Pulled venison?

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

I have a venison shoulder on the egg, indirect, dome temp approx. 250. The shoulder has always been our least favorite piece so I thought I would experiment. To what internal temp should I cook it if I am hoping for fall apart tender?
Thanks

Poppasam · December 2006

Rusty Rooster,We have cooked shoulders and hind quarters bt cutting some slots in them, putting garlic and onion in slots, and drapping bacon over them while cooking at about 225/250. Also have had great results using an oven roasting bag. Followed bag directions, sprinkle rub all over meat, put in bag, and I dump two packages of Lipton onion mushroom dry soup mix over it. Cook at about same temp. Use to cook these on a gasser. My college kids would take them back to school and they would get devoured. Haven't done one in a while.[p]Goo Eggin' to You,
Poppasam

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Poppasam,
Thanks, close to what I have done, except without the bag & soup mix. Do you have any idea to what temp you cooked it or to what temp I should let it go if I want to try to pull it apart? It is just up to 95 internal now so I know I have a ways to go just do not know how far.

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Rusty Rooster,
My internal is now 132, still looking for suggestions for how high a temp for my target please.

Lucky Duck · December 2006

Rusty Rooster,
I have limited experience here so... I understand that venison is cooked like beef. So to pull beef as some do with a brisket, a temp upwards of 195-200 for venison would seem reasonable.[p]Phil, D for what it's worth Duck

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Lucky Duck,
Thanks, I knew the 200 worked for pork but was not sure where for beef. I also figured the venison closest to beef. Guess I have about another 65 degrees to go. Results will be interesting. I sent my wife to the grocery for wings to cook after, hope she does not want one soon. May try to lay them around the shoulder.[p]

onelegchef · December 2006

Rusty Rooster,
venison does not have the fat that beef and pork have. if you take it to 200 i think it will be very dry and tough. i would think that 165 is more than enough. just trying to help, hope it turns out great.
Bobby-FTW,Tx

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

onelegchef,
That was what concerned me at the beginning. I covered the top with bacon and have a drip pan with apple juice and apple cider vinegar both hoping to reduce dryness. It is at 158 now. Guess I may need to consider taking it off soon. It definately looks done. I was just hoping for that "pulled" tenderness at some temp. Pork is done approx. 165 but doesn't pull till 200. Thanks for the advice.

Unknown · December 2006

Rusty Rooster, I agree with onelegchef. There is very little fat in venison. If you take that shoulder to 200ºF, you are going to have chewy and dry meat.[p]My top range for whole shoulders and venison hams is 155ºF. Once you hit this range, wrap it in foil and let it rest. In the meantime, mix up equal amounts of BBQ sauce, beef broth and half (of what ever amount you used for the sauce and broth) of strong black coffee. Add some garlic and onion powder to the mix too. You can add other ingredients to suit your taste. Heat the sauce up to let it meld.[p]After the roast has rested about 20 minutes, slice it up and place the meat in a pan. Cover the meat with the heated sauce before serving.[p]Lager,[p]Juggy

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Juggy D Beerman,
Thank you. It is at 161 now. Guess I better go get it off, wrap it and put it in a cooler while I see how many of your sauce ingerdients I have.

Unknown · December 2006

Rusty Rooster, Beef bullion cubes will do in a pinch. You might throw a bit of worcestershire sauce in there too. The idea is to combine a bbq sauce with a beefy flavor. Just add ingredients to suit your tastes.[p]Lager,[p]Juggy

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Juggy D Beerman,
Thanks, I had a can of broth. Mrs. Rusty doesn't like coffee or coffee flavored anything so the rest is a simerin and the shoulder is a restin. Slice and sauce soon then see what I got. She is on her way back with the wings to go on next so we won't starve either way.

Unknown · December 2006

Yo Rusty, Care to post your results?[p]Lager,[p]Juggy

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Juggy D Beerman,
I sliced it up and poured on the "reccomended" sauce then let it sit an a warm oven while I cooked the wings. Wife says it was ok but not great. It was an experiment with a inferior cut so I guess it was a lot better than tossing it and not using it. Too much bone and sinue in the shoulder to use for much. Not sorry I did it but may not try again.

Unknown · December 2006

Yo Rusty, You are correct that the shoulder meat off a deer is the less desirable cut. I haven't had much success cooking whole deer shoulders. Unless you get a big whitetail, there really isn't much meat worth slicing (roast wise) on a deer shoulder.[p]What most folks around here do with the shoulder meat is make jerky out of the bigger deer. The shoulder meat from smaller deer is usually ground up into burger/sausage meat. [p]This past hunting season, the landlord's kinfolk took 13 deer off the 75 acres where I live. They gave me the yearling that they killed. There wasn't enough meat on the shoulder to even bother trying to cut meat off for grinding. I just kept the hams and backstrap.[p]Thanks for the report and I hope some of my "advice" helped.[p]Lager,[p]Juggy

Rusty Rooster · December 2006

Juggy D Beerman,
Sounds like I need to be hunting where you do. They have been pretty scarce around here this year. I think I am blaming too many coyotes. We do about the same. Save the backstrap & tenderloin and grind the rest, sometimes grinding the shoulder if enough. This was a decend doe my neighbor got last saturday. Too small to grind and just big enough not to toss. So the egg got to try. Came out not too dry, flavor ok but kinda tough. Yes, your advice helped and I greatly appreciate it. Thanks again,
Tom

Pulled venison?

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