Gamey Mule Deer -Summer Sausage question

[Bubblehide]

Not sure I agree with this. I braise all of my shanks with tendon/silverskin/bone left on. Not a hint of a bad taste. I also never soak my game meat in water and wouldn't recommend it.

Since using my method above, I have not had a hint of gameyness, granted I have never left the sliver-skin on. I just know my method works. However, I do soak my meat in water. I first put it on ice, that does get watery. I then dump the water out, change the ice, add water, salt and some seasonings for a lite seasoned brine that I let soak for anywhere from 3 days to a full week. I have never had an issue using this method, and my meat is always tender and succulent. The bottom line is that there are 100 ways to skin a cat. You simply need to find what works well for you.

 

[NJDiverDan]

You said this is your first archery mule deer. Is it your first mule deer all around? Game animals all taste a bit different.

To add to everything stated above, the 2 shots and long death lead to ALOT of adrenalin pouring into the muscles of this deer. That can definitely change the flavor of the meat. How quickly you got it cooled down is also very important. That is sat overnight, and you did not skin / quarter it, likely means it sat warm for quite some time. What were the temps when you killed it?

 

[blacktail sniper]

I process all of my gamemeat myself. From experience I can tell that the gameness is in the sinew, muscle sheath, and the fat. So I seperate every muscle, remove the sheeth, fat ... since I have been doing this, I have never experienced gamey meat. But keep in mind, no butcher is going to do this.

Agree i had an exp one time dropped off quarters and i am super careful with my meat and it was awful when it was done straps almost not edible. made me always wonder if I even got my own deer back. From now on i do it myself other then an occasionally dropping off boned out front quarters for sausage. Sausge and summer sausage next on my list to learn to do.

 

[work765]

Who was the processor?

You said this is your first archery mule deer. Is it your first mule deer all around? Game animals all taste a bit different.

To add to everything stated above, the 2 shots and long death lead to ALOT of adrenalin pouring into the muscles of this deer. That can definitely change the flavor of the meat. How quickly you got it cooled down is also very important. That is sat overnight, and you did not skin / quarter it, likely means it sat warm for quite some time. What were the temps when you killed it?

First archey buck, the others were all with a rifle and died much sooner and more humanely. But it is what it is. I practice regularly, but I was off a hair with my shots. one at 35yards, the second at 60yards. I'll be practicing even more after this season. I dont want to have this happen again. I would prefer a clean and quick kill.

And all my rifle bucks, have tasted great. From here in CO and from CA. No complaints. And trust me, i can usually stomach down some gamey meat, but this wasn't normal.

​

 

[Ucsdryder]

I just spoke with the butcher. He said bring it back whatever im not happy with and he will refund half my cost of the order. He was extremely apologetic, and was completely understanding. So thats not a horrible outcome in my opinion.
Thats better than nothing.

that seems very nice of him. I would be happy with that resolution.

 

[TheGDog]

Bet he's gonna try to run it thru the grinder again, but with spicier stuff and/or more pork fat to try to thin-out the offensive stuffs ratio in the mix. Just a hunch.

 

[TheGDog]

You said this is your first archery mule deer. Is it your first mule deer all around? Game animals all taste a bit different.

To add to everything stated above, the 2 shots and long death lead to ALOT of adrenalin pouring into the muscles of this deer. That can definitely change the flavor of the meat. How quickly you got it cooled down is also very important. That is sat overnight, and you did not skin / quarter it, likely means it sat warm for quite some time. What were the temps when you killed it?

Ya know... there's gotta be truth to that. Because the one which was the heaviest and biggest one I've shot so far... I remember thinking to myself "boy he is "strong"! ". Back then I chocked it up to him being older bigger more mature. But now that I think about it... that mad sprint he made for the 50-60yds or so after the .30-30 went thru 24 inches of his body... no doubt spiked his Adrenalin.

 

[Tmac]

I’m happy you recovered the animal. But I’d be very leery of paying for a bunch of processed meats/sausages from an animal as stressed as your deer probably was from two arrows in him over most of a day and then laying out overnight ungutted. Odds are that and not the processor is the issue.

You can’t always smell problems with the meat. Rot, gut juices on the meat, etc. you can smell. But you can taste problems that you can’t smell. That’s my best guess. In a similar situation, I’d fry up a some tenderloin/loin and probably a bit of a front or rear quarter for a taste, if it was OK, then off to the processor it could go.

The jury is out on the processor. If they knew the whole story and took the deer saying it was OK, then yes imo he has some culpability. If he did not know the full story and offers a partial refund, sounds like it’s a class place, but they probably should know the full story in that case.

 

[butcherboy]

I’m sorry but you didn’t find the deer till the next day and left the hide on for even longer and it’s somehow the processor’s fault? Processor smelled it and said it was ok but as others have said you may not smell it but will taste it. So, if it smells ok is the processor supposed to taste everything too?

That was pretty generous of him to take it back and give you half your money back. This is why I no longer skin wild game and I also refuse any meat if I even have a hint that it has some spoilage in it. Everything has to come in skinned and if it isn’t I charge a very high skinning fee. I believe it’s the hunters responsibility to fully field dress their animal which includes gutting skinning and any necessary quartering.