Venison for the table... Rank deer by species?

[VSS]

I'd be willing to bet that in a blind tasting you wouldn't score 6/6

Probably not, but I have had samples of all 6 dished up at one meal (Mouse's 18th birthday lockdown bbq) which gave an excellent opportunity to make a direct comparison between them.

Admittedly I may be a little biased about fallow, but CWD was unquestionably the worst - undertones of mud and rank seaweed.

 

[foxdropper]

You sure that was a CWD Tim and not a seal .CWD is my go to meat hunt if I’m feeling flush .They ain’t cheap but easy to stalk in my book .Out the car and wallop all but twice of my 15 outings on them .

 

[VSS]

You sure that was a CWD Tim and not a seal .CWD is my go to meat hunt if I’m feeling flush .They ain’t cheap but easy to stalk in my book .Out the car and wallop all but twice of my 15 outings on them .

Guaranteed it was CWD. I know, I shot it, in a marsh!

 

[shakey jake]

ive heard rutting red and fallow are pretty rank. other wise not had anything i wouldnt eat again

 

[deerstalker.308]

ive heard rutting red and fallow are pretty rank. other wise not had anything i wouldnt eat again

I would refute that, I’ve butchered a few red stags during the rut, take care with it and there is nothing wrong at all, some of my favourite meat out there. (I would have agreed with you before the last year when venison prices dropped so much I butchered a lot more for myself and realised I’d been missing out!!)

 

[User00036]

Chinese Water Deer is the most unlike of venison of all deer. Shoot it in swampy bogland. its not that good, but on the open fertile fields of East Anglia, its superb, unlike any other venison because it has a lovely layer of fat on its back. Sometimes Munty can be as tough as old boots.
So,
1 Roe
2 Formosan Sika
3 Munty/CWD

 

[johndeere]

For Me
cwd
sika
munty
red
roe
fallow

 

[shakey jake]

I would refute that, I’ve butchered a few red stags during the rut, take care with it and there is nothing wrong at all, some of my favourite meat out there. (I would have agreed with you before the last year when venison prices dropped so much I butchered a lot more for myself and realised I’d been missing out!!)

ive never eaten it, got an invite for a stag. how do you handle it differently that others dont?

 

[sh1kar]

I’m surprised Sika is coming so low

 

[Foxkiller22250]

I think Monty the best eating but worst to skin so really have to think about it before I drop one unless I've got orders

 

[foxdropper]

I guess it depends of the state of the rut .Pre rut is about testosterone ,during is adrenaline and post is about rest and purging the body of hormone build up .The livers of rutting males say it all and the stage of the rut can be read by just smelling them and physically examination .
Testosterone smells very strong ,musky ,adrenaline smells of a certain medical cream ,name forgotten and the mix is very potent .

 

[Kentish]

I haven't shot red or sika but the others are all quite different, I'd say almost like beef vs veal vs lamb. I shot a rutty fallow buck which was quite eye watering when cooked fresh (taste wasn't bad but the odour!) but after a month in the freezer I couldn't tell it apart from a doe that I had in there. I was surprised how much I enjoy fallow, having been given the impression that cwd, munty etc are superior. I'd happily eat fallow every day (in fact I have been for several months)

 

[TundB]

CWD, muntjac and roe for me.

 

[Mungo]

I’m surprised Sika is coming so low

Shh…

 

[sikadog]

Probably Sika are so low is that not a lot of people have access to stalk Sika

 

[RPE79]

Haven't tried CWD or muntjac but mine are:

Fallow
Roe
Red
Sika

Sika are what I shoot most of aswell i would say a good 90% of people i know prefer sika

 

[willie_gunn]

I wonder if it's just coincidence that the two deer species suitable for being farmed take up the bottom two places in the poll?

Possibly Joe Public feels the same way, hence why venison from the totally wild species can command a premium?

 

[308tikka]

Not eaten sika, but Id rate a young fat muntjac doe over any other venison Ive eaten.

Then fallow, roe, red. I sold/gave away cwd when Ive shot them.

 

[NullMac]

The taste of venison varies by what the deers staple diet is, so it isn't as simple as this. Roe on rape tastes markedly different from Roe off a heathery hill.

 

[Nimrod1960]

Why no mention of offal ?
Devilled Roe Kidney on sourdough