The 1 Thing You Learned- Cooking Wild Game

[James123456789]

I think most of us make a mistake over and over again. We go on a hunt, but don’t make the effort to think critically about 1 thing we learned and will do different next time.

Think about it, how often do magazines write about a hunt, but fail to single out an action item to change in the future? Just 1 thing, maybe something you learned about elk behavior, your rifle setup, clothing, camping system. We can consume all the information we want, but if we don’t change anything, did it really do us any good?

I’d like to start the series of discussions to get us in the habit of reviewing our hunt, and share highlights about the 1 thing we learned on a particular topic. To start, 1 thing I learned is about cooking wild game. While I was in college, we ate wild game nearly every meal to save money. My freshman year the four of us ate one bull elk, one cow elk, and three deer. The only tragedy about this was that we suffered through hundreds of meals that were just OK, but not outstanding.

Like way too many hunters, we overcooked the heck out of how our meat. Maybe it was just a bunch of guys learning to cook for the first time, or leftover traumatic memories of well-done steaks from our childhood, but we didn’t even realize what we were missing out on. I firmly believe we need to cook wild game at least 1/4 less than you would do for the equivalent piece of beef. We don’t need to start an argument about how done is the best way to prepare meat, just that we need to stop cooking it the same as you would domestic meat. Between the lower fat content and tougher nature, you will get much better flavor and moisture by taking it off the grill sooner and letting it rest before cutting.

The one thing I’ve learned about cooking any wild game with hooves is that we need to adjust our perception of the time it takes to cook it when compared to store bought meat. So what is the 1 thing you have learned about cooking wild game? Maybe it is preparation techniques, interesting recipes, or even cooking equipment suggestions so that we can make the most out of our success in the field!


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[James123456789]

I think most of us make a mistake over and over again. We go on a hunt, but don’t make the effort to think critically about 1 thing we learned and will do different next time.

Think about it, how often do magazines write about a hunt, but fail to single out an action item to change in the future? Just 1 thing, maybe something you learned about elk behavior, your rifle setup, clothing, camping system. We can consume all the information we want, but if we don’t change anything, did it really do us any good?

I’d like to start the series of discussions to get us in the habit of reviewing our hunt, and share highlights about the 1 thing we learned on a particular topic. To start, 1 thing I learned is about cooking wild game. While I was in college, we ate wild game nearly every meal to save money. My freshman year the four of us ate one bull elk, one cow elk, and three deer. The only tragedy about this was that we suffered through hundreds of meals that were just OK, but not outstanding.

Like way too many hunters, we overcooked the heck out of how our meat. Maybe it was just a bunch of guys learning to cook for the first time, or leftover traumatic memories of well-done steaks from our childhood, but we didn’t even realize what we were missing out on. I firmly believe we need to cook wild game at least 1/4 less than you would do for the equivalent piece of beef. We don’t need to start an argument about how done is the best way to prepare meat, just that we need to stop cooking it the same as you would domestic meat. Between the lower fat content and tougher nature, you will get much better flavor and moisture by taking it off the grill sooner and letting it rest before cutting.

The one thing I’ve learned about cooking any wild game with hooves is that we need to adjust our perception of the time it takes to cook it when compared to store bought meat. So what is the 1 thing you have learned about cooking wild game? Maybe it is preparation techniques, interesting recipes, or even cooking equipment suggestions so that we can make the most out of our success in the field!


View attachment 276775

I think most of us make a mistake over and over again. We go on a hunt, but don’t make the effort to think critically about 1 thing we learned and will do different next time.

Think about it, how often do magazines write about a hunt, but fail to single out an action item to change in the future? Just 1 thing, maybe something you learned about elk behavior, your rifle setup, clothing, camping system. We can consume all the information we want, but if we don’t change anything, did it really do us any good?

I’d like to start the series of discussions to get us in the habit of reviewing our hunt, and share highlights about the 1 thing we learned on a particular topic. To start, 1 thing I learned is about cooking wild game. While I was in college, we ate wild game nearly every meal to save money. My freshman year the four of us ate one bull elk, one cow elk, and three deer. The only tragedy about this was that we suffered through hundreds of meals that were just OK, but not outstanding.

Like way too many hunters, we overcooked the heck out of how our meat. Maybe it was just a bunch of guys learning to cook for the first time, or leftover traumatic memories of well-done steaks from our childhood, but we didn’t even realize what we were missing out on. I firmly believe we need to cook wild game at least 1/4 less than you would do for the equivalent piece of beef. We don’t need to start an argument about how done is the best way to prepare meat, just that we need to stop cooking it the same as you would domestic meat. Between the lower fat content and tougher nature, you will get much better flavor and moisture by taking it off the grill sooner and letting it rest before cutting.

The one thing I’ve learned about cooking any wild game with hooves is that we need to adjust our perception of the time it takes to cook it when compared to store bought meat. So what is the 1 thing you have learned about cooking wild game? Maybe it is preparation techniques, interesting recipes, or even cooking equipment suggestions so that we can make the most out of our success in the field!


