Long time paper shooter and just now getting into medium & large game hunting. I have an upcoming Red Stag hunt and i'm looking for ideas on how I should get the meat processed, such as what cuts, what % as ground meat, what % as sausage etc. The only experience i have with meat processing is getting some hogs processed and I usually just keep the tenderloins, keep a couple chops and turn the rest to sausage. I want to have a little for variety this time around.
Red Stag Meat Processing
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Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
I do it myself, so what I would do would be different, but I can offer some suggestions. I never freeze bone or fat. The bone takes up room and both can become rancid, shortening the freezer life. I vacuum pack all my meat. Meat can be kept up to two years this way and still taste fine. That being said, no one can tell you what to process into what. It depends solely on what you like to eat. What cuts do you buy in the store? Personally I cut the backstraps into steaks for the grill, cut the hams into steaks and cube them, and the rest into hamburger. Just what our family likes, and goes with how we eventually cook it. I will say have it cut into cuts you like because you will have a lot of it! Cooking wild game is easy once you learn how to deal with the lean meat. We cook steaks on the grill and they are fantastic, but you cannot do it like you would cook beef. You have to introduce moisture or fat into the cooking process, and not overcook it. Don't add fat to the hamburger at the processor's. If you are making chili or spagetti, brown it gently with a little oil. If you want hamburgers on the grill, mix it with the cheapest, fatty hamburger meat they have at the store. You can also add egg and bread crumbs. Your family will love this stuff. Be careful though, eat a bunch of it and they will say beef has a wang to it and won't eat it anymore. Mine do. Have a safe hunt and enjoy the bounty.
Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
If you are looking for variety, tell your butcher to cut it like a lamb. There are a lot of creative things done with lamb (like shanks, frenched ribs, tomahawk steaks, bone in chops) that translate well.
If you are looking for variety, ask him to maximize the amount of cuts. If he's skilled and you make a clean shot, you could end up with as little as 10% ground and 15% sausage.
Ask for some dice as well, 5%? Breaded in corn starch this makes phenomenal in stir-fry.
Boiled Neck roasts provide the base for some of the tastiest stews.
I could go on, but I'm not sure how adventurous you are in the culinary department.
Cheers, and good luck on your hunt!
If you are looking for variety, ask him to maximize the amount of cuts. If he's skilled and you make a clean shot, you could end up with as little as 10% ground and 15% sausage.
Ask for some dice as well, 5%? Breaded in corn starch this makes phenomenal in stir-fry.
Boiled Neck roasts provide the base for some of the tastiest stews.
I could go on, but I'm not sure how adventurous you are in the culinary department.
Cheers, and good luck on your hunt!
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
All of us here can tell you more ways to cook it than you will have enough meat to try them all. Check out the cooking section. Since this is your first time, if you don't know what you want, just get them to use their standard cut and vacuum pack the meat. Go to the cooking section and ask for recipes for whatever cut you are unsure of. I will often cook game, and then just salt it when I take it off the heat with no other seasonings, BUT I like the taste and don't want to cover it up.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Some of those places make Summer Sausage that is better than anything you have ever had. I would get a little if they do. Cuts down on your hamburger, but totally worth it.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
One other thing about cooking wild game. If you need anything more than a butter knife to cut it when you are eating, you did it wrong and need to try again. Should never be tough.
flyinstroke
Well-Known Member
Speaking from experience get as many steaks as you can. My son connected with red hines last year and it was the best wild game I have ever had. Even better than Axis! If you like rib-eyes then cook the stag steaks the same way except they need to be eaten rare!
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Best I have ever had was Desert Mule Deer that had been feeding on Soto. But, I've never had anything that wasn't good if prepared right. Love wild game!!
rogerstv
Well-Known Member
Going to depend on your processor as they all vary. I process my own deer by removing the bones, loins, tenderloins, and a couple roasts. I can cook all of these with exceptional results. I will grind some myself for burger and ground jerky. The rest goes to my processor who makes wonderful jalapeno/cheese deer sticks and jalapeno/cheese summer sausage. At least 85% goes to those two because I love them. The remainder is used to experiment. I've tried their breakfast sausage, brats, Italian deer. All were decent, but never resulted in another batch. One year I took grinding meat to three different processors and requested the same products for side-by-side comparison. I learned a fair amount from that and now settle with one processor.
