lean meat and the fat in pork and beef are what make it moist and tender.

If I were you I would consider something different with it. One thing I enjoy doing with roasts, mine are generally cut up smaller for this purpose, is make some deer steak fajitas. Cut the roast accross the grain about 1/2" thick, and then slice the steaks into strips about 1/2"x1/2" by whatever the length is. Throw that in the fridge with a marinade, I use Lawry's 30 minute Baja Chipotle, and while that is in the fridge, cut up your veggies. Cook your veggies down until they are tender, switch them over to a mixing bowl and set aside, quick cook your deer steak strips to a medium doneness, drain excess juices and toss your veggies back in. Mix together and serve it up with all the fixings. I promise, you will make it more than one time. Invite the friends over and have a couple barley pops with it. Very tasty stuff there.

[Surface Tension]

Debone and remove as much tallow and silver/blue membrane as possible.

Gather the quarter and tie or use a butchers sock.

Got a favorite dry rub? Mix it with water or apple juice and inject the quarter. Or one of the store bought injection marinades will work. Now apply a dry rub to the outside of the quarter. Let the quarter warm to room temp.

Lay smoked bacon over the quarter. This will help it from drying, not so much by adding fat but by it covering the meat. It will add flavor from the pork fat and the nitrites that will transfer from the beacon.

Lay on a rack and smoke at 200 degrees. This will be indirect heat. Apply wood for smoke.

Let it go till internal temp hits 120 degrees.

You'll move the quarter onto heavy duty tinfoil and wrap up the quarter tight and sealed with a cup or so of what ever you injected with. You don't want any juices to escape.

You can bump the temp up a bit but keep it under 300 degrees and indirect heat.

Depending on what your looking for is what you bring that internal temp up to. I'd go to 170.

Remove the quarter and let rest. Mean while take the juices and (important)separate the the fat(tallow). Then reduce the juices over the stove till thickened.

Note: This will not be a ham. If you want ham you'll be curing the meat and the steps are very different.

[jasonk]

Thanks ST. I think I will try your method.