As I start the column talking about ‘wild game’, I will quote myself! Wild game is going to taste different in every state and nation depending upon the surrounding environment. Some of you will remember my repetitive story about when I first moved to the Ozarks, I couldn’t differentiate between catfish and bass, at times. Why? The waters here are much different than those in Northeast Missouri, where I grew up. Likewise; venison is going to taste a great deal different in the Ozarks than they will in Northeast Missouri. In my hometown area ,the deer are eating left over corn from the fields. In the Ozarks they are enjoying lots of wild brushes, acorns, these deer are also called ‘mule deer’ by some. These are probably the most significant things to keep in mind when it comes to ‘all’ wild game.
The other factors will differ from one deer hunter to another. I’m going to hit upon some of the most significant, which will render the cook the best outcome on meat quality. Let’s start with the take down. Try for a clean hit, since I’m not a hunter, I have reached into my knowledge and consulted a couple of close friends who are strong game enthusiasts. You need to know exactly where to ‘aim’ because you want a humane, quick take. Jump ahead, let’s pretend you got your deer. Sometimes you will find a difference in the quality of meat in a buck versus a doe. If one is going to be more tender it will most likely be the doe. But that’s not a guarantee either.
The quicker the field dressing occurs, the better outcome for the meat quality. I’ve seen people hang the kill to field dress and I’ve viewed it done right on the ground. My dad always loved it if he took a kill near a stream, because he would rinse the animal before bringing it back to town. Another factor to consider when you are field dressing is the careful removal of the urine bag. Several hunters indicate the breaking of the urine sac will likely taint the meat, so use care in removing it. I’m not going to discuss the importance of a a good knife, In this column I’m trying to focus on the best meat outcome
for the person preparing the meat.
In years past, and I mean more than 10-15, we haven’t had weather cold enough to leave a deer hanging in a tree, to cool out and drain overnight. Presently we find most skinning the deer and packing the meat into quarters and placing it on ice for 2-3 days. This would be the aging process. It’s during this time that we will see the break down of some of the fibrous tissue, which is good.
Remember if there is an outer fat layer be sure and trim it before cooking the meat, The fat tends to absorb the ‘gamey’ taste much more readily than the meat. Venison, and most wild game is one place you don’t want to overcook the meat. Keep the meat thermometer handy, overcooked meat will be very tough. Remember this meat is very lean compared to ‘beef’. The deer are eating various natural products in the wild, dogwood, elderberry, blackberry briers, sassafras, hawthorn and viburnum, which can grow into a small shrub or small tree. Viburnum was originally used for its’ medicinal purposes. Not only are the deer eating health food products they are also extremely active, versus a cow who is pretty sedentary, thus more fat.
After the meat has aged for your desired time period it’s time to get ready to process. This lays in the hand of hunter and the desired cuts they are seeking. Personally; I’d can some so I don’t use up all my freezer space. There are many methods of thought on how to handle the meat and keeping it from tasting ‘gamey’. Many still use the milk soak, in fact my good friend, Bonnie, soaks all her fresh fish in milk before preparing it. Also the implementation of good spices and marinates can enhance the meat outcome, my preference is to brine the meat. Remember this meat is extremely lean with low fat content. If I’m grilling pork loins, you can bet I’ll be brining it before the cooking begins. I use the same approach with chicken breasts and such. It really tenderizes the meat quite nicely. It also seals
the molecules keeping the meat juicy. If the use of the salt brine bothers you ,be sure and rinse the meat before cooking.
I’ve promised my family I’m going to give venison another try this year. I’ve eaten buffalo, elk, emu, ostrich, beef, pork and poultry, but venison has never been one of my favorites. What is my favorite? Buffalo without a doubt. I want to thank several good hunting friends, the Kim Fleer Family in my hometown of Lewistown, Missouri and Paul Chambers here in Kimberling City. Monica and Kim hooked me up with my classmate, Kathy Minear, Livesay for this easy loin recipe. Paul discussed variances with me in meat preparations. If I were making Kathy’s dish I think I’d prepare the rice dish from last week and very small Brussel sprouts or root vegetables. This time of year a fresh apple salad or fried apples sounds good too.
Let the hunt begin. Simply yours, The Covered Dish.
This recipe is from Kathy Minear Livesay, experienced cook and wild game expert.
Venison Loins, (Backstraps)
We keep the loins (backstraps). We marinate the loin in Italian dressing for several hours, then wrap in bacon and grill on low heat, turning often to crisp the bacon. The temperature to remove the meat is 130-135 for rare 140-145 for medium.
Kathy has utilized brining in this process and the bacon is bringing back the moisture content and additional flavor for the meat. Personally; I think everyone will like the simplicity of this recipe. At one time there was a high-end restaurant in Fort Leavenworth that catered to the officers at the Fort. Rumor had it that the key to their wonderful steaks was to soak them in Italian dressing prior to grilling.