Long story short is you're going to have to experiment with processors and their options. They all produce different tasting products. As far as the different cuts of meat, you can turn loins and roasts into practically anything (e.g. steaks, stew meat, deerbq, etc.). No need to ask for a fancy named cut.
Last bit of advice is to freeze loins whole or in half. Do not cut into individual steaks until ready to eat. Leaves less surface area for burn.
Long story short is you're going to have to experiment with processors and their options. They all produce different tasting products. As far as the different cuts of meat, you can turn loins and roasts into practically anything (e.g. steaks, stew meat, deerbq, etc.). No need to ask for a fancy named cut.
Last bit of advice is to freeze loins whole or in half. Do not cut into individual steaks until ready to eat. Leaves less surface area for burn.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Ok, This isn't the right place, but Venison Steaks on the grill are a challenge to get right, but fantastic if you can pull it off. Here are two ways to pull it off, one rare and one that works if you like your steaks done. Everyone on this board has their way, but here's mine:
Rare: Learned this from a Sushi Chef that actually won Iron Chef. Thaw the meat just enough to separate the steaks. Wrap each one individually with paper towels, and then with Saran wrap, sealing the contents airtight. Put in the fridge 24-48 hours. Season like you would beef, but make sure no salt. Cook on hot charcoal fire medium rare. Take them up and put a thick pat of real butter on each one and seal the tray with foil. Let them rest 5-10 minutes while putting everything else on the table. Salt them and serve. They will be very tender and fantastic!
Med well to well done: Prepare an Iron skillet by lining with non-stick grill foil. Let the foil flow over the sides so when you put the lid on it will be air tight. Brown the steaks on the fire to your liking, but don't worry about getting them cooked. As soon as both sides are browned, put them in the skillet. Cover them with whatever flavor of McCormic's grilling sauce and marinade you like, ( find out with beef, its not as valuable) and seal with the lid. Put it back on the fire for 20min. Enjoy! Don't have time to explain all the Why's, just try it exactly this way with no shortcuts. This is just two of thousands of ways to enjoy the bounty you are about to receive!
aushunter1
Well-Known Member
Venison/deer muscle groups are very similar to most 4 legged animals, even bovine & lamb.
Primal cuts like fillet & backstrap(loin) are good for short cooking on a grill, pan or bbq.
Can be marinated to impart flavour, I wouldn't cook any further than medium rare.
If the animal is young enough even some of the leg joints like rump & round can be also be done that way or even turned into roasts, I usually insert some fat lardons(usually pork) to keep the meat moist, still only cooking to medium rare.
I also make jerky out of the best leg joints, thinly sliced & pounded with a meat mallet to tenderise & then use a variety of spice rubs & marinades before dehydrating.
The rest of the primal secondary cuts are for stews & curries, just pick you style-
Thai coconut- red, green, massaman, panang, whatever you like
Indian curries
Stroganoff-just like beef
Italian stews-tomato, oregano, peppers, portabello mushrooms, whatever you like.
Goulash
You can even slow cook the shoulder meat & pull it like you would pork, adding all the same flavours, it might take a little linger to tenderise than the pork, great on rolls with slaw, I like it chipotle mayo & coriander but again you decide on the flavour combo's
Really it is a versatile meat & can be used for anything that you would use beef for!!
The rest is for snags, I usually add 40% pork fat to the deer meat as it is so lean, otherwise they will be to dry.
I have a food vacuum machine, which is great for long freezer storage & also for when marinating the pieces.
I am a chef of 35 years & there is nothing better than enjoying the bounty of your own efforts, trying to use as much as possible of the animal................it has to be respected!!
Enjoy.
Also field dressing yourself is something not to frightened of, its another skill worth learning!
