Dear tasting like Beef

[BCLongshot]

So this know it all at work makes a comment...

"I've eaten lots of venison and it tastes exactly like beef, it's in people heads that it doesn't"

A response to the nicest guy saying he doesn't care for it and has tried lots.

This smart-ass doesn't even hunt.:roll:

[3kills]

to me there isnt much difference but i know there is a difference..i think the big thing is what people use to cook there meat with and how they do it...

[guntech]

Give him a piece of venison fat to chew on.

[brotherjack]

I find that MOST meat tastes like what you season it with. If eaten just plain, no seasoning - most meat has a very very mild flavour. The flavours between different meats can be different, but because the flavours themselves are very mild, it can be very hard to tell if any seasoning at all was used in the cooking. The biggest thing that will be noticeable is the texture differences.

[bigwhiteys]

My last muley when I cooked it smelt just as it did when I shot it, the rutty, stinky bugger. I should give your buddy some of that hamburger. My fiance wouldn't even let me cook it inside it smelled so rutty.

To me there is a very distinct difference in flavor. I can taste and smell venison no matter how it's cooked. Obviously it boils down to when you shot the deer, how old it was and what it's been eating.

Now compare Beef to Buffalo and I cannot really tell the difference.

Happy Hunting!
Carl

[oldtimer]

I cook (barbeque ) different steaks when we have steaks. The wife likes beef. There is a definite difference between venison and beef and less so from moose. I did elk the other nite and she had beef and there was a difference but not much.
Contrary to what Big Whiteys says I believe it is how clean the animal is and who butchers it. Swamper butchers all my meat and there are a few rules : Perfectly clean and we trim out all the "silver skin " tendons and fat. I defy anybody to find a better cut of meat I have had bucks in full , neck swollen rut and they were fine.
Also the cooking : do you marinade or not, cook rare and juicy or cook hell out of it. all makes a huge difference. My 2 cents
PS I cooked a moose roast and a beef roast a long time ago when my anti hunting father in law was over for supper and he loved the moose --until he knew what it was. The gravy was also from the moose. go figure

[The 'Hummer']

Oldtimer. I've put in my draw for 5-15. Used to live in Wells (a few years ago), went to High Scool in Quesnel and still have a cabin @ Bowron Lake. If my partner don't get a draw for 5-15 we may hunt 7-06 if immatures are open. You mentioned Swamper butchers your meat for you, question, does he do it as a sideline or occupation? The last time in that area, I had a shop just south of Quesnel do the butchering. Any recommendations??

[youngfellla]

I've never had deer meat taste like beef. Fry up a beef and deer steak with just salt & pepper and it is pretty easy to tell the difference. I suppose they could taste similar depending on how it is prepared.

I've also had muley bucks shot in late november in the rut. I give them a good washing with vinegar/salt water, clean them up really good, and let them hang for as long as I can without letting it freeze. The meat always seems to taste fine as long as you give it a good cleaning.

One of my uncles used to soak the meat in buttermilk before cooking if it had a strong smell/flavour to it, or if he had company who didn't like the 'gamey' taste of wild game. That seemed to work pretty darn good!:-D

[rock]

Moose is moose deer is deer any hooved animal may taste different depending on the feed source. All taste good to me as long as you enjoy it I really don't listen to other peoples comments unless I know their hunters.

[oldtimer]

Hummer .. Swamper does it for his hunting partners. You would have to ask him about doing it. ( he is partial to budweiser ) and we help with the cut and wrap. One thing to remember-- when trimmed the way he does it the volume is less than some shop.
You mention a shop south of town -- we have several in town . If you can't sweet talk Swamper then I would go with JD meats on the west side the Cariboo country sausage south of town. Other people might have other suggestions. Mike

[BlacktailStalker]

Most of the game taste comes from stray pieces of hair on the meat and excess fat I find. One piece of hair will taint a large portion of meat.

[Boo]

2 of the 4 mule deer my daughter and I shot last fall were taken from alfalfa fields where they had spent several weeks feeding. One of these bucks was taken during the peak of the rut and the other post-rut. The other 2 were 'bush-bucks" taken early in the season well in advance of the rut.

Both of the bush-bucks had a much stronger flavour than the other two. Both the alfalfa fattened bucks could well have been mistaken for lean grass-fed beef.

We also butcher all our own game and I NEVER use a saw. I still think most of the "venison" flavour in deer comes from the bone marrow tainting the meat.

