# Deer Precessing Tips and Recipes



## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Thought this might be a good and helpful idea.
Anyone have any good recipes for Deer snack sticks, summer sausage and tips to take the "gamey" flavor out of wild meat?


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## preecher97 (Oct 9, 2008)

My Mom adds a can of soda (Coke or Pepsi) to the roasting pan when baking a roast. It tenderizes the meat and takes away some of the "gamey" taste. It makes it taste almost like beef. She used to soak the meat in saltwater overnight but that didn't help as much as the soda. I've never tried the sausage or jerky.. I plan to this year.


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## DavidUnderwood (Jul 5, 2007)

We've eaten 5 to 10 deer a year for 30+ years.
I still believe the "gamey" taste is a factor of one
of two things. A great many deer are not dressed
as soon as should be. Also, older deer, like older 
cattle, just are not quite as tasty. When I dress 
a deer, I remove all the bones, and all the fat.
Deer fat is not good. You can't eat bones, and
they just occupy space in the freezer. Do not use
a band saw to cut up deer. The resulting bone
fragments and bone marrow do not belong in your
meat. All that said, the only real mistake you can
make when cooking venison is over heating and
over cooking. Its easy to dry out. Fry in butter or
whatever you prefer, at a low heat. A crock pot is
a good way also. My wife sometimes uses a roasting
pan in the oven with a lil water and covered tight.
Its pretty good eating that way.


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

When we cut the deer up we remove as much of the muscle membrane and gooy stuff from the meat. Even the burger we try to cut all the membrane out. Most meat prcessors just cut it up with the meat. Not many people can tell the difference between our deer or beef. Had friends come to dinner once and DW fixed deer for us and good beef steaks for them She fixed the meats the same way but in two different pans. They tasted the deer and we ended up with beef left overs. good hunting as we had deer burger higies tonight. Sam


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## EasyDay (Aug 28, 2004)

The fat and membrane that tamsam mentioned is where that gamey flavor comes from. If you're hunting for food, bypass that trophy buck!

I've tried several recipes for summer sausage, some taking as long as 4 days. But, this is the one that the guys at deer camp seem to like, and it doesn't take very long:

2 lbs ground venison
2 TBS Tender Quick
1 TBS liquid smoke
1 TBS mustard seed
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Cup water

Mix all ingredients. Roll into 2-3 rolls and refrigerate a minimum of 24 hrs. Use pan on bottom shelf to catch fluids.

Place the rolls on oven rack in oven heated to 350 deg for about an hour. Longer if you make larger logs. Have a cookie sheet or something on the rack under them to catch fluids.

We up the amt of pepper and garlic... it's easy to adjust/add ingredients to your liking.
I wrap the rolls in tin foil, and punch little holes in the bottom of the foil to allow fluids to drain before puting them in the oven. The foil makes a softer casing, which is easier for the "older" guys to eat.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

tamsam said:


> When we cut the deer up we remove as much of the muscle membrane and gooy stuff from the meat. Even the burger we try to cut all the membrane out. Most meat prcessors just cut it up with the meat. Not many people can tell the difference between our deer or beef.


i second this it is the fat and silver skin that have the "gamey flavor and the fat or tallow is what gives the waxy film in your mouth 

you don't get this from pork or beef as much cause the fat melts at a much lower temp

we are carfull to cut this out when we cut our own , so that our ground looks almost all red there is only a small spec of white here and there.


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## SunnyJim (Oct 28, 2008)

I'll third it because so many people just don't get it. The tallow and silverskin is what gives it the gamey flavor.

I can't believe that people will take a deer in to get butchered and pay over $100 for the priveledge of eating an inferior product. At most processors they are concerned about how fast they can get that deer wrapped and out the door, butcher it yourself and you can take the time to do it right, and it doesn't take that much time.

