What to do with venison backstraps?

[Bazoo]

I cut a piece and had the wife cook it with onion like steak. Kinda mushy, didn't get no smaller with chewing, too flavorful for my taste. I don't like the flavor of deer if it's the least bit strong. I remove all fat and as much connective tissue and silver skin as I can to limit the flavor. I like the rump or round for steaks and roasts. Neck makes a good roast, but what to do with backstraps?

[bosterr]

I take the backstrap off the carcass in one long strip then slice mini steaks about 1/4 inch thick and fry in butter and worcestershire sauce. Then slather lightly toasted wheat bread with mayo and make sandwiches. I just did that tonight. I feel like a stuffed pig right now.

[JBinMN]

You can cut them into steaks,or butterfly them into steaks ( You cut about an inch thick all the way thru on both sides using 2 cuts, & then you slice right down the middle, in between the two first cuts that were done to separate the steak from the backstrap but with this cut in between you only cut down to where you would have a 1/2" on each side of the last cut & only cut down to about 1/2' from the bottom. The "butterflyed" steak, when the two sides are folded donw, will look similar to a butter fly shape.

As well as you can make them into roasts like the Prime Rib Roast( Standing Rib Roast) of a beef by cutting out a section of the backstrap about 4-6 inches long out of the front(Neck end) 1/2 of the backstrap but going close to the middle & not the neck/front end..

See the two charts:




I will also give you tip on trying something that may help with the flavor. Many times I have talked to folks who say they do not like venison/deer meat because to them it tastes too strongly of the deer.

As far as soaking the meat that some might suggest. I have not yet done that. I "have" marinate3d the deer/venison in some different marinades like brgundy wine , and even in the non creamy style Italian Dressing many folks use on salads. Both work quite well. One more thing you can try is to pat or roll the meat in course salt, then leavfe on a plate for about a half hour , then rinse the salt off & pat dry, then go cook. Try it & see how yu like that last one. You might be surprised at the tenderness.

Another tip... Never cook deer meat/venison more than medium rare to medium. Otherwise it will get tougher & chewier. There should be a bit of pink at the most. I prefer mine more rare with it just staring to turn pinkish red, but the juices are not bloody. You just need to try things to see how you like it.

Last tip tonite... I was taught a long time ago that adding some Nutmeg spice to the deer/venison, when cooking, before it is fully browned, will help take away the deer/venison taste a bit & make it taste a bit more like beef. It works.


You would be amazed at the amount of folks who taste the deer/venison I prepare & think they are eating some beef.

G'Luck!

[M-Tecs]

The best for removing wild flavor is to soak in buttermilk for 24 hours. The backstraps should be the tenderest and best cut.

https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-ven...#didyouknowout

[Bazoo]

Thanks for the replies. Everyone says backstraps are the best but I've never liked them. I don't like the texture mostly. I wouldn't say they are gamey or wild tasting, that's words I'd reserve for bad deer meat. The neck roast I made, tasted for lack of a better word, bland, like beef. I like that flavor and that texture. However, I like all meat well done and dry. Wife says that's not normal. My favorite is steaks over fire.

I didn't do anything to that roast special, just trimmed it and put garlic pepper on it and put it in the crockpot with onions and taters.

[gbrown]

You gotta cook them low and slow. Backstraps, I cut into 2 inch medallions, season and sear in a cast iron pan and then put them into a 350 oven for about 10-20 minutes. Medium rare. Serve with whatever sides you want. Nice and tender, good eats. Dice them up and cook in a gravy for about 4 hours, again, low and slow, and serve over noodles, rice or potatoes. Cube them up, and cook in slow cooker for about 8 hours with gravy, onions, garlic, spices, etc. About an hour or so before ready, put in cubed taters and carrots. Eat it straight or serve over rice (my style).

[NyFirefighter357]

I do all my own butchering of venison. I prefer to make as much as I can into thin cutlets 1/4" or less maybe smacked with the side of a heavy cleaver to flatten them even thinner. I made back straps like this last night. I heavily season flour with garlic powder, onion powder & Mortan's Season All. I heat a heavy pan to medium heat with 1/2 butter & 1/2 olive oil mix. Pat the meat dry and dredge in flour. Only takes about a minute or so per side. Venison shouldn't be cooked above medium I prefer a little over rare.

[megasupermagnum]

I honestly could not tell deer from cow side by side. And mushy is definitely not a way I'd describe a backstrap. I cook mine the exact same way I do steak. Cut about 1"-1 1/2" thick, marinade in olive oil and garlic, and grilled with salt and pepper, and any other seasonings I feel like. I've been experimenting with wood chips in tin foil for a bit of a smoker effect in the grill too. The result is a great, juicy steak, not at all mushy. Don't overcook, anything past medium rare is ruined in my opinion.

Tip: cut against the grain of the meat, not with it. This makes it more tender, not as stringy.

[dverna]

The deer I have harvested are not “gamey”. I do not gut shoot or take risky shots. Maybe that is why I do not have the problem.

Backstraps are marinated or I just sauté them with some steak seasoning.

[megasupermagnum]

I've eaten gut shot deer, too many actually. They too taste like beef. I have no idea what gamey means.

[billyb]

Grind the meat and mix with beef and make chili. I use 1/2-1/3 deer to beef, makes real good chili.

[trails4u]

"Well done and dry" I'd say is your culprit with venison.....it's not a meat that reacts well to that level of cooking. As for seasoning....I don't do much. When having company, and trying to undo 'deer'...I'll give it a short soak in (no joke) diet coke, Worcestershire and ms. dash table seasoning. I'm not, by any means, recommending this recipe. Just something I learned from a friend that will apparently convince any company they're enjoying a nice sirloin steak. YMMV.

[Todd N.]

the best for removing wild flavor is to soak in buttermilk for 24 hours.

exactly!

[iomskp]

I could never get a taste for it, I tried cooking every possible way, I found my dogs love it I cook it with some rice and vegies and it save me buying dog food.

[knifemaker]

Several years ago my son called me and stated the elk he harvested tasted too gamey for his wife and kids and asked if I wanted the elk he killed in Colorado. I told my wife about what our son said. My wife was raised in a farming family and her dad was one very good big game hunter and her mother was a excellent cook of big game. My wife, like her mother, is great on cooking wild game meat and all my friends love her wild game meals.
Wife told me to tell our son to be sure and wash the meat well prior to cooking to get all the blood off of it and it will taste far better. Son was told, he called back a few days later and stated he did what his mother told him to do and his whole family raved about how good the elk steaks tasted. He also told me, sorry dad, you are not getting the elk after all. Damn big mistake on my part and missing out on getting a whole elk for free.

[Winger Ed.]

1/4-1/2 inch thick medallions, lightly seasoned, and cooked hot & fast (in cast iron frying pan)
to medium rare in real butter is good.

If ya make jerky-- its about the best choice of meat to use, cut in 1/4" strips about 6-8 inches long.
All the soaking/spices takes out any wild taste it might have.

[Bazoo]

I had the wife batter and fry some thin pieces of the backstrap and it was better but not great.

I put a round roast in the crock last night. Was good this morning for breakfast. I'm going to cook some steaks over fire, so I'll test a piece of backstraps that way.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[snowwolfe]

Vacuum seal it with a couple pats of butter and cook it sous vide for 2 hours at 126-128F. Then put on a hot grill or skillet for 2 minutes on each side.
Sous vide totally transform game steaks into juicy, tender pieces of meat.

[DickelDawg]

Eat them.

[Love Life]

Give them to a church.