[ratherbefishin]

The rankest deer I ever shot was a mature 4 point muley taken in full rut-but it was cold and we hung it[hide on] for a couple of days,then headed home.I hung it in the garage for about a week[I came home with the flu and was in bed]before skinning and butchering it.Anyway,much to my surprise,it was as good a buck as any we've had.I totally agree with cleaning it well,avoiding urine or stomach content contamination,wiping out the cavity,and then getting all the hair off the carcass and wiping it down with vinegar.We do all our own butchering[for me, its part of the hunt]

[Seth]

Whether or not there is bone cut into your steaks (t-bone) also makes a world of difference. We cut the meat ourselves and debone all the steaks. It comes out way milder than when a butcher cuts it bone in.

[Walksalot]

Deer meat tastes like deer meat, it has a unique taste all of its own and I have never had one which tastes like beef. Once a mule deer goes into the rut fire up the sausage grinder and corner the market on garlic. My rule of thuimb with a rutting mule deer is that a little garlic is good but lots is better. If I am after a meat buck I do my best to get it before the rut.

[000buck]

Well my 2 cents is.... the gamiest deer i ever ate was one that i didn't get a good shot on ...It ran and suffered a bit and filled up with adrenaline ....ICK gamey, However with enough ketchup it all tastes like chicken to me :rolleyes: lol..... as for it tasting like beef quit smoking and you'll be able to taste again.

[The 'Hummer']

Moose is moose deer is deer any hooved animal may taste different depending on the feed source. All taste good to me as long as you enjoy it I really don't listen to other peoples comments unless I know their hunters.

Agreed. Things like feed & 'time' of year etc. all have an effect on flavour. I've tasted a lot of Deer, Elk and Moose, but I would hardly say it tastes like Beef! I like them all but they don't taste the same to me.

[Bigbuckadams]

Hi all, well I'll throw in my 2 cents worth too! I have also found there are a few things that will give deer that "gamey" taste, most have been mentioned. First, obviously, a well-placed shot makes a quick,clean kill. The only off tasting deer I've shot, was my first, gutshot. After cleaning and more cleaning, it still wasn't good. Every deer since, has been shot heart-lungs or in the neck. Secondly, clean and skin the deer VERY carefully and in a timely fashion. No dirt, hair or any small remnants of his innards should remain in the cavity. Hang and skin ASAP and again, remove stray hairs. Last, but not least, I think that in order to enjoy fully the flavour, there are two more important steps when butchering. De-bone the animal, bone ( marrow ) will flavour the meat. Also, trim up all fat, this too will flavour the meat. Obviously, proper cooking and spicing, marinating, if desired, is also required. If you are fortunate enough to be able to hunt " grain-fed " animals that is great too, but let's face it, most deer will eat and browse upon pretty much the same foods. The last 2 mulies I have taken were both all rutted-out and stunk to high heaven, but the meat was great!!! The bottom line though is simple, a deer is a deer and a cow is a cow. If people want to eat beef that is great! They can go and buy a side, that leaves more deer in the woods for me :p .

[ARC]

I shot a 5 x 4 mulie last year during the peak of the rut, in a farmers field. It was a clean kill, I took my time cleaning it and also washed it in vinegar, and I have to say it is still pretty rank tasting. The sausage tastes fine, but there are so many spices mixed in there anyways. However, if I put a pound of burger and make chili, the taste and smell are still very strong. Same goes for the steaks, chops and roast.
That being said, I found that if I sliced the steaks fairly thin, about 1/4 inch thick, and dipped them in eggs and then bread crumbs, and fried them in oil, they taste just like beef. So, I have noticed it really depends on how its prepared in the kitchen.

[MichelD]

Wouldn't waste my breath arguing with the dummy.

Oc course it taste different than beef and each individual animal has its own subtle variation in flavour as well.

[Ian F.]

Yes BUT...

Depends on the following IMHO...

What they have been feeding on

Male or Female

How it was shot

How it was butchered

And How it is prepared to eat!

The best venison I've eaten was does eating corn and alfalfa, shot clean with a bow, butchered boneless with NO FAT left on it and BBQ'd medium.

The variables in what one likes is so high it's hard to really judge. I've met people that think a boot tastes great and others that choke on grouse.

Very best,

Ian

[J_T]

I don't necessarily think your guy at work is wrong. Certainly game meat (of all varieties) looks different. But....


2 of the 4 mule deer my daughter and I shot last fall were taken from alfalfa fields where they had spent several weeks feeding. One of these bucks was taken during the peak of the rut and the other post-rut. The other 2 were 'bush-bucks" taken early in the season well in advance of the rut.

Both of the bush-bucks had a much stronger flavour than the other two. Both the alfalfa fattened bucks could well have been mistaken for lean grass-fed beef.

....but this says it all. If you are into hunting trophy animals in the rut, you are going to have meat/muscle that is being stressed. (chewin on bark is so different that alfalfa) Beef don't normally go through much more than a light day of aerobics moving from one clump to the next in the pasture. So if you take a nice "pasture/alfalfa fed" deer, it is going to taste great.

I have taken mule deer and whitetail recently that has tasted great. No BBQ sauce on my meat. Just a little salt and pepper. I have introduced lots of people to wild meat they can't believe how good it tastes. "just like beef, only darker, more dry". Thank you very much.

Helps that I'm a bowhunter and sliding a sharp blade into the kill zone, causing deadly haemorage is much different that the implosion shock impact from a rifle. It does make a difference.

As a kid, I ate some junk though. Dad was always bringing home trophies that had been in full rut. Love drinkin milk with a nice gamey animal. Clean the roof of your mouth off for days. :p

JT

[MB_Boy]

Give him a piece of venison fat to chew on.

....and tell him to chase it with a COLD glass of milk.

[MB_Boy]

PS I cooked a moose roast and a beef roast a long time ago when my anti hunting father in law was over for supper and he loved the moose --until he knew what it was. The gravy was also from the moose. go figure

I did something very similar at the cabin one weekend......made up a pile of MOOSE burgers for a summer lunch in the sun with beers......no one had the faintest clue they were eating moose meat. I told everyone about a half hour later and one girl threw up and one other one was pretty close. "go figure"......

[Caveman]

Take a big spoonful of chili peppers before eating then maybe they would taste the same because you have no taste buds left, otherwise they each have their own distinct taste. I personally love them all and only eat beef when we go out. A nicely marinated moose steak, medium rare is my favorite.

[Elkhound]

I did something very similar at the cabin one weekend......made up a pile of MOOSE burgers for a summer lunch in the sun with beers......no one had the faintest clue they were eating moose meat. I told everyone about a half hour later and one girl threw up and one other one was pretty close. "go figure"......

Those people drive me nuts. I know a hunter who won't eat deer. Loves moose. I had some deer peperroni made up. He scarfed it down and had more. "You like that?" "oh yeah" his response........"well that was deer" Then comes the look and "Yeah, I thought that it tasted a little funny":roll: He did not get one piece more. Not gonna waste good product on him

[farside]

I believe that there are many factors which can influence the quality and taste of the meat. Instant death is a good start, next is immeadiate gutting and removal of tarsel glands followed by a good clean-up of the body cavity, getting the hide off cleanly with minimal hair scattered on the meat. After you've done your job the butcher has to do his. Minimal fat left on your cuts, bone/marrow dust removed etc.

[Walksalot]

I have partaken of deer, moose and elk in subatantial amounts. I would rank them in the order of last being first and first being last.
Having said that, diet without a dought reflects the palatability(sp) of the meat.

[BCLongshot]

Ya I didn't. I just said "OK sh#t for brains".

Just wanted to see what the brothers had to say.;)

[dime]

Deer meat tastes like deer meat, it has a unique taste all of its own and I have never had one which tastes like beef. Once a mule deer goes into the rut fire up the sausage grinder and corner the market on garlic. My rule of thuimb with a rutting mule deer is that a little garlic is good but lots is better. If I am after a meat buck I do my best to get it before the rut.
I agree with the height of the rut being the biggest factor. We always clean our meat the same, and the deer we have shot pre-rut (in velvet is ideal) or post rut have never been gamey. Even old, tired bucks with molars ground to nothing are fine if taken early or late in the season.

As for the animal running before dying being a factor, I have an example. My buddy shot a deer that had been chased by something and was running full boar towards us, foaming at the mouth from exertion. It was a running shot and my friend shot a little far back and gutshot it. The deer went down like a tonne of bricks, and was struggling to get back up when he finished it with a shot in the neck. After we gutted it out, we saw a black bear in the direction the deer had been running from. Anyway, the meat was great, not gamey at all, even after having been running hard and gutshot.

[huntwriter]

There is some valuable point in the opinion of some people, mainly non hunters or people that rarely eat venison, that deer meat tastes like beef.

Beef and venison have quit a high iron and vitamin B content it this "ingredients" that gives these meats their "beefy" taste.