Last year I skinned, cut, and wrapped 2 deer in about 5 hours, and I had to do it alone. With 2 people it would have taken less than half that time.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

it takes me about 3 hours a deer with clean up by my self with 3 people i am down to an hour 

usualy we cut right at deer camp we have a garage with some heat and good light we stick the hose in under the garage door and the waste line out from a stationary tub i can skin and quarter while my dad and brother cut it off the bones usualy we give it a rinse and then pack it into 2 gallon zip locks in a cooler 
our deer season is the week of thanks giving so we have a grinding party thanks giving morning.

it is so much eaisier to have it cut and in a cooler then to have to haul it hole. now we have restrictions about moving deer out of certain parts of the state without fist having them boned out


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Process quickly, and practice cleanliness... throw away all of the fat (use it for waterproofing, or something else, besides eating... unless you eat it fresh), and process the meat out into muscle groups.

Sounds like most of us have figured out how to escape the off flavors...


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## BillHoo (Mar 16, 2005)

DavidUnderwood said:


> We've eaten 5 to 10 deer a year for 30+ years.
> I still believe the "gamey" taste is a factor of one
> of two things. A great many deer are not dressed
> as soon as should be. Also, older deer, like older
> ...


Amen to that! 

I also say - "Don't shoot 'em in the gut!"

I've been lucky, Every deer I've shot for the past 4 years, I've aimed right behind the front legs to try for a lung shot.

And everytime, my bullet hit em right at the base of the skull severing the spine and taking them down.

I've taken the rifle to the range and compared to other rifles I have, this one goes up and a little to the right. I think it's a scope alignment problem, but I'm not changing a thing!

Hitting them there gives me the maximum available meat!


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

BillHoo, 
Have you no idea how dangerous a gun is with the sight improperly set? If you are off a foot at 100 feet then you are going to have a bullet that is excessively off at a 1000 feet and even worse as the bullet continue its path. Knowing you have this problem is negligence on your behalf. Before you injury or kill someone have the sight set! If you are hunting in my area send me a PM immediately.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

This is the cleanest and most efficient method I am aware of for skinning a deer. I linked in another post to photobucket to share the pics so I apologize if you have seen it before. I remain open to other ideas should someone have a suggestion on how to improve the techniquel]
http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i237/agmantoo/Hunting08/?albumview=slideshow


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

I have the dehydrator warming up to speed to start a fresh batch of venison jerky. I usually go with about 2lbs of sliced venison per batch.
1 bottle liquid smoke
3oz Soy sauce
1tbs crushed red pepper
1tbs salt
1 beef bullion cube

Marinade in mixture above for minimum 6 hours (overnight is better) in the refridgerator. Occasionally stir/mix contents by hand and dehydrate for 12 hours. Note: depending on size of individual pieces, some of the smaller ones will be done in four hours or so. Drying longer won't affect taste, just makes it tougher to chew which is preferred by a lot of people.
No dehydrator? No problem- place cookie sheet or aluminum foil on bottom of oven and set oven on lowest setting (shooting for around 140-145degrees F). Hang meat slices from the oven racks via inserting the meat up through the rack from the bottom and skewering with toothpick to hang them vertically.

I'm after a spicier/hotter mix if someone has an idea- Cayenne pepper? Fresh ground pepper corns?

David


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

Agmantoo, I assume you're using the golf ball technique? I've skinned for years & it's the cleanest I've ever had a carcass, not to mention the easiest.


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## TSYORK (Mar 16, 2006)

What is the golf-ball technique? I have never heard of such.


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## Stephen in SOKY (Jun 6, 2006)

Hang deer by neck. Open cape around neck down to where field dressed. Open from field dress opening over shoulders. Hold golf ball on fur side of skin, loop rope (Slip knot) around golf ball on flesh side & tighten down. Tie other end of rope to 4-wheeler ( Winch, truck etc.) and literally peel the hide right off. Others may have alrternate ways, but this works great for me. Less hair on carcass than any method I've ever used and oh so easy!


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Look at the pic closely and you will see the golf ball bulging under the skin and tied tightly with the rope. The other end of the rope is tied to the old subsoiler. Notice I do not gut first. Actually, I do not gut at all. My deer are taken on the farm and are dressed within a couple of hours. I am using an old tractor with a front end loader to do the lift. There is a chain with a swivel fastened around the neck at the base of the head. I have skinned more than 80 deer using this method.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

> I've taken the rifle to the range and compared to other rifles I have, this one goes up and a little to the right. I think it's a scope alignment problem, but I'm not changing a thing!


uh, Bill, it sounds like all the deer you have shot must have been facing in the same direction relative to the gun. What happens when one is facing the other direction?


