Tough backstrap; can I fix it?

[Mike Islander]

Shot a buck in October. Buck ran about 40 yards and then died immediately. High heart shot, which of course got both lungs as well. Got the meat back from the processor after just a few days, a bit faster than I expected. Toughest backstrap ever. Also the way they cut it there isn't a nice pure cross-section of meat. It's more like two lobes with silver skin in between. Cooked slow or fast, rare or medium, it's a lot tougher than past experience.

Can I age the next chunk we eat by leaving it in shrink wrap and keeping it in our 38 degree fridge for a few days? Should that improve it? Any other suggestions? I thought about just putting it in a cooler on ice for a few days, but wet aging would be really easy since it's already shrink-wrapped.

 

[Wrench]

Set it in open air in your fridge covered in Montreal / Johnny salt/ your favorite salt based tenderizer. Give it about 2-3 days.....cook as normal and enjoy.

 

[Mike Islander]

Set it in open air in your fridge covered in Montreal / Johnny salt/ your favorite salt based tenderizer. Give it about 2-3 days.....cook as normal and enjoy.

Never used tenderizer. Do you rinse the salt off before cooking? Do you cover the entire surface of the meat? Many thanks!

 

[EastMT]

Buttermilk or plain yogurt marinade overnight. Dairy products are my favorite way to tenderize tough meat. Maybe save one piece without soaking and compare.


I have yet to be begin to procrastinate.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Put it in a ziplock with salt water for a couple of days. Replace the water mixture everyday. Works great.

 

[Wrench]

I agree that milk works good too. As for the rinse, I do not typically. If it's still holding grains, I will....but 95% of the time I do not. I do like a bit more salt than some.

I have had steaks sit in the fridge for weeks this way....so don't feel rushed.

 

[WYCFM1]

I hung my elk backstraps in 60°-70° weather for 12 days then brined in refrigerator for 12 hours right before bacon wrapping both backstraps and cooking on pellet grill for 2.5 hours at 250°. Most tender wild game I’ve eaten yet.


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[jmez]

Make sausage!

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[Mike Islander]

Make sausage!

From backstrap? 30 minutes in the corner for you young man!

 

[Sccritterkiller]

sous vide for about 4 hrs to 125..and then gril to desired temp..

 

[jmez]

All my deer goes in the grinder.

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[Tod osier]

Sounds like maybe cold shortening. If the butcher did it quick and froze It while still in rigor.

ive never had tough back straps, no matter the animal.

 

[Rob5589]

So, dumb question; are you sure you received backstrap? Backstrap and tough don't go together.

 

[Mike Islander]

So, dumb question; are you sure you received backstrap? Backstrap and tough don't go together.

That is a great question. The first bite I took from the first pack I thought "Is this a backstrap or a roast?!" I'll post photos Monday (keep it at my office, because I eat venison for lunch 2-3 times a week).

 

[Ronb]

Just move it to the fridge and give it 5-7 days before you cook it. Get the silver skin and fat off of it! It will be perfect.


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[Randle]

We use a Jaccard to tenderizer all out streaks

 

[DesertDonkey]

My New Mexico muzzleloader buck had real tough backstraps he dropped in his tracks. I'll try some of these out too thanks.

 

[87TT]

Beat it with a meat hammer and make chicken fried steak.

 

[Pigdog]

As someone posted above, are you sure the butcher didn't mislabel it? I've always butchered my own animals and I'm certainly not too proud to admit that in the process of trimming silver skin and cutting stuff up I've lost track of what's what more than once.

 

[Werty]

Wack it with a hammer a few times, problem solved. Your welcome!