My fav is a stuffed tenderloin covered in a bing cherry glaze served, of course, with a fine Napa Merlot. However, I need a quick strike marinade. What's everyone using?

I like to procecss my own put my steaks in a quart bag with a bit of Italian dressing, when I take em out and let em thaw out, they are grill ready. I still wrap em in paper.

Anybody else soak your roasts/chops/steaks in milk or buttermilk overnight? I've never had a problem with the "gaminess" of venison myself, but several folks I know do. Someone told me a couple years ago that it helps neutralize the gaminess. I tried it for the first time last year, and even I noticed the difference. It's a nice little trick if you ask me.

 

Oh, and Skilld-Kid, there's nothing better than grilled deer steaks that have marinated in Italian dressing for a few hours beforehand. :thumb:

I have heard of milk but I think salt water does the same thing. Salt pulls the blood out which is what makes it gamey. Tame meat is bled out more than a deer is.

Anybody else soak your roasts/chops/steaks in milk or buttermilk overnight? I've never had a problem with the "gaminess" of venison myself, but several folks I know do. Someone told me a couple years ago that it helps neutralize the gaminess. I tried it for the first time last year, and even I noticed the difference. It's a nice little trick if you ask me.

 

Oh, and Skilld-Kid, there's nothing better than grilled deer steaks that have marinated in Italian dressing for a few hours beforehand. :thumb:

 

The gaminess comes mostly from the processing. If you cut out the fat, you cut out most of the gaminess.

The problem many have is that they expect their venison to taste like beef, and it ain't happenin'. You can milk it, roll it, carve it, drag it behind the 4wheeler, hang it in Siberia for a week, and you have venison. You can effectively hide the taste if you wish with various recipes. We typically make alot of jerky and chili, and the steaks marinated like Colonels stated are stellar.

We marinade chops and steaks overnight with worcestershire. Taste delicious! I also make chili mixing equal parts sausage and deer meat. The flavor is GREAT!

The problem many have is that they expect their venison to taste like beef, and it ain't happenin'. You can milk it, roll it, carve it, drag it behind the 4wheeler, hang it in Siberia for a week, and you have venison. You can effectively hide the taste if you wish with various recipes. We typically make alot of jerky and chili, and the steaks marinated like Colonels stated are stellar.

 

:laugh: True, deer meat is deer meat.... I mostly cook deer meat in the crock pot with vegetables and make lots of jerky. I never cared much for the steaks because of dryness. I'm gonna try the italian dressing marinade with some steaks this year.

:laugh: True, deer meat is deer meat.... I mostly cook deer meat in the crock pot with vegetables and make lots of jerky. I never cared much for the steaks because of dryness. I'm gonna try the italian dressing marinade with some steaks this year.

 

what parts do you make jerky with and how do you do it w/o a dehydrator?

what parts do you make jerky with and how do you do it w/o a dehydrator?

 

I use a dehydrator for the jerky and usually dedicate a whole ham to jerky.

:laugh: True, deer meat is deer meat.... I mostly cook deer meat in the crock pot with vegetables and make lots of jerky. I never cared much for the steaks because of dryness. I'm gonna try the italian dressing marinade with some steaks this year.

In my experience, you are probably overcooking the steaks if they are dry. You just can't cook venison steaks like you do beef because they don't have the marbled fat like beef does. You have to cook them medium or less, IMO, for them to be juicy.

 

One way to get them just right is to flash fry them in a hot skillet with butter. A minute or two on each side will sear the outsides and seal in the juices. You might try that and experiment til you find what you like.

 

I also trim the fat on my deer steaks before putting them in the freezer. I also debone the meat without sawing through any bones. That bone marrow will absolutely give the steaks a very gamey flavor.

 

Soaking in buttermilk, milk, brine or vinegar water will also take out any gamey flavor that exists, the acid in the liquid does the trick. Just rinse them before cooking if you use vinegar water or brine.

 

Like 68, I cook a lot of deer in the crock pot. Some beef broth, a little soy and worchester, and a package of onion soup mix and a few hours in the crock pot will give you some really great deer steaks.

 

My favorite way is to cut the steaks in small sizes, pound them out with a meat mallet like cube steak and roll them in flour and fry them and serve them with gravy and biscuits and mashed potatoes. Yum.

 

Believe it or not, deep fried deer steaks are good. Cut them in small sizes, pound them out, roll in flour and drop in the deep fryer. Good stuff.

 

I'd never do any of that with the tenderloin or backstraps though, those go on the grill or the broiler.

The problem many have is that they expect their venison to taste like beef, and it ain't happenin'. .

 

:thumb: Exactly. I personally prefer the taste of venison over beef. Want beef? Go to Kroger.

In my experience, you are probably overcooking the steaks if they are dry. You just can't cook venison steaks like you do beef because they don't have the marbled fat like beef does. You have to cook them medium or less, IMO, for them to be juicy.

 

One way to get them just right is to flash fry them in a hot skillet with butter. A minute or two on each side will sear the outsides and seal in the juices. You might try that and experiment til you find what you like.

 

I also trim the fat on my deer steaks before putting them in the freezer. I also debone the meat without sawing through any bones. That bone marrow will absolutely give the steaks a very gamey flavor.

 

Soaking in buttermilk, milk, brine or vinegar water will also take out any gamey flavor that exists, the acid in the liquid does the trick. Just rinse them before cooking if you use vinegar water or brine.

 

Like 68, I cook a lot of deer in the crock pot. Some beef broth, a little soy and worchester, and a package of onion soup mix and a few hours in the crock pot will give you some really great deer steaks.

 

My favorite way is to cut the steaks in small sizes, pound them out with a meat mallet like cube steak and roll them in flour and fry them and serve them with gravy and biscuits and mashed potatoes. Yum.

 

Believe it or not, deep fried deer steaks are good. Cut them in small sizes, pound them out, roll in flour and drop in the deep fryer. Good stuff.

 

I'd never do any of that with the tenderloin or backstraps though, those go on the grill or the broiler.

 

Those are all good tips Watusi, I know that I have used some of them and will try others you listed. I especially agree with the deep fried steaks, those are good. Also I was going to list about not overcooking venison, imo that is maybe the biggest mistake some people make.

This is one I like.

 

2 ½ lb of venison.

¾ cup of Burgundy wine.

1 packet Lipton onion soup mix.

1 can of cream of mushroom soup.

1 small can of mushrooms juice and all.

 

 

-Cut up the meat into good size pieces..

-Mix ingredients thoroughly.

-In a slow cooker, cook on low for about 8 hours.

Like this one too.

 

1 1/2 pounds of venison, cut in chunks

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 pound sliced mushrooms

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

1 can beef broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

tsp parsley

tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

 

 

Brown the venison in butter or margarine, add mushrooms and green onions and saute for several minutes. Transfer it all over to a crockpot, add broth, seasonings and wine. Since the meat is already cooked a bit this one doesn't need as much time in the crock, 3 hours or so.

 

 

A lot of folks like to throw in a can of diced tomatoes. It's good both ways, but I prefer it without the tomatoes.