Big red haunch - advice please.

[Nimrod1960]

So a pal if mine is a bit posh !
Goes smart stalking far north of Scotland each year.
This year made the rookie error of asking for some venison to take home.
I think the team at the estate decided to take the mick a bit ( understandable if you met my pal)
sent him back with a full stag haunch in the back of the motor.
He discovers he (his Mrs) has no room in his freezer. So another pal takes it in his walk in freezer. Where it resides for several months until second pals wife has enough of it sitting there and I get presented with it. “Can you do something with it please?”.

My freezer wont take it in one lump.

So its thawing in a fridge ( Shank removed to fit) at 3/4 c .

Butchery challenge for me who is mainly Roe and Munties.

I have no issue butchering and re freezing provided it stays Cold.
I am minded to bone it out into main muscles , do some steaks but also crack into a big batch of biltong (vac pack and chill should last out the beer consumed watching the B&I Lions ).

Other suggestions very welcome.
Any experience of biltong with Reds ?

Apols for long winded intro.

 

[VSS]

As you suggest, seam bone it into muscle bundles, then:
Topside into steaks;
Silverside into biltong;
Thick flank as a roast;
D rump into kebab cubes.
Salmon cut into stir-fry strips.
Mince the trimmings.

 

[HonestJohn]

…and then consume it all within a week or so before it goes off

 

[gelert]

I'd of been tempted to cut it bone in when still partially frozen to be honest and get some proper bone in leg steaks ready for bbq weather.
We eat lots of steak so a few nice choice rump steaks taken off the face before seaming into more manageable cuts.
Biltong with red deer is absolutely fine.

 

[User00056]

If you let it semi-defrost you can butcher steaks and refreeze them with no issues. Just keep the meat as cold as possible.

 

[Zio65]

Gulasch or Ragù alla bolognese

 

[sauer]

As all above say ....
Seam oit muscle groups and get some steaks
Dice / cube for stews etc
Mince ! It's highly underrated and many a good meal out of mince bolognaise, chilli, dirty loaded fries
You could also cut longer finger size stripes for stir fry or fajitas

Take dice do pulled periperi venison scotch pies or keep for rolls or wraps

Or go step further with your mince and burger it
Biltong amazing but you lose 50% in weight
Paul

 

[User00056]

Or go step further with your mince and burger it
Biltong amazing but you lose 50% in weight
Paul

I've never found venison biltong to be any good when I've made it. I do exactly the same as for beef, but it just never seems to have a flavour I enjoy. Any hints about what I could possibly try doing differently?

 

[HonestJohn]

I've never found venison biltong to be any good when I've made it. I do exactly the same as for beef, but it just never seems to have a flavour I enjoy. Any hints about what I could possibly try doing differently?

Coriander seeds, ground by hand

 

[sauer]

all ive ever done is safari spice, malt vinegar and additional peri peri ...works on venison as well as decent topside

must admit to getting lazy and doing cheats jerky in cheats jerky gun and takes 7hrs in dehydrator vs days in the biltong box / "coffin"

 

[NoIDeer]

Is it from a rutty old stag that your mate likes to hunt each year, if so mince it and eat the grissle.

 

[GBR66]

…and then consume it all within a week or so before it goes off

driest and refreeze when still chilled....even my fishmonger is happy with that...

 

[nun_hunter]

I've never found venison biltong to be any good when I've made it. I do exactly the same as for beef, but it just never seems to have a flavour I enjoy. Any hints about what I could possibly try doing differently?

I cut mine into strips, season heavily with a dry rub and vac it for a few days or a week in the fridge to start the "drying" by osmosis pulling moisture out the meat due to the salt in the rub.

Then it comes out, patted down and a fresh dusting of seasoning and in the dehumidifier. This gives a much stronger seasoned flavour that permeates through the meat more.

I've got 2.6kg in the fridge I cut up last night and sealed.

 

[User00056]

I cut mine into strips, season heavily with a dry rub and vac it for a few days or a week in the fridge to start the "drying" by osmosis pulling moisture out the meat due to the salt in the rub

That's a good idea! I have a couple of haunches in the chiller at the moment. I'll give it another try. Thanks for the tip

 

[Sol]

I feel you on that one I had the displeasure of having two roe haunches, including four shoulder bones (for the dogs) in a bag after I got home from butchering, safe to say I sat them in a carrier bag in the freezer "just to chill them down" I ended up forgetting about them laid my head down and woke up hours later to a solid lump of meat and bone, not fun!

Reds are easier to butcher in my opinion though I love a good leg steak from them, a pricket stag I shot and made into leg steaks is still the "winner" when it comes to venison for myself I've never been able to replicate that taste but I've also not shot a young red since then.

 

[sauer]

Big July stage for freezer...fine!

 

[30 06Neil]

So a pal if mine is a bit posh !
Goes smart stalking far north of Scotland each year.
This year made the rookie error of asking for some venison to take home.
I think the team at the estate decided to take the mick a bit ( understandable if you met my pal)
sent him back with a full stag haunch in the back of the motor.
He discovers he (his Mrs) has no room in his freezer. So another pal takes it in his walk in freezer. Where it resides for several months until second pals wife has enough of it sitting there and I get presented with it. “Can you do something with it please?”.

My freezer wont take it in one lump.

So its thawing in a fridge ( Shank removed to fit) at 3/4 c .

Butchery challenge for me who is mainly Roe and Munties.

I have no issue butchering and re freezing provided it stays Cold.
I am minded to bone it out into main muscles , do some steaks but also crack into a big batch of biltong (vac pack and chill should last out the beer consumed watching the B&I Lions ).

Other suggestions very welcome.
Any experience of biltong with Reds ?

Apols for long winded intro.

Where are you based " Nimrod " , ?? I am in the Cirencester area and regularly break down Red carcases, you are more than welcome to join in one evening and turn a haunch into joints. We used to run cooking days for the NGO , and happy to share any information, cheers Neil

 

[Nimrod1960]

Where are you based " Nimrod " , ?? I am in the Cirencester area and regularly break down Red carcases, you are more than welcome to join in one evening and turn a haunch into joints. We used to run cooking days for the NGO , and happy to share any information, cheers Neil

Very kind
I kept the shank whole, long and slow at some point.
Trimmed off most fat.
Did a couple on big thick rumps, proper man food.
Broke down rest into main muscles stripped and made a serious batch of biltong. Trimmings minced, already had a chilli .

I am based in Worcestershire, so not far and always keen to learn more butchery. I think I am pretty competent with roe and muntys, have also done a small fallow and a sika hind.

If your offer stands I am very happy to come and help / learn in a professional set up.

 

[30 06Neil]

Very kind
I kept the shank whole, long and slow at some point.
Trimmed off most fat.
Did a couple on big thick rumps, proper man food.
Broke down rest into main muscles stripped and made a serious batch of biltong. Trimmings minced, already had a chilli .

I am based in Worcestershire, so not far and always keen to learn more butchery. I think I am pretty competent with roe and muntys, have also done a small fallow and a sika hind.

If your offer stands I am very happy to come and help / learn in a professional set up.

So just south of you . Once I get back into the stag's in August I'll be intouch and we can hook up one day/evening and break down a carcass. Happy days cheers Neil