BEST EATING

[legaleagle69]

Not sure if this has been discussed before and will be surprised if it hasn't been exhaustively debated, what is the best tasting venison.
Red, Roe, fallow?
I wondered as my girlfriends brother has just been complaining how chewy and unpalatable a piece of munty was.
It came of a very nice specimen, so as it would probably be an older beast would it be better eating from a younger one, as with say spring lamb opposed to mutton?

 

[Andy L]

Without a doubt, the age of the beast has a huge bearing on both the tenderness and flavour of the meat. Younger is always better.
(No comment about Beaver!)

 

[legaleagle69]

Lol.. I seem to have missed the beever tread somewhere and not really sure I want to ask
However beever aside I did think that it may well be that the younger animals are more eatable.. do the big trophy animals get a lot of stewing rather than steak and chips treatment.

 

[Andy L]

I shot a big stag a few years ago on Winston Churchills plot and when we dragged it into the butchery they stated that it would all go for stewing, except the fillets!

 

[stone]

my favourite is chops of a 2-3 year old fallow with a good layer of fat done in the oven
beautiful

 

[sikamalc]

Sika hind haunch frozen, then cut into steaks on a bandsaw. Throw it on the BBQ with a knob of butter and seasoning yum yum

Cold beer as well, food of the gods

 

[Beowulf]

Hi legal,
Those muntjac can be a bit tough! The first one I shot had grey knees. I didn't think anything of it till I ate it! I still have some in the freezer and have christened it 'Tutenkarman's flip flop' its that dry and leathery! Its even dry and tasteless curried!

 

[DaveG]

Not sure if this has been discussed before and will be surprised if it hasn't been exhaustively debated, what is the best tasting venison.
Red, Roe, fallow?
I wondered as my girlfriends brother has just been complaining how chewy and unpalatable a piece of munty was.
It came of a very nice specimen, so as it would probably be an older beast would it be better eating from a younger one, as with say spring lamb opposed to mutton?

Old Munties are best turned into dog food IMO

Best eating is 2-3 year old sika or 1-3 year old fallow.

 

[morena]

Hi cooks,
If you want to tenderise tough venison cut into steaks and spread on either crushed or minced pawpaw (papaya) seeds (preferably from a female pawpaw) and leave for a couple of hours, hour each side, brush off seeds then cook as per recipe.It really works.
Morena

 

[paul k]

For me it's a saddle of fallow pricket off the stubble in late September. Provided that it's young then muntjac can be good and is far less gamey than other species - we had a Chinese restaurant taking all that we could get at one stage. CWD is quite nice but hard to get.

I've never had the pleasure of trying sika and roe and red can be a little more gamey and pretty tough in an older animal.

 

[paul k]

Hi cooks,
If you want to tenderise tough venison cut into steaks and spread on either crushed or minced pawpaw (papaya) seeds (preferably from a female pawpaw) and leave for a couple of hours, hour each side, brush off seeds then cook as per recipe.It really works.
Morena

This is perfectly true as I think paw paw breaks down the protein and for similar reasons paw paw is also quite good for indigestion.

 

[legaleagle69]

My mouth is watering already, I keep looking at the postie every morning waiting for my FAC to arrive, then I am off out to get me a bambi.
My mates old man has a cold room company and we are scrounging the components for a small walk in fridge at the mo I have to supply him occasionally with venison in payment for the cold room deal or what!

 

[techman]

Hi Lads & lassies, Pineapple juice will tenderise also. It doesn't matter if its fresh, tinned or bottled, it still works.

 

[JAYB]

Sika 3 years old max,younger if poss, very nice.

John

 

[alled12]

I dont mind to be honest. For older beasts I have always found its best to treat how you treat a woman, long and slow I usually start with by sealing the meat in the obligatory olive oil, put a slice onion after that bit of garlic and some salt and pepper. Once the onions are brown half to a full bottle of red wine depends on my mood, and about 1.5 litres of beef or preferentially venison stock. Meat back in, bay leafs and over a low medium heat start to stew down the stock level to about third of the original. Normally takes about 3-4hours. About an hour left in with pearl barley. Half an hour to go, good mushrooms, baby onions and horse radish and parsley dumplings a good slosh of port. Right at the end 2 pieces of very dark and bitter chocolate, seems weird but it really works, salt and pepper to taste and serve with mash, clapshot, curly Kale and a lot of good crusty bread. DOesnt ever seem to be anything left. A real winter warmer. In the summer barbecue time cut into steaks if possible, kebabs. Anybody ever tried venison satay, may have to give that one a go some time. The fillet of a young'un fried whole in a pan with butter, once done to your liking, flambae with brandy once the fire dies down have it out leave to rest, a good slug of port, 100mls of venison stock/beef stock. whick in a little red current jelly and then double cream. Slice the fillet thinly put lay on a bed of cabbage spoon over the sauce and serve with roast potato's and a good claret. Top it off with good company and any of these your on to a winner.

 

[Beowulf]

I quote Alled: - 'I dont mind to be honest. For older beasts I have always found its best to treat how you treat a woman, long and slow'

So Alled or should I call you 'Swiss Tony' these beastly older women, do you remove their false teeth and surgical support stockings before you cook them'?

I feel sick now...

 

[alled12]

It was about 2 in the morning when I wrote that, whoops, I am giving you far to much ammunition at the moment, I think I will sit in the corner quietly for a while. I think I meant to say something else, along the lines of treat old meat like you treat a young lady, slow and gentle. Your post has given me the need to find a therapist and pronto . I used to live in a part of the world where their had been cannibals, got the taste for it mate, watch out on the museum trip lol Do you wear l'Air du Temps, May bring some favah beans and a good chianti LOL

 

[Trapper]

Alled 12
That's the dogs bxxcks , good food well presented, just taste and enjoy .
Hannibal did get some things Right, and the broad beans ! well I fava them! Chianti well, I like Merlot, each to there own.
Trapper
( and the Scouse version of Silence Of the Lambs)Quiet Ewes !

 

[legaleagle69]

Umm I'm with the bloke with the funny tree, Alled's eloquence stretches way beyond the cullinary fields having spent an evening at the quex expedition I can personally testify

 

[basil]

I spent ten years in butchery after i left school and occassionally we would get a housewife come into the shop on a monday morning saying their joint was tough at the weekend. If the boss was with the customer he would be all apologetic and give them another joint. Not me, being mid teens and cocky, i`d ask if they cooked it right. This obviously never went down well.
Looking back, i think i had a fair point. How many of those joints were tough due to the housewife?
Better cooking it on gas mark 4 for three hours rather than gas mark 6 for two hours. When roasting, i wrap the joint in bacon and herbs then loosely in tin foil. I can taste it now!!
basil.