Many people do not use venison simply because they aren’t sure how to use it. Despite a commonly held misconception, venison is not incredibly difficult to prepare. All you really need are a few good venison recipes just a few pointers to get started. If you’re like many people, once you’ve tried venison meat that has been properly prepared, you’ll quickly fall in love.
A lot of people say that venison is ‘just like beef.’ While this is true to a degree, there are some differences. Venison is typically an extremely lean meat, so you may need to add some liquid or fat when you cook it. One option is to simply mix it with beef, using roughly equal portions of each in a recipe you already use such as spaghetti. The tastes are very similar so this could be a good way to introduce new venison recipes to picky eaters without them noticing.
If you are already comfortable preparing beef then the transition to preparing venison meat shouldn’t be too difficult. Not only is venison a good beef substitute because the taste is similar, but it is also a very healthy option since it is usually lower in fat than beef. From my experience, however, you may need to add a little more seasonings in venison recipes to reduce the somewhat gamy flavor it might have.
Another difference with venison comes with steaks. For tender steaks you will want to marinade them first. If you don’t, they may turn out tough. Any beef marinade should work well in venison recipes, just let the venison meat marinate for a long time, up to forty-eight hours.
Do you like barbecue? Well, venison meat can be used for that too. Just take a venison roast, put it in a crock pot and cover it with barbecue sauce. Allow the roast to cook all day on a low setting. Once it’s tender and cooked through, use a fork to shred the meat or cut it into small chunks. If you see any fat in the meat– it will have a somewhat silver appearance to it– make sure you cut that out. It isn’t something many people enjoy eating.
Of course, venison meat can be used alone, or if it’s ground, it can be combined with beef to stