Preparing Venison: 5 Tips To Make The Most Of Your Recipe

WISCONSIN -- After the Thanksgiving holiday, our hearts are full from time with loved ones and for many Wisconsinites and our freezers are also just as full after a successful weekend deer hunting.

Venison is not only a delicious, but also diverse meat that can be served as a burger, steak, or even in a stir-fry. While this is great, it also means that specific cooking measures are required for the meat to reach an enhanced flavor.

Whether you’re new to cooking venison or are simply on the hunt for a better way to bring out its flavors, there are ways to bring out that flavor.

Wisconsin Patch reached out to the experienced meat-cutters at Meijer to get some tips and best practices to make sure you get every last bit of flavor from your hard-earned venison.

1) Don’t overcook: Venison is a leaner meat, which means that you need to be careful not to
overcook and dry the meat. Preparing the meat more on the medium-rare side of the spectrum
also prevents the venison from tasting too "gamey" or like a wild animal.

2) Age before cooking: to enhance tenderness, be sure to first refrigerate for 3 to 7 days. Also,
always bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.

3) Use marinades: To enhance flavor, consider using a marinade. If your venison comes from an
older deer, marinating the cuts in milk for a few hours will reduce the “gamey” taste. A general
rule of thumb for marinades is to use acids such as wine, vinegar, or lemon or lime juice. When
using wine, make sure it’s quality, as cheap wine can make a meal taste cheap.

4) Oil the meat: When cooking, many of us are quick to oil the pan as a first step, but Meijer
recommends using a brush instead to oil the meat and bring out a richer taste. If you looking to
avoid a greasy flavor, opt for olive oil over vegetable oil.

5) Know your method: Remember to be mindful of the meat when cooking venison: a tender cut
like loins will take well to pan searing or high-heat grilling whereas tougher muscles will benefit
best from low and slow braising, just as long as the meat isn’t overcooked.

Image Via Shutterstock