Buckmasters Magazine

Proper field care and a few simple recipes can change the minds of venison haters.

We deer hunters love our venison. We grill it, fry it, grind it and turn it into jerky or chili. Unfortunately, not all venison meals turn out the way we plan them. And it only takes one or two bad dishes to turn the rest of the family against venison for good. Scott Leysath from “The Sporting Chef” on Sportsman Channel says he hears that scenario all the time. “Venison is not beef, and venison is not chicken,” he said. “Venison needs to be cooked differently if you want it to taste great.”

One thing that makes venison different from beef is the short amount of time from when a cow is chewing on grass to hanging from a hook. A cow lives and dies in a controlled environment. As a result, most cows taste about the same. Many variables affect the way a deer tastes.

“For starters, hunters should quickly get a deer processed and taken care,” Leysath said. “Take a few pictures and move on. The problem is many hunters drive the deer around in the back of a truck for a while and then let it hang for another length of time. This can take a toll on the meat, especially if it’s warm outside. I suggest people get their deer cooled to 40 degrees or colder as fast as possible.

“Getting the meat cool quickly can make all the difference in the world,” he continued. “At the very least when someone is driving around with a deer in their truck, or they know it’s going to be awhile before they get the deer processed, they should put a bag or two of ice in the chest cavity. That can make a big difference.”

Leysath suggests making sure the deer is super clean. “If a deer has been gut-shot and nasty stuff ends up on the meat, it isn’t going to taste good unless it is properly cleaned and cared for. All these things seem like common sense, but many people miss simple steps that are the difference between a great meal and a poor one.”

When it comes to cooking one small thing can turn a so-so deer steak into a great one: Turning down the heat.

“I say it repeatedly, and it makes a world of difference,” Leysath said. “Don’t overcook deer meat. In most cases, after the meat has an internal temperature of 135 degrees or so, it’s good to go. Deer meat is best served medium-rare. It will be tender and easy to eat. If, for some reason, you are worried about getting sick from the meat, cook it to 165 degrees. Be aware it will not be as tender. If you have a package of tough meat, use a meat tenderizer.”

If you are tired of cooking your deer the same old way you’ve done it for years, Leysath recommends the following simple but delicious recipes for your next meal.

Balsamic Berry Sauce and Venison

Start with a trimmed deer steak.

“It is important when cooking with venison to remove all fat and silver skin,” Leysath said. “Deer fat doesn’t taste good, so all fat and skin needs to be taken off before cooking it. Next, I put the steak in a pan and put olive oil and salt and pepper on each side.

After that, add a splash of vinegar, some berry preserve and some garlic. Once the meat is medium-rare, take it out of the pan and set it aside.

Next, put a splash of wine into the pan, add a little butter and you have a balsamic berry sauce.

Put the sauce on a plate, slice the deer and put the slices on top of the sauce.
This recipe tastes great and isn’t very difficult. The key is to make sure the meat isn’t over-cooked. Cook it for a few minutes per side.

Leysath says the best way to make sure the meat is at the right temperature is to use a meat thermometer.

You can buy an inexpensive one for $5, and it’s worth every penny.

Venison Roast

Every deer hunter loves a slow-cooker recipe. Nothing beats coming home to the smell of venison cooking after a long day at work.

One of Leysath’s favorite things to slow cook is a bone-in deer shoulder.

“Cooking a shoulder with the bone in is much easier than trying to take it out when the meat is raw,” he said.

Coat the shoulder with a generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Next, put a rub on the meat (everyone has their favorite flavor, so use what tastes good to you).

Next, wrap the roast in plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, put it in a roasting pan and cook it at 400 degrees until both sides are brown. Throw in vegetables and add a couple cans of beer over the top.

Cover it with aluminum foil and cook it at about 300 degrees for 8 hours.

After that, the bone can easily be removed, and the meat will be delicious. It can be used as a dinner or for soup, stew or tacos.

Leysath also recommends adding your favorite barbecue sauce to have pulled venison. It doesn’t take much work, and it tastes great.

Grilled Venison Steak

We have to include at least one grilling recipe, and Leysath said grilling remains his go-to cooking style.

“I grill venison more often than not,” he said. “When using a grill, be extremely careful. It doesn’t take much extra heat to turn a great steak into a piece of charcoal.”

Leysath said not many people know you can cook frozen meat the moment you pull it out of the freezer.

“There is a misconception that you have to thaw meat before cooking it,” he said. “That is not always the case. I often grill frozen venison. Put a frozen one-inch thick deer steak on a grill for about 4 or 5 minutes on the first side and about 3 or 4 minutes on the second side, and it is done.”

Grilled Venison Hamburger

If you’ve tried straight deer burgers, you most likely weren’t impressed. There are several reasons for this. Often we overcook the meat, so the burger is dry and tastes gamey. Second, the lean nature of venison means there isn’t as much flavor in the burger, and it will be dry and tough compared to beef.

There are a couple things you can do to increase the overall flavor of a venison burger.

The easiest is to add fat. “Many people add pork fat or bacon,” Leysath said. “Grinding bacon ends in with the burger is a great option.”

Add between 10 and 20 percent fat to the ground venison. It will make the burger stick together better and provide more flavor.

Some people soak burger overnight in a marinade, while others use a rub or sauce before grilling it. If you want a great burger, don’t overcook it and add something to it to help it retain moisture.

Cooking wild game doesn’t have to be complicated. It requires proper field care, proper heat and attention to detail. One of the greatest rewards of filling a deer tag is filling the freezer and preparing meals throughout the year. The next time you pull some venison out of the freezer, try one of these recipes. You won’t be disappointed.

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