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Venison suggestion please

GrillDaddy
GrillDaddy Posts: 295
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
At what temperature do you cook venison to keep it safe but no over cooked?
Any suggestions for receipts and/or ways to cook Venison Tenderloin?

Thanks crew!

Comments

  • Keving
    Keving Posts: 36
    I cooked a venison shoulder a couple weeks ago that turned out great. I really just cooked it the same way I cook a pork butt. The only real difference Is that I injected a marinade to keep it from drying out. I used the same rub as with butts as well. For a marinade, I take Italian Dressing and strain all of the peppers out of it so it will inject. Then I put just enough Dales Sauce in it to turn it the color of the Dales. It makes for a great marinade, and made a great venison shoulder. For a tenderloin that I am going to do this weekend, I am going to rub it in a steak rub and inject it with the same marinade. I cooked the shoulder to about 180 degrees or so and was good and done.
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    Keving, you seem to have experience in cooking venison. A friend brought me a small bone-in hind quarter from a 62# doe shot by an inexperienced young hunter. He wanted me to cook it for him. He would be fine with something to slice for sandwiches, etc.

    My thoughts were to inject thoroughly (Cajun garlic/butter is what I use on butts), sprig the injection holes with garlic slivers, then maybe use one of the Dizzy Pig rubs and cook to 135-140 internal. Do you think this will cook better with a hot sear/dwell or roast technique (direct) or with a lo and slow, indirect method? Might give your injectate a try.

    Thanks.
  • BobS
    BobS Posts: 2,485
    So far as I know, you can eat veison, at your preferred doneness, just like beef.

    I agree with the approach of the other posters for the cuts cooked, but for tenderloin or even backstrap, I would go for a hot fast cook and pull it as soon as you are comfortable with doneness
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    Thanks, Bob. Good advice.
  • BobS
    BobS Posts: 2,485
    It has been so long since I cooked venion, I decided to go look and found two very differen answers.

    1. Being a naturally lean meat, is best served rare or medium rare, then rested to ensure maximum juiciness and tenderness. If overcooked, it dries out & losses its tenderness. Rare was described as 104F

    2. Cooking venison to the proper temperature is the last chance you have to destroy any harmful bacteria or parasites. Venison should be cooked to at least 160 degrees F to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Once the internal temperature of venison is confirmed with a food thermometer and has reached 160 degrees F, it is safe to eat, regardless of the color of the meat, which may still have a pinkish color.

    I know that I have seen it served rare on Iron Chef.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    i like it steaked thick with the bacon wrap and cook to medium rare just like a steak. ive never worried about safety concerns with it and have never seen anyone up here get sick from it, maybe its not as much a problem with newengland white tails.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    I'm kinda with you, Fishless. 160 would be so dry it would have to be slathered in some kind of sauce to regain any taste. :(
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,663
    i pretty much only like the tenderloin from a deer, dont want to see it get ruined by overcooking. for the rest of the deer i would terryaki it or grind it up for sausage and or burger, but thats just me. i dont hunt so i dont get to cook much deer meat.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Keving
    Keving Posts: 36
    It depends on the size. If it's steak size a sear may work, but I would probably do a slow cook. I cook it a little warmer than that to. about 180. That's a personal preference though. I tend to keep things a lot more simple than a lot of the guys on here. I just usually rub stuff and put it on. I never wrap in foil. I usually only to a sear on steaks, chops, or some chicken. The deer is the only thing that I have injected because it is so lean and can dry out easy, but I think I am going to try to inject a brisket to see how that works.
  • Keving
    Keving Posts: 36
    I guess the temp depends on if you trust where that deer has been or not. LOL
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    Personally, for anything other than a back strap, I usually have it made into sausage. I haven't hunted deer in years, since I got hooked on duck hunting. I usually get a gift (or make a duck for deer swap) of venison.

    This hind quarter cook is for a friend who wanted me to cook it for him on my Egg. Trying to get him the best results I can. Since the deer was so young and small we are counting on it being intrinsically tender.
  • Hsbldr1
    Hsbldr1 Posts: 225
    http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=582506&catid=1#
    Here is a very successful cook of a hindquater roast from my sons first deer.
  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    I have made a bunch of venison and elk the past few months. I can say for sure that it will cook pretty fast, so heads up. 125 and pull (IMO) direct or indirect at 325 is what i've been doin. If it's a youger animal that was dropped in his tracks, you won't know it's venison. My little wiffy even commented that it was as good as beef.
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    I remember that post! Looks great.

    Would yo do anything different next time, other than more rub?
  • Misippi Egger
    Misippi Egger Posts: 5,095
    That would be better for slicing than pulling, i would think.
  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    Um, ya. Pull OFF THE EGG. :laugh:
  • Hsbldr1
    Hsbldr1 Posts: 225
    Yes...I would tell less friends. I only got one sandwich. :woohoo:
    I have done two two roast since. One I didn't do the mustard/wor slather, that was a mistake not terrible but definatly not as good. The other I tried a different bbq sauce (masterpiece or something like that my wife bought at grocery store) I did not like it as much but the roast was just as good. I am thinking about trying a peppered bacon next time. Just because no real reason.