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About Wild Venison

Most of the wild venison harvested in the United States is white-tail deer, one of the most prolific species of deer. They can survive almost any adverse condition that nature throws at them as well as encroachment by humans. White-tail deer are primarily vegetarians, and they have been known to forage for food almost anywhere. “Don’t be surprised if they come up and sample your new rose shoots,” says Chef Doug Allen.

Red deer are more common in the northern part of the United States, and they are the species that is most often farm-raised for commercial consumption. When farm-raised and harvested, their meat is always tender and lean.

With venison, one of the most important considerations is how the meat is handled from the time of the hunt to proper storage afterward. Be sure to clean the carcass properly, and refrigerate it or take it to a meat processor as quickly as possible. Driving around town with a buck strapped to the hood of your truck may show off your hunting skill, but it does not improve or “age” the meat for tenderness, Doug points out.

Ask your processor to keep most of the meat in whole roasts—boneless, if possible, Doug recommends. This will give you more flexibility for future recipes. To prepare a cut for cooking before you freeze it, remove the thin silvery sinew and as much internal fat as you can, without destroying the piece of meat. Then you can cut medallions, steaks, or your own stew pieces when you thaw it at a later date.

Properly handled and processed venison should not need to be marinated for long periods of time. “That just melts down the protein to a mushy texture,” Doug says. Especially with red deer, a quick marinade of one hour or less should be all that is needed.

The key to cooking venison, whether it’s from white-tail or red deer, is never to over-cook the meat. “Because of the lower fat content,” Doug points out, “the protein will just get tough when overcooked.” Braising, or cooking at a low temperature using some type of moisture, should be used for less-tender cuts. Most venison does not do well with dry-heat cooking methods such as roasting and broiling.