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How to Clean a Deer for Great Tasting Venison
Dear Marty,I have been a hunter for many of years but what I am confused on is the subject of your email,(How to Field Dres a Deer) I did not get the whole concept of cleaning a deer, I only understood how to clean your gear, how to keep your hands clean and how to drag a deer, could you give me some kind of idea on how to clean a deer the proper way to make it taste good.
Lisa
Lisa,
In order to answer your question better I need a little more information from you. When you are asking about how to clean a deer so it tastes good, are you wanting me to explain how to cut your own deer or how to field dress, then cut your deer?
There are a few things to consider when it comes to good tasting venison. For example, what has the deer been eating?
I used to hunt northern Minnesota in the Superior National Forest. The deer there are browsing on plants and shrubs that grow in the forest. There were no fields of grain or hay. Each deer I harvested from that area tasted very gamey.
Next, how soon after you harvested your deer was it field dressed?
I like to field dress my deer as soon as possible after my shot. If after the shot I see the deer go down, I will walk over to it, make sure the deer has expired and field dress it immediately. If the deer runs off out of your sight and you are unsure of your shot, then wait 20 - 30 minutes before tracking. The bottom line is to field dress your deer as soon as possible.
When butchering a deer, never use a saw. If a meat saw is used the blade will actually heat up the surface areas being cut and spread bone marrow (not to mention bone chips) across the surface of the meat. I have found bone marrow to add to the gamey flavor of your venison and the bone chips are just plain not fun.
If you are cutting your deer yourself or, if you take it to your local butcher, cut the deer boneless. The end result is a cut of meat that resembles familiar cuts of beef or pork without as much of a "wild" or gamey taste. Always be sure to trim off all external fat from any cut of venison. Venison fat, when cooked, has a smell and taste that most find very unpleasing.
If you still experience a gamey flavor with your boneless cuts of venison, try this simply tip.
Place your thawed venison steaks or chops into a large glass bowl. Cover the meat with buttermilk. Wrap the bowl with a plastic cling wrap and place into the refrigerator to soak over night. The next day pull the bowl from the refrigerator. Rinse the meat with cold running water. Season the meat to your liking and cook using your desired method.
The buttermilk will help draw out some of the wild taste.
I am currently producing a must have video series for hunters.
The first video covers the proper way to field dress a deer. You may have read from me how important it is to field dress your deer properly. I am a firm believer that good tasting venison starts in the field.
The second video walks you step-by-step through butchering a deer. In this video you will see how remove the meat from the bones and create boneless cuts of venison that resemble familiar cuts of beef and pork using only your knife.
The third video in the series covers the art of making sausage. This video shows you how to produce your favorite sausages right at home. You will see which cuts of meat make the best sausage, how much beef or pork to add to your venison to achieve the best flavor, spice selection, proper mixing of the ground meats and spices, stuffing techniques and much, much more.
Keep an eye on your emails and check the deer hunter's blog at www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com for details on the videos availability.
Good Luck and Great Hunting,
Marty
Posted by Marty Prokop
