Best Tasting Venison

[Andydorset]

I like Roe best.

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

Rather subjective to the treatment the carcass has received from a few minutes before death, to the moment it touches your tongue. All are spoilable very quickly.

Please elaborate

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

I have never really had bad venison tbh. Although I recall a rutting roe which was a fair bit stronger and more gamey than usual. Having mainly eaten the tender cuts of younger animals I don't feel qualified to comment. But it seems like there are so many variables it's hard to compare.

Age
Gender & seasonal hormone profile
Cut of meat
Species
Diet
Stress before & during death
Carcass handling etc

I have found the size of the lymph nodes in reds thigh huge- but roasting a munty leg and the node doesn't appear to affect taste ....

 

[NullMac]

Rather subjective to the treatment the carcass has received from a few minutes before death, to the moment it touches your tongue. All are spoilable very quickly.

For me that is the answer. I guess I would add selecting the carcass based on its probable food quality rather than as a biproduct of a sporting or culling event.

If the rest of the chain is excellent then the quality of venison is vastly different.

The non smart arse answer (for me) would be Sika but I like Roe as well so that can be down to the individual beast. Red is less of a favourite and only really had a couple of Fallow.

 

[glasshalffull]

Sods law unfortunately, for my family it's sika and it's not on my doorstep anymore and they refuse to eat anymore fallow which is. Bloody typical!

 

[NullMac]

Please elaborate

Pick a young mature heathy looking specimen. No rutting Stags that have been rolling in pish. We are not eating antlers. Biggest is not necessarily best.

Relaxed, unaware of your pretence

Instant/rapid death

My local master butcher would say get it up in the air and bled within 3 minutes of being shot and leave it there for 30 minutes. Maybe a bit extremist !

Clean gralloch.

Clean extraction. No dragging in the dirt. No big opening if there is a long/dirty route in any event.

Clean covered transportation

Get it in a ‘proper’ chiller quickly. Get it down to ~3 deg C as fast as possible.

Hang for x days.

Skin and butcher hygienically. Learn how to do the backstrap like a pro, it’s the money shot. Cut it full length.

Vacuum pack if freezing. But best if fresh.

Cook well, but resting is the key. Buy Otalengi seasoning rubs.

 

[VSS]

Pick a young mature heathy looking specimen. No rutting Stags that have been rolling in pish. We are not eating antlers. Biggest is not necessarily best.

Relaxed, unaware of your pretence

Instant/rapid death

My local master butcher would say get it up in the air and bled within 3 minutes of being shot and leave it there for 30 minutes. Maybe a bit extremist !

Clean gralloch.

Clean extraction. No dragging in the dirt. No big opening if there is a long/dirty route in any event.

Clean covered transportation

Get it in a ‘proper’ chiller quickly. Get it down to ~3 deg C as fast as possible.

Hang for x days.

Skin and butcher hygienically. Learn how to do the backstrap like a pro, it’s the money shot.

Vacuum pack if freezing. But best if fresh.

Cook well, but resting is the key. Buy Otalengi seasoning rubs.

All good, apart from this bit:

Get it in a ‘proper’ chiller quickly. Get it down to ~3 deg C as fast as possible.

Cooling a carcass too quickly will result in cold shortening, and drastically reduce eating quality.
Although "best practice" says cool as quickly as possible, it's actually not the best way.
My chiller will take carcasses down to 3°C, but I always leaving them hanging in the main part of the larder for a few hours (or even overnight) before moving them through into the chiller.

 

[billy_boyle_2010]

Pick a young mature heathy looking specimen. No rutting Stags that have been rolling in pish. We are not eating antlers. Biggest is not necessarily best.

Relaxed, unaware of your pretence

Instant/rapid death

My local master butcher would say get it up in the air and bled within 3 minutes of being shot and leave it there for 30 minutes. Maybe a bit extremist !

Clean gralloch.

Clean extraction. No dragging in the dirt. No big opening if there is a long/dirty route in any event.

Clean covered transportation

Get it in a ‘proper’ chiller quickly. Get it down to ~3 deg C as fast as possible.

Hang for x days.

Skin and butcher hygienically. Learn how to do the backstrap like a pro, it’s the money shot. Cut it full length.

Vacuum pack if freezing. But best if fresh.

Cook well, but resting is the key. Buy Otalengi seasoning rubs.

Very interesting- all makes sense.

One question - how is chilling a whole carcass better than chilling it in a fridge having butchered ?

Does a chest shot do nearly as good a job as bleeding an animal do you think ?