Tough backstrap; can I fix it?

[Mike Islander]

Update: I wet aged another tenderloin for 7 days. A little better. Going to try tenderize and those knife things next. It's all good in any case.

 

[WYCFM1]

You serious Clark? Seems like a warm temp for that many days?

yes but i wont hang it that long again. that was pushing it.

 

[PhotoHunter]

We use a Jaccard to tenderizer all out streaks

This.

 

[danarnold]

I just opened a vac seal bag with last seasons old mule deer buck backstrap, we had some in nov. was pretty tough, gonna try to brine it and see if there's a diff

 

[biking_2003]

We've had an occasional animal with really tough tenderloins. I don't know why it happens sometimes and not others.

 

[JMDavies]

Great tips from all. I've had the processor mislabel the packaging more than once, but you can usually tell the difference in the cut. Good luck!

 

[danarnold]

I just opened a vac seal bag with last seasons old mule deer buck backstrap, we had some in nov. was pretty tough, gonna try to brine it and see if there's a diff

ended up slicing into 3/4" cuts, used kosher salt & tony catchers, let it sit in fridge covered for 3 days and might have been the best I've ever had,
thanks

 

[MuleyFever]

When I first saw this thread I thought your cooking it wrong. I didn't even read the thread as I have never had a tough tenderloin, until a few weeks ago. I was excited to try the first one from last falls elk. I was so disappointed. I will have to try leaving it in the fridge a week and look for some tenderizor.

 

[tdot]

If nothing really tenderizes it. It may have been frozen too soon, as mentioned earlier.

I had an entire deer freeze solid within 18 hours of shooting it this year. Every cut of meat was brutally tough, and I'd aged it for 20+ days in the fridge, it should have been like butter. The heart and loins were all brought into the cabin before the freeze. The were fantastic, so I don't believe it was a bad deer. I didnt realize the detrimental effect of cold shortening until a discussion on Rokslide a few months back.

24 hour sous vide, additional aging, tenderizer, all just made it a bit better, but nothing made it as good as it should have been. He made a damn tasty spaghetti sauce though.

 

[Calbuck]

I second all the suggestions for covering with Saran Wrap and pounding it with a meat hammer. This has been the most effective for me so far. Plus, it's fun to tell your people you "gotta go pound your meat"

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I would try cold smoking the backstrap for 1-2 hours and then sear both sides. I do this for most of my steaks and they turn out incredibly tender and delicious. I use a normal Weber Spirit grill with a small stainless smoker tube filled with Traeger pellets. I light one end of the smoker tube and close the lid. No heat from the grill. After an hour or two, depending on the size of the steak, the inside temp will be around 120f just from the smoke alone. Then I turn the grill on high and sear.

 

[hunt-n-ski]

I hung my elk backstraps in 60°-70° weather for 12 days

I do hope you're joking.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Did the butcher fillet the silver skin off the top?

I cut mine cross grain into medallions about an inch thick. Pound them to a half inch and sear in a cast iron skillet with butter. Between cutting and pounding you break them up enough that they are tender no matter what.

 

[DVM92]

I ALWAYS dry age in the fridge for 12 days. Seran wrap will keep top layer from drying out and it will always be tender with no gamey taste. Soak in milk for 12 to 24 hours works as well.