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Venison backstrap - the cook
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Misippi Egger
Posts: 5,095
Thanks to everyone for the help, especially my friend who gave me the small (100# doe) backstrap. I received lots of suggestions from my previous post and by email.
Here was/is the plan (not finished yet):
1) (Hoss' suggestion):I trimmed the meat, then cold smoked it using the same "caveman" technique for smoking cheese. I used about 2/3 apple and 1/3 hickory chips.
Starting temp (probe hanging through DFDW) was 56*.
Smoked for 90 minutes.
Finishing temp:
Cut in half. One half went into a marinade for cooking tomorrow. The other was prepped for the grill.
My Rub: First a light coating of olive oil then a liberal coating of DP Red Eye Express. After that I added a light sprinkle of garlic powder and onion powder. This was wrapped in plastic wrap and rested on the counter until the egg was stable at 250* grid temp, elevated direct. I added the remainder of the chips from the smoking can. Only took about 30-40 min.
DigiQX was used and cooked until internal temp was 130-140*
After sampling, it was wrapped and ziplocked and will be chilled overnight to be deli-sliced tomorrow.
Here are some pics. I was really good - juicy, a little chewy, as expected, but the flavor was great - could really appreciate the effect of the cold smoke! Even the Princess Jana approved! :woohoo: :woohoo:
More pics tomorrow after I slice this first one and cook the other half.
Here was/is the plan (not finished yet):
1) (Hoss' suggestion):I trimmed the meat, then cold smoked it using the same "caveman" technique for smoking cheese. I used about 2/3 apple and 1/3 hickory chips.
Starting temp (probe hanging through DFDW) was 56*.
Smoked for 90 minutes.
Finishing temp:
Cut in half. One half went into a marinade for cooking tomorrow. The other was prepped for the grill.
My Rub: First a light coating of olive oil then a liberal coating of DP Red Eye Express. After that I added a light sprinkle of garlic powder and onion powder. This was wrapped in plastic wrap and rested on the counter until the egg was stable at 250* grid temp, elevated direct. I added the remainder of the chips from the smoking can. Only took about 30-40 min.
DigiQX was used and cooked until internal temp was 130-140*
After sampling, it was wrapped and ziplocked and will be chilled overnight to be deli-sliced tomorrow.
Here are some pics. I was really good - juicy, a little chewy, as expected, but the flavor was great - could really appreciate the effect of the cold smoke! Even the Princess Jana approved! :woohoo: :woohoo:
More pics tomorrow after I slice this first one and cook the other half.
Comments
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Clark: That looks about as close to perfect as you can get!! Nice job!!
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Lookin GOOD Clark! Get it perfected before Jan.,5.
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Thanks, LC. I was indecisive and apprehensive the whole time. Trying to use suggestions from the many recipes and ideas I had accumulated.
Still have a hindquarter to cook - it's been dry aging in the beer fridge for about 10 days. I think I will use a combination of grilling, then braising. -
Thanks, Hoss. The cold-smoking was a great idea and really infused a lot of smoke flavor without actually adding to the cook time.
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Great! I'll give it a try if I EVER get a deer!
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Can you explain how you did the cold smoke? It looks like a can and a Soldering iron.
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Nice job Clark!! Can't wait for the rest of the story..Molly
Colorado Springs
"Loney Queen"
"Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE -
Good grief ! Do I have to drive up there and show you how to shoot a deer? :ohmy
And I haven't even fired my deer rifle in more than 10 years!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: -
Good eye, even for a Texan . :laugh:
Firetruck posted a while back about an easy cold smoking technique for smoking cheese. I just put the backstrap on instead of cheese. I wasn't sure how it would work, but I was looking to add smoke flavor without overcooking and drying out the venison.
Technique:
1) Completely clean out the large egg - I removed the metal lump grate and shop-vac'd it thoroughly.
2) I used a cheap soldering iron stuffed in a 15 oz. bean can with the paper removed, the top hinged, and DRY wood chips inside. I have laid it down in the past and just happened to stand it upright today.
3) Since you will not be generating germ-killing temps, make sure your grid is extremely clean (especially if smoking something that will not later be cooked - like cheese).
4) Plug in the soldering iron and smoke away. I smoke cheese for 1.5-2 hr, so I did 90 minutes on the meat - got a great smoke flavor without overpowering.
5) I dropped a temp probe in the top just to know what the temp was. If this is done in warmer weather with cheese, a pan with ice can be placed btwn the cheese/meat and the soldering iron to keep the temp down.
Good luck ! -
Thanks, Molly. I had to quit sampling, so I would have enough tomorrow to deli-slice ! :ohmy:
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Looks amazing Clark
Beautiful colour -
Thanks.
Looking forward to slicing and enjoying today!
Also plan to cook the other half that has been marinating overnight. -
nice cook, err, smoke Clark
looks much moister than venison usually turns out -
Thanks, Kari.
The moisture was what I was most concerned about. I struggled to find a recipe/technique that would give me a good smoked flavor without overcooking the meat. As much as it hurts, , I have to give 'Loney Hoss the credit for the cold smoking idea prior to the actual grilling. It worked great!
No water bath, just the amazing moisture-retaining properties of a Big Green Egg! :woohoo:
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