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I like keeping it simple. Cast iron pan, butter, garlic cloves, fresh thyme, course ground salt and pepper, quick sear, then low heat, then finish with quick sear. Cooked medium rare. The end

 

[eaglemountainman]

One more- venison neck roasts are the best cut off a deer when you’ve got your low and slow game down


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Agreed. Marinated a full week, like my mom's aunt used to do, then into the crockpot on low for unbelievable sauerbraten.

 

[bsnedeker]

This sous vide technique looks interesting! Do you need to but any equipment to do it?

Yep, you need a sous vide cooker to keep the water at the correct temperature and to keep it circulating. I think they can be had for under 100 bucks these days. It was a great investment from my perspective because my wife will actually cook roasts now...without it she would only do ground.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Overcooked game is a dry chewy disaster and likely why lots of people profess to not like game meat.

I like it like this, if not even more rare.

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Agreed.

 

[Oregon Hunter]

I like keeping it simple. Cast iron pan, butter, garlic cloves, fresh thyme, course ground salt and pepper, quick sear, then low heat, then finish with quick sear. Cooked medium rare. The end

Does cast iron allow you to cook differently or do something better that I'm not aware of? I've been around people that used it while camping, but other than that I don't have much experience

 

[Oregon Hunter]

Agreed.
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Oh my, I should have known better than to look at this thread around dinner time. That looks outstanding!

 

[Oregon Hunter]

I got hooked when I dug out my wife’s old Dutch oven that hadn’t been taken care of. I cleaned it up and browned a bear front shoulder in it and cooked it most of the day in the oven on low heat. It was one of the best things I have eaten. I have since bought a large frying pan and a square grittle. I even got an outdoor propane burner so oil doesn’t splatter in the kitchen. In my opinion it is superior for browning meat because it holds heat so well. I am sure I am mostly imagining it, but everything seems to taste better when cooked in cast iron. Plus you don’t have to worry about ruining the finish on it like a Teflon pan. If you buy one watch Cowboy Kent Rollins on YouTube. He had lots of good tips for cooking and maintaining cast iron.

Thanks for the tip on that YouTube channel, I'll check it out!

 

[James123456789]

Does cast iron allow you to cook differently or do something better that I'm not aware of? I've been around people that used it while camping, but other than that I don't have much experience

Cast iron holds heat much better than a regular pan, so it allows you to get a better sear/crust

 

[TheGDog]

For Venison, cut the steaks about 1/2" or a lil more... cook 'em in an Electric Toaster Oven set to like 300F, with an Olive Oil brush on with whatever seasonings/herbs added into that oil, and cook for only 6-minutes each side. Comes out perfect!

I learned broiling Venison is a lot like broiling a RibEye... if you go just that 1 minute over it goes from delicious and juicy to dry, only Venison changes over way faster then RibEye since it's soo much leaner! That's where the Oilve Oil brush-on comes into play helping to prevent it from losing it's juicyness! And also the fine-detail heat control of using a Toaster Oven and doing it in smaller batch sizes. (We're just family of 3)

All silver-skin must go! It'll curl if you leave any on. Defrost the day before you're going to cook it, then soak it in water multiple times that next day until the water doesn't pink-up soo much. That helps a lot with making it not be "gamey".

If you have family members that are "Meh" and finicky about Venison steaks. Turn some of your smaller pieced cuts/trimmings into like Mild Italian sausages, or Brautwurst Sausages with like 20% pork fat added. It'll change their minds about deer meat in short order.

And now, since we've acquired a Treager Smoker Grill... I can't wait to give that a try! Those do a GREAT job of keeping the meat from drying out (when you follow a proper recipe for the particular kind of meat).

 

[Oregon Hunter]

For Venison, cut the steaks about 1/2" or a lil more... cook 'em in an Electric Toaster Oven set to like 300F, with an Olive Oil brush on with whatever seasonings/herbs added into that oil, and cook for only 6-minutes each side. Comes out perfect!

I learned broiling Venison is a lot like broiling a RibEye... if you go just that 1 minute over it goes from delicious and juicy to dry, only Venison changes over way faster then RibEye since it's soo much leaner! That's where the Oilve Oil brush-on comes into play helping to prevent it from losing it's juicyness! And also the fine-detail heat control of using a Toaster Oven and doing it in smaller batch sizes. (We're just family of 3)

All silver-skin must go! It'll curl if you leave any on. Defrost the day before you're going to cook it, then soak it in water multiple times that next day until the water doesn't pink-up soo much. That helps a lot with making it not be "gamey".

If you have family members that are "Meh" and finicky about Venison steaks. Turn some of your smaller pieced cuts/trimmings into like Mild Italian sausages, or Brautwurst Sausages with like 20% pork fat added. It'll change their minds about deer meat in short order.

And now, since we've acquired a Treager Smoker Grill... I can't wait to give that a try! Those do a GREAT job of keeping the meat from drying out (when you follow a proper recipe for the particular kind of meat).
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I had no idea there were such awesome chefs on this forum. Thanks for inspiring me guys!

