How to cook venison (2024)

FAQs

How is venison best cooked? ›

For the most tender venison, I recommend cooking to medium-rare or medium. If you're OK with a little pink in the center, you should avoid cooking venison steaks and backstrap to well-done, causing the meat to become dry and tough.

While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful. If you would like to try soaking your meat, instructions for a buttermilk soak can be found at The Backyard Pioneer.

Cooking times and settings are much the same as for any other meat. 1½– 2 hours in a medium oven is about right. All meats taste better if browned first. Marinating is not necessary with our tender venison but if you do then it will add extra flavour.

Tender cuts of venison should be prepared using quick cooking methods to a rare or medium-rare level of doneness (internal temperature of 120° to 135° F). If it is prepared past medium-rare too much moisture will be cooked out causing the meat to become dry and tough.

Naturally tender cuts like loins and tenderloin take well to high heat grilling, pan searing, or stuffing and trussing and should be served rare to medium rare. Here's my recipe for how to cook Chili Cocoa Crusted Venison Loin. Tougher muscles from the shoulder, shank or neck should be braised or stewed slow and low.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

The tough fibers and connective tissue break down into collagen, which then dissolves into gelatin. Over time, these fibers expel moisture, leaving the meat dry. Once the meat is dry, upon continued cooking, the fibers will relax and begin to absorb the fat and gelatin, creating tender, flavorful meat.

Venison is best rare to medium but if you prefer your meat well done then its best to use one of our boned, rolled venison shoulder joints and cook it slowly with some liquid to stop it drying out.

Will soaking deer meat in milk make it tender? ›

Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours, and no more than 12, before proceeding to cook it as you normally would. The calcium in milk contains enzymes that will tenderize the meat, and the main protein in milk will neutralize the gamey flavor.

Deer meat, also known as venison, is often soaked in a marinade before cooking to help tenderize the meat and reduce any gamey flavor. This marinade could include ingredients like red wine, vinegar, olive oil, and various spices.

Given that deer are leaner than cows, venison is generally healthier to eat than beef. An average cut of venison, in fact, has around half the calories and a sixth the saturated fats of a similarly sized cut of beef. It also has more proteins, vitamins and minerals than beef.

Common soaking liquids include saltwater, milk, buttermilk, vinegar, or lemon juice. There are many hunters that swear by dairy products when it comes to removing gaminess as dairy “bleeds out” many meats, with blood being a source of gamey flavor.

Venison: Red wines with earthy or smoky flavors big enough for the meat's taste and richness (Mourvèdre, Syrah, Pinot Noir) and strong beer (Porter, Belgian Strong Ale, Double Stout). (Elk pairs similarly.)

Depending on what you're planning to cook, you may want to add fat to your ground venison. This added fat can be bacon, pork shoulder, pork belly, beef tallow, etc. It's purely personal preference. I always add about 15-20 percent fat if I'm making hamburger or kebabs, which makes the meat juicier and more flavorful.

For wild game, I like to use herbs with a stronger flavor, ie Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Savory. A little garlic and/or onion compliments the herbs just right. Milder herbs tend to get overpowered.

Dried Rosemary – the earthy, slightly floral flavor of rosemary holds up beautifully to a strongly flavored meat like venison and doesn't get lost in the cooking process. Dried Thyme – The slight citrus aroma of dried thyme provides a light, clean finish to whatever venison you're cooking.

Heat a large heavy-based frying pan until very hot, and then sear the fillet on all sides until dark golden-brown on the outside (this will take about two minutes). Then reduce the heat to low and gently fry, turning regularly, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

Cook all venison thoroughly and serve hot or very cold. Venison should be cooked to at least 165° to ensure harmful bacteria are killed. The color of the meat is not a reliable indicator of when the venison is fully cooked. Use an accurate, calibrated thermometer for monitoring the cooking temperature of the venison.

Should you wash deer meat before cooking? ›

Washing deer meat

Rinsing deer meat or venison before cooking is not recommended by food safety agencies. Like other meats, washing venison can spread contamination in a kitchen.

You want to cook your venison until it reaches an internal temperature of 130° to 140° F and then remove it off the grill. Providing it wasn't cut too thin, it should just be slightly pink on the inside. If it is still pink on the inside that means it is still nice and moist in there too.

Game meat, when overcooked or cooked “well", tends to become very dry, tough and difficult to chew. For known tougher cuts ( shank, ribs, neck etc), braised and slow cooked for several hours, ensuring that there is a good, well seasoned base to help break down the meat as well as keep it moist.

Elk and Venison are very low in fat and is best served medium-rare.

Venison behaves in many ways like beef, albeit very lean. You can cook the tender, steaky cuts of venison to the same doneness levels as you would beef, namely 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium rare and 135–145°F (57–63°C) for medium. Hitting those temperatures just right is important for maximum enjoyment.