How do you utilize your venision?

[kykiller]

1. Summer Sausage
2. Ground into Burger 1# packages
3. I butcher sirlon tips and back straps off myself and vaccume seal.

[Craig Schoneberg]

I bone mine, to steaks and burger.

Two years ago I started a Jerky for the Troops project, and put all my deer into that - thinking I would get at least one more deer for myself.  The word spread and 2 years ago collected 900 pounds of venison, and last year 2400 pounds.  A locker plant in North Central Nebraska makes it in to jerky for a VERY reasonable price.  I then ship it to our Soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This season so far I probably have close to 1,000 pounds collected  - and have yet to shoot a deer.

I always tell people that if they have someone process their deer, to have 20 pounds or so made in to jerky and send it to a Soldier they know that is serving in harm's way.  Every little bit helps and it's very much appreciated.
Craig

[Craig Schoneberg]

Also, to my last post:  If you don't know anyone serving just contact your local National Guard or Military Recruiter and they will be happy to provide you with some names.
Craig

[Autumnarcher]

I've butchered my own deer for years. I dont usually make much jerky etc, as we don't buy much beef and prefer venison for our meat.

I do like most, separate backstraps, usually cut them in half and package as such. I can then either grill them whole, or cut into chops if I want when I take 'em out of the freezer. Shoulders, neck, scraps are ground into burger.

Hind quarters- small deer ( we try to take one or 2 a yr) are wrapped and frozen whole. I grill these whole for special occasions-holidays, or and the end of early archery the night before firearm season opener, or do one in the summer at fishing camp. I have a great way of doing them, and they are the best! Did one for Thanksgiving yesterday, and even my squeemish sister tore right in to it.

For adult sized deer, I bone out the HQ, separate the large muscle groups and wrap/freeze as is. Then I can either do them as roasts, cut into steaks etc. Keeping them in larger pieces reduces the amount of vac sealer bags I use, and is less prone to freezer burn. This system works well, and keeps your options open as to what you want to make out of it for dinner. If I cut them all up, then later want a roast, Im outta luck.

I'd say I grill most of my meat, roasts, backstraps etc. Other than that I either make stews, crockppot roasts, or peppper steak.

But by far, the overwhelming family favorite is a whole grilled HQ. They are to die for.

 

[Ron LaClair]

 But by far, the overwhelming family favorite is a whole grilled HQ. They are to die for.  

Mighty fine lookin table there John...     I did that with the an early October deer this year, pinned strips of bacon on it for flavor and moisture.
   

Also did the ribs and they were laripin

   

[toppredator]

My brother processes our deer while I bag and label all the cuts using a vacuum packer.  He'll usually cut the hams into roasts (we'll cut into steaks before cooking if desired) and front shoulders into stew meat.  Everything else gets ground up.  We've been doing things this way for a few years and it works out great.  We haven't lost any meat to freezer burn in a long time and there is no wasted meat. TRW

[Rick Perry]

I'm a firm believer that band saws and venison are not a good combination . Band saws spread bone marrow ,bone chips and fat all over the steaks. I believe this gives the meat a much stronger flavor.

Do yourself a favor and bone out your deer before you cut steaks

[YORNOC]

1st year so far without any venison. You guys are killin me!

[Autumnarcher]

I've got a few PM's inquiring about how I do the grilled Leg of Venison. So heres the scoop. Its got flavor galore, and plenty moist.

I use a HQ off a small deer, yearling does are perfect, or a button buck if thats what you end up with. You can use bigger deer, but tehy take longer to cook and are harder to get done deep inside without overcooking the outer meat.

Trim off as much fat and silverskin off the quarter. I prefer charcoal over a gas grill. I also get a bag of chunks of hickory for smokers,soak a few handfuls in water for a couple hours or overnight so it smokes better.

Don't get your fire too hot, a single layer of coals, maybe 1/4 to 1/3 bag depending on the size of your grill should do it. You may need to add a little as it cooks. I get some more going on the side so I can add hot coals as needed.

USe a meat thermometer- get it in along close to the bone in the deepest part, but you may want to check it in a few spots such as the sirloin as well. I use an electronic digital one, and shoot for about 135-140. you can go more or less depending on how you like your meat cooked. I like it medium to medium rare.

The rub-
3# box of Kosher salt
2 oz garlic powder
1 oz onion powder
1 oz dried basil
1 oz dried marjoram
1 oz dried tyhyme
1 oz dried tarragon
1 oz dried coursely crushed rosemary
1TBS pepper

This is the orignal portions of the recipe I use. I weighed out ingredients with my grain scale, but have since modified it. I use 1 heaping TBS of each spice, and a couple cups of salt. There is a lot of salt in the rub, but most of it falls off during cooking. Apply rub fairly heavy, pat on to meat. You can add other spices to it if you like, or omit, but this rub is awesome.We use it on just about anything we grill.

Place HQ on center of grill, add hickory around edges of fire so if they burn they dont burn the meat. keep covered as much as possible while cooking. The hickory, along with the spices falling off into the fire will make a great smoked flavor. When it gets done, let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

If you noticed, I leave the lower leg bone on the quarter. Even the shank meat on th lower leg is tender when to tear in to it.

This is by far my favorite way to prepare venison. Im making french dip sandwches with the leftovers,along with a batch of French Onion soup.

[Autumnarcher]

Ron, I love your ironworks for campfire cookin. Thats a well thought out set. I love campfire cookin, and witha good spread to prepare, its a lot of fun putting together a great meal, using cast iron and hardwood coals.

One of my favorites is a big iron skillet full of walleye, beans simmering in one pot, another pan with my country fried potatoes,dutch ovens with jalapeno corn bread and a blueerry cobbler.

By the time chow is ready, the neighbors in the campground are starting to gather downwind .