 

[D S 319]

Throw it on the traeger.

 

[Zappaman]

Does cast iron allow you to cook differently or do something better that I'm not aware of? I've been around people that used it while camping, but other than that I don't have much experience

I kill at least two (but butcher at least four) deer a year as some are gifted by the horn hunters I hang with who don't eat deer). I usually also bring home a few pigs from Texas a few times a year (three last week!). There is rarely more than a few months that go by where I'm not pulling 3-4 hams to steak-out, or shoulders/neck meat to grind burger/sausage. When you get to this point as a hunter (*who does all his own butchering) you learn a few tricks

Yes... we eat a lot of venison: 4-5 times per week (in some fashion) and a great way to balance the "game" taste of venison steak is to use BEEF fat sliced thin and rendered down in a HOT cast iron skillet prior to dropping the steaks. Salt, pepper, and lemon pepper are usually our favorite spices used in a 30-40 minute process.

I know many use pork fat on their burger, but beef fat fits deer meat better to me. So when making burger, I have learned to set aside some good chunks of beef fat in my kitchen freezer to later pull out and use when using cast iron on the stove top for a few steaks (1-4 people). In fact, I started tossing in a clean chunk of beef fat WITH the butchered steaks when I first freeze them (so it's there when I thaw it to cook).

You can slice the fat off a frozen chunk carefully with a sharp knife (fingers clear below!), but usually pull it out 30 minutes before cooking (or it thaws with the steak if I included it in the bag). You season the steaks after drying them a bit. The salt will get them moist for other spices to stick to the meat (seconds after the salt goes on first).

You place the thin slices of fat in first (doesn't need to be pretty as you are not eating the cooked fat- just rendering the suet). With the pan slightly smoking, the fat chunks cook down to a "burnt bacon" state and you move them aside and drop the seasoned steaks keeping the burner/stove-top on a higher setting (to keep the heat coming). You will have some smoke to ventilate to get the steaks seared well.

I typically keep the skillet near high while searing each side about 2 minutes a side. Then cover, reduce heat to about 1/3rd and let them finish depending on how thick they are and how well done you want them (I prefer med-rare). I prefer my steaks 2" thick so say 4 (thicker) tenderloins cut 3" will shrink down to 2" after cooking for about 8 minutes total cook time after dropping them in the hot, rendered suet (for med-rare).

Basically, you end up with venison that tastes like a steakhouse grilled ribeye. Use enough fat here. I use about 1:5 ratio; so for four 8oz. tenderloins (24oz.), I render down about 5-6 oz. of beef fat- (which takes about 15 minutes on a low/medium heat). The steaks will take in the suet while cooking and usually leave you a dry pan. Trick is to start high heat and reduce as you go without going too low, too fast. As I mentioned above- continuous smoke... BUT DON'T burn the skillet!!!

 

[wyojdubya]

1-Hank Shaw. James Beard Award winning wild game chef whose recipes range from the simple (say, grilled loin) to the complex (honker liver pate). I'm yet to find a Hank Shaw recipe that wasn't great. I can't recommend his books and blog enough. I'm not sure anyone has contributed more to the art of making wild game into delicious table fare, even for the picky.

2-Instapots. When you don't have all day for the dutch oven to do its thing, an instapot is priceless. It'll turn the toughest cut into melts-in-your-mouth tenderness incredibly fast.

3-Corning. Someone mentioned pastrami above (one of my favorites, especially for geese). But don't overlook corning either.

4-French provencal recipes. For low and slow, hearty stews, the Provence region of France provides tons of recipes that work great with big game. In the same vein, red wine--don't dare cook a stew without it.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Making stock and eating organ meats. If I hadn’t started hunting, I probably would never have done either. Something about eating to utilize the entire animal and explore the culinary diversity aloNg with a healthy dose of encouragement from the meateater and other sources, I consume organs and roasted and boil bones on the regular now.

 

[k80Titus]

Cast iron holds heat much better than a regular pan, so it allows you to get a better sear/crust

Also the surface holds the meat in place just enuf, unlike teflon or stainless, allowing a better sear.
Pro level, look up mauviel black steel pans. The best imo.

 

[k80Titus]

If you sous vide the best temp to shoot for is 56c or 131f for steaks/roasts
Then when you pull out of the water, let it cool slowly, say 20 minutes total on the counter before you open it. It will reabsorb some of the juice. This is called the cooling curve.

Think of a sponge, when you apply heat it contracts. When you cool as above it relaxes and reabsorbs. Then pat dry, and sear.

 

[ISU17]

Believe it was already mentioned, but a simple meat Thermometer is your best friend to perfectly cooked steaks/roasts.
Honorable mention: learning to use any leftover bones/carcass to make stock and broth. Almost nothing goes to waste after that.

 

[Lowg08]

Don’t use suggested cooking time on elk tenderloin in a ninja foodie or the grill
Setting. You have a better chance at chewing up a bungee cord.

 

[Foxsoup]

Brining. All my venison takes the salt water bath for 4-8 hours, with older animals and tougher muscle groups it does wonders.


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