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## WolfWalksSoftly (Aug 13, 2004)

Thanks to all who posted. I got a Doe Sunday and the info and knowledge passed on is appreciated.


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## Cason (May 28, 2007)

I bone my deer out, put the chunks in a cooler with ice, change the water daily for three days, THEN process for the freezer.


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

Cason said:


> I bone my deer out, put the chunks in a cooler with ice, change the water daily for three days, THEN process for the freezer.


Yep, that's how I do it. It's common practice where I live, since it's almost always too warm during deer season to hang 'em.
Definitely, the fat and silverskin has got to go.
For the freezer, I'll take a doe over a buck any day, but I have run into some tasty bucks that were harvested on farmlands.
A few years back, I (begrudgingly and scornfully) used an electric knife to help my neighbor debone and butcher one. I'm a convert....makes it sooooo much easier.


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## Seagrape (Aug 4, 2008)

I render the deer fat and use it for making soap.


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## foxfiredidit (Apr 15, 2003)

I like that golfball method for skinning, although I've never used it. I'm about to though as nowadays it's usually just me out there skinning. I see that most folks here go about things pretty much the same way, and how to get the best flavor into the food we make. Only thing is, I like the taste of deer better than beef and would never want mine to taste that way. At least I know I ain't on to something no one else knows as I process my own deer. 

I ran across a Hobart commericial tenderizer at a yard sale. I paid $10.00 for it. The tenderizer blades were good, but the shafts were so worn, they wouldn't spin much as they kept jumping out of the holes on one side where they should fit into a groove. I simply cut a shim out of a piece of maple and stick it between the frame and the side of the carriage that holds the blades. Works like a charm. I did have it rewired, rust removed, and painted at the local high scholl vocational center, and now the total investment comes to 57 bucks. I am happy. Makes beaucoup beautiful steaks. 

For the rest of it, I am stuck with making jerky as I have no sausage grinder and stuffer. A fair amount of meat does go to the catahoula and the red cur dog. Maybe soon I'll try to get into that as time permits. 

Anyway, from kill to ice cooler is usually about an hour. Three days in the ice chest with a little salt and change the water and add ice as needed. Cleaning the silver skin, fat, etc. off & cutting and tenderizing steak and cutting jerky usually take another hour and a half. I load the dehydrator up after seasoning and vacum pack the jerky and put it in a spare frig. 

Not a whole lot of work, but it's the best by far over the guy who runs a commerical operation when I finally get it on a plate. 

Nice to live in a country as developed as America is, and still be able to go out and hunt your food, grow your food, live as much by your own resources as we are able to do here. I am lucky, you are too.

Hope your Thanksgiving was good one.
Fox.


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

WE learned the "golfball" (round rock) technique this year and ABSOLUTLY love it ( we also dont gut til it's hided) MUCH MUCH MUCH cleaner no hair anywhere!!
We also debone,, and toss into a cooler of "ICE" (with drain open) and leave it (and refill with ice as needed)for 2-3 days. 
We also remove EVERY BIT OF FAT and SENEW (snot)before processing.. MUCH MUCH better that way.
ALSO, if you pkg it in 1lb pkgs of deerburger, put in a ziplock and "FLATTEN" it so that you can get more in the freezer!!!


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

Most of our deer into fresh sausage. I buy a mix that does 15 pounds.. Usually a good size deer will yield 30 pounds of ground meat.
Then I place it in a stuffer and push it into one pound wild game bags..bought at lehmans. Then I bought a little jig deal that tapes the bag shut.. Whole process is a lot faster than the ziplock way.. Plus it can be sliced right through the bag into patty sizes.. I always add about a teaspoon of crushed red pepper and about a tablespoon of sage to the store bought mix.
I grind it once, mix it then run it through the grinder again.


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