Primal cuts like fillet & backstrap(loin) are good for short cooking on a grill, pan or bbq.
Can be marinated to impart flavour, I wouldn't cook any further than medium rare.
If the animal is young enough even some of the leg joints like rump & round can be also be done that way or even turned into roasts, I usually insert some fat lardons(usually pork) to keep the meat moist, still only cooking to medium rare.
I also make jerky out of the best leg joints, thinly sliced & pounded with a meat mallet to tenderise & then use a variety of spice rubs & marinades before dehydrating.
The rest of the primal secondary cuts are for stews & curries, just pick you style-
Thai coconut- red, green, massaman, panang, whatever you like
Indian curries
Stroganoff-just like beef
Italian stews-tomato, oregano, peppers, portabello mushrooms, whatever you like.
Goulash
You can even slow cook the shoulder meat & pull it like you would pork, adding all the same flavours, it might take a little linger to tenderise than the pork, great on rolls with slaw, I like it chipotle mayo & coriander but again you decide on the flavour combo's
Really it is a versatile meat & can be used for anything that you would use beef for!!
The rest is for snags, I usually add 40% pork fat to the deer meat as it is so lean, otherwise they will be to dry.
I have a food vacuum machine, which is great for long freezer storage & also for when marinating the pieces.
I am a chef of 35 years & there is nothing better than enjoying the bounty of your own efforts, trying to use as much as possible of the animal................it has to be respected!!
Enjoy.
Also field dressing yourself is something not to frightened of, its another skill worth learning!
Last edited:
Doodle
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2016
- Messages
- 64
It really comes down to what you want to eat.
I find myself reaching for steaks, ground meat, jerky, or tidbits (stew meat or smaller pieces for similar applications). I used to keep a couple small roasts every year but discovered that I never actually used them as such; I almost always wound up cutting them down for a different use.
Somebody mentioned keeping as many steaks as you can, which I'd say is pretty good advice since you can always cut them down to jerky or stew meat, or grind them for a given purpose. If you know how to, or are inclined to learn how to butcher your own animal, that really opens up a whole new world regarding the quality & specificity of your final cuts. As an example, most people take the rear quarters and create steaks by slicing across two or three different muscle groups. This results in a thin steak, approximately 6-7ish inches across with way more connective tissue than anybody really wants to eat. If you cut it yourself you can separate these groups, remove the silverskin from each, and create steaks that while only 2.5-3" across, are 2-3" high. This will allow you to get a really nice sear on the meat but still keep it medium rare....something that's just not possible with a steak that's 3/4" thick.
If you go for ground meat, try to find a butcher that will use high-quality pastured pork fat. I typically use a 75/25 blend of meat to fat (or even 70/30), but that level of fat freaks people out sometimes.
Feel free to reach out with any questions regarding the cookery.... Along with aushunter1, I am also a pro chef.
I find myself reaching for steaks, ground meat, jerky, or tidbits (stew meat or smaller pieces for similar applications). I used to keep a couple small roasts every year but discovered that I never actually used them as such; I almost always wound up cutting them down for a different use.
Somebody mentioned keeping as many steaks as you can, which I'd say is pretty good advice since you can always cut them down to jerky or stew meat, or grind them for a given purpose. If you know how to, or are inclined to learn how to butcher your own animal, that really opens up a whole new world regarding the quality & specificity of your final cuts. As an example, most people take the rear quarters and create steaks by slicing across two or three different muscle groups. This results in a thin steak, approximately 6-7ish inches across with way more connective tissue than anybody really wants to eat. If you cut it yourself you can separate these groups, remove the silverskin from each, and create steaks that while only 2.5-3" across, are 2-3" high. This will allow you to get a really nice sear on the meat but still keep it medium rare....something that's just not possible with a steak that's 3/4" thick.
If you go for ground meat, try to find a butcher that will use high-quality pastured pork fat. I typically use a 75/25 blend of meat to fat (or even 70/30), but that level of fat freaks people out sometimes.
Feel free to reach out with any questions regarding the cookery.... Along with aushunter1, I am also a pro chef.
