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Tips on Venison

Source of Recipe

Times Record News Nov/2000


List of Ingredients

Now that you've shot it, field dressed it, processed and frozen it, what are you going to do with all that deer meat?

Whether you choose to cook steaks, make chili or smoke a venison roast, there are some ground rules for preparing this desirable wild game:


Recipe

Cook tender cuts from young deer just as you would the steaks and chops of beef, pork, or lamb. It can be broiled, fried, sautéed, or cooked on the grill.

For steaks, dredge in flour, season with salt and pepper, and brown in heated oil over low heat. Brown on both sides, turning once until it is slowly cooked to a tender delicacy.

Venison has short fibers that toughen quickly, so be sure not to over cook it at too high a temperature. It is best when medium to well done; never serve it overdone or rare. Be sure to serve hot because deer fat starts to congeal while still warm. Reheating is not recommended except in casseroles.

Older game should be stewed or braised to break down the fiber and to tenderize it. Braise meat by first sautéing to brown it, then add 1/2 to 1 cup liquid, cover, and cook over very low heat until tender. If necessary, add small amounts of liquid.

Tenderize venison in several different ways. Use a commercial tenderizer, marinate in an acid-based (lemon juice, vinegar, or red wine) marinade, pressure cook, pound with a meat tenderizer, chop or grind it , or parboil it first.

Parboiling can also remove some of the gamey taste from strongly flavored meat. If your ground or cubed venison has a strong taste, combine it with ground or cubed beef or pork.

Try to hunt early in the season because venison gets stronger with the approach of the mating season.

Many folks reject venison out of hand, because they've eaten wild animals so geriatric their meat is tough and has an intense flavor. Other folks say "no thanks" because they've tasted meat that was improperly shot, poorly cleaned and not well stored.

All venison, whether wild or farm-raised, is nutritionally impressive. It's low in fat and cholesterol, yet still high in protein. A four-ounce portion of venison tenderloin, for instance, contains about 100 calories and has 2 1/2 grams of saturated fat. A four-ounce portion of beef tenderloin, on the other hand, has more than three times the calories (328) and about four times as much saturated fat (10.8 grams.) Both have about the same amount of
protein.

If any of these apply to you, venison is a good choice: your doctor has restricted your intake of red meat, especially that four-letter word, beef; you're looking for a low-cholesterol alternative to beef, pork and chicken; you're terminally bored with the limited choices at the butcher counter; or you just like to experiment and taste new foods.

You may want to study up on preparing venison, and there are a number of good books on the subject. "The Art of Cooking Venison" by Albert Wutsch, director of Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Academy of Culinary Arts (Cache Creek Enterprises) and "Wild About Game" by Janie Hibler (Broadway Books) are good references for both the beginner and experienced cook.