Tough moose meat?

[TXCO]

So on 2 bull moose killed, all the meat has been pretty tough. Especially compared to other game. Even the backstraps have been a chewing challenge. Everything was properly taken care and one got to hang a bit. The flavor is fine. Neither moose had hardly any fat. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice? Its the toughest game meat weve ever had.


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[Koda_]

Ive had this happen one time, on a young bull elk. He wasnt old, so I was surprised how tough the meat was.

Recently I listened to a meateater podcase called Red Cutter Meat... that discussed with a professional "meat scientist" on what affects meat from a hunting perspective.

There was a lot of very useful information in there... but the biggest takeaway from that podcast regarding toughness is to avoid deboning the meat and avoid freezing the meat before rigor-mortise sets in.


If you find the time this is worth listening to regarding caring for meat in the field.

Ep. 227: Red Cutter | MeatEater Podcasts

Steven Rinella talks with meat scientist Dr. Chris Calkins, Spencer Neuharth, Corinne Schneider, and Phil Taylor.Topics discussed: debunking meat myths; how stress affects the flavor of meat; myoglobin and hemoglobin; why you shouldn't cut into an animal before rigor mortis is complete; muscle is...

www.themeateater.com

 

[BAKPAKR]

The bull I shot in Wyoming was pretty tough. I made burger out of everything I kept except the loins and tenderloins. I am pretty sure my brother made sausages out of most of his share but I am not sure what my friend did with his.

 

[gbflyer]

I’ve got a spike or two that wasn’t too chewy. By and large it’s fairly tough.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Crock pot, or Instant Pot, burger, sausage. I had an old cow that was real stringy. Great taste, just tough.

 

[Kyle C]

Only time I've seen it on any wild game is cutting it incorrectly or cutting before/during riggy. Not saying that's what you did, but that is my only experience with it.

 

[TXCO]

I dont think Riggs is the issue. Each bull had some time, one more than the other but theyre both tough. Its the first of 20+ animals my wife has said she cant eat a steak off of. Im so confused and dont disagree with her. Theyre tough,


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[thinhorn_AK]

I’ve never had a bad moose, I’ve shot and been a part of small ones and large ones and they have all been great.

When you say you cared for the meat properly, what do you mean? Can you explain from the time it’s killed?

 

[Tmac]

Took a bull moose in WY., could hardly chew the backstrap. My son’s there a few years later, tender. Both tasted great, both mature bulls, both handled similarly, both in good shape body wise. No idea why the difference.

 

[sveltri]

My 3.5 year old bull was extremely tough. We got it cooked very quickly, hung it for 12 days. Makes me never want to hunt them again.

 

[Wrench]

Two of my friends killed shiras this year, one a 2.5 5 the other a 7.5 y/o based on estimates.

Both were killed quickly, the older with a neck shot....dunzo. both were hung whole and skinned within two hours of death and both hung for at least 2 weeks above freezing.

Both are so tough that even the burger is noticeable. I didn't believe it was possible to have a backstrap so tough it has to be cubed.

Both hunters have killed a LOT of deer and elk. No meat was overcooked in the process.

 

[roymunson]

Mine has been extremely tough as well... We shot him an hour before dark and cut him up the next day after gutting him. He was on the bone for 3 weeks (frozen).

The hamburger has been good, but the steaks have not been. Kinda disappointing as I have a bunch of it. Looks like a lot more crock pot meals coming up.

 

[TXCO]

I’ve never had a bad moose, I’ve shot and been a part of small ones and large ones and they have all been great.

When you say you cared for the meat properly, what do you mean? Can you explain from the time it’s killed?

So nothing wrong with the taste. Both were shiras and Im guessing one was 3.5 and one 4 or 5. The burger has been fine but any steaks except tenderloin have been tough. Im anal about keeping meat clean dry and cold, especially with how much I love pronghorn hunting. All meat was bagged, kept out of the sun and rain as much as possible.

First bull was a one shot bow kill and watched him go down. He never spooked so no adrenaline. It was a little warm that morning and we quartered him and got him on ice kept in the truck fairly fast. Had the quarters hanging in a walkin that night for about 5 days. I processed the loins and loose meat 2-3 days later and they were on ice the whole time.

Second was a rifle kill. Bull down in less than 15 seconds. Cold and rainy. Took a few hours to break him down and shuttle meat out to the truck. Let it hang as much I could that afternoon and then Deboned it all that night to fly home and got it partially frozen. Finished cutting it another day or two later.


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[shtrbc]

Not that you would want to do a WHOLE moose this way but canning is another option for tough and/or gamey tasting meat. I've tasted meat that was more than likely not taken care of properly in the field yield some very tasty cuts after canning. Even have a friend that canned a entire batch of sausage after his wife said it tasted "gamey". And I have to admit, after canning it, it was great. I've only processed one moose and that one turned out to be excellent on all cuts. The other benefit of canning is you can have a hot meal ready in less time than it takes to boil the taters. Also reminds me of many meals prepared by my grandmother as she canned all the tougher cuts of beef.

 

[MallardSX2]

The moose I killed year ago was in full rut and the meat was tough and stunk so bad that it was hardly edible. I literally could not stand to eat it. It just smelled like bull piss the entire time I was cooking it. I was very careful when I was 1/4'ing it up and everything to keep the meat clean and to keep my knives clean. But it still smelled terrible. I ended up giving most of it away because I couldn't stomach it. Everyone else said how wonderful it was??!!. lol

The moose my wife killed a few years later was very good and tender.

 

[TXCO]

Good to know Im not the only one thats had this issue but it sure is disappointing for everyone.

 

[Wrench]

I loaned my meat cuber to my friends and they cubed the steaks that didn't grind. Makes them edible.

 

[riversidejeep]

My buddy arrowed a 2-3 y/o bull, went 25 yards and flopped over dead. Skinned and hung in camp a couple days then butcher and frozen. meat was great tasting and tender. I arrowed a cow, she hopped into a lake and turned tits up, had to bone to pack out, hung a few days in camp then cut and frozen. Couldn't hardly chew the burger off her. Got the info from F/W on the aged tooth and she was 13 years old. No wonder I snuck so close, she was probably deaf and blind. Last year same buddy got a 2 y/o bull with rifle , tasty and tender, same thing , hung in camp a couple days then to the butcher shop, cut, froze.

 

[WRO]

My Shiras was defiantly on the chewy side..

 

[ndbuck09]

Shot a 5 brow tine bull in Alaska in 2021, dropped it where it stood on the shot and started cutting on it within an hour/half of it dying. Wasn't hot, the meat didn't get to the freezer too fast since we had to get the meat to a strip and then get it flown out and ferried to a freezer. Should have had plenty of time to rigor up and then relax. But that moose is/was the toughest meat I've also ever had on the steaks. I personally think for mine, it was simply the age of the bull and that moose can simply get tough. An anecdote from some folks I know from Canada who can hunt moose every year is that when they want to fill their freezer, they go for the smaller bulls.