Posted on 11/21/2001 1:17:06 PM PST by rface
The ABSOLUTE BEST part of the deer are the 'tenders'- a pair of delectable, tender muscles on the INSIDE of the body cavity up on either side of the backbone (they will be about 8 to 10 inches long and cigar-shaped). These you can easily get to yourself before taking it to the butcher, and indeed, you should remove them as soon as possible and enjoy them the same day you hunted. If you don't, they will tend to dry up while hanging at the butcher's. Yuck... not a way to treat 'filet mignon.' The next best parts are the backstraps on the OUTSIDE of the deer, either side of the backbone. These are large sections of meat and correspond to the T-bone on a steer. Don't cut them like T-bones- have them whole (like prime rib) or butterflied. Delicious- never have them made into sausage!
The trick for a tasty venison meal is not to try to bury it with loads of spices or marinades- if you have to do that, you have improperly cleaned your deer or have made such a bad shot that your deer didn't drop right away but had it's adrenalin elevated from fear and running! Bucks are gamier than does, but seldoom gamey at all if they don't know what hit them- because then there isn't much adrenalin to foul flavor the meat. Avoid old bucks if you are looking for meat- they are better for suasage. Spike bucks and does are great for steaks.
A good venison steak from a properly gutted and butchered deer will benefit from a marinade of fresh smashed garlic and balsamic vinegar. Marinate overnight or just for an hour... then wrap some bacon around them, dust with a little black pepper and LIGHTLY cook on the grill at low temp. When you see a little bit of blood come to the surface, turn it over and cook a few minutes longer- you want it medium rare to rare, not dried out.
Another method is to garlic it, wrap with bacon, brush some mustard (dijon or stone ground is good) and cook on the grill or in an iron skillet... again, use low heat and take your time to keep it tender.
Another nice marinade is 1/2 Cup soy sauce, 1/2 Cup wine, 1/2 Cup coke or sevcn up. Marinate for an hour or two. Then grill.
Another method is to take tougher cuts of meat and slice them across the grain, 1/4 inch thick. Take these slices and beat them with a meat tenderizer until they are about 1/8 inch thick. Dip both sides of the meat in lime juice. Then lay them in layers in a ceramic or glass bowl, sprinkling each layer with pepper and garlic, and stack the layers atop one another. Marinate overnight. Then take them and fry, a few at a time, in a bit of sesame oil (find in the oriental food department of your store) or olive oil in a skillet...NOT an iron skillet- the acids in the lime juice will react with iron.) If you like a little heat, add some red pepper flakes. (You can also prepare meat this way and dry it in your oven to make jerky.... it takes a lot longer.
Roasts benefit from being wrapped in bacon- make sure the silverskin is removed. The bacon keeps the somewhat too-lean meat of deer moist.
Roasts can be sliced thin, stuffed with mushrooms, ham, garlic and your favorite spices and rolled up. Wrap in bacon or coat with mustard and cook like a beef roast, at a lower tem.
It is if your Rabbi blessed it! ; )
I love it when people do that! While they are distraught over their car or their lost loved ones and too distracted to refuse, I like to pull over and ask them if I can have the deer!
2 Tbl. butter
Saute the Saltimboca in the butter until they are cooked through and lightly browned. Then add:
1/4 cup real Italian Dry Marsala Wine
Flame the wine,when flames go out, add:
2 Tbl. butter
Toss the Saltimboca around a bit until the butter is melted and forms a sauce. Serve with linguini, a nice salad and a bottle of dry red wine.
See this LINK
Hey, Carlo, have any ideas?
Lets see, today is Thursday, it's fall, and those damned leaves are covering my pool and the herb garden,....hmmmmmmm. I got it! Try stuffing it with some stale ole dried out bread thats been seasoned with lots of wilted stuff , on the side put some cheap Yams covered with sticky molasses and whatever will disguise it enough that the kids will at least put it on their plates (to be thrown out later, but who cares it's 2 cans for a buck), oh yea, open up a can of those jellied, bitter red thingys, being sure to keep that special TIN CAN SHAPE, and serve it with a few Fava beans, and a little Chianti!!
Can you tell, I burnt my Turkey, it was that damned thermometer, again!!!! GRRRrrrrrrrrr....snicker, hehhehehhehh
Hey Carlo, chuck the turkey and make a nice lasagna instead!...Get a new thermometer first...
piasa, I'm using your St. Louis "The Hill" Style Lasagna recipe...mmmmmmm...lasagna!
Herbed Venison Roast
Roast
2 to 4 pound Venison roast
1 to 2 tablespoons dried Provencal herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage, marjoram)
1 to 2 pound thick-sliced bacon
1 cup Cran/Raisin Relish
Cran/Raisin Relish
2 1/4 cups golden raisins
2 cups orange juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries (dried can also be used)
1 tablespoon orange peel
Roast: Rub roast with herbs. Wrap roast with overlapping bacon slices; tie securely. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Baste with pureed Raisinberry Relish. Place in preheated 500° oven. Reduce heat to 400 degrees; roast 15 minutes per pound. Serve rare with additional Cran/Raisin Relish. (One-pound venison provides four servings.)
Cran/Raisin Relish: In 3-quart saucepan combine raisins, orange juice, water, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add cranberries and orange peel. Return to boil; simmer about 10 minutes until liquid barely covers solid ingredients. Cool. Store, refrigerated in covered container up to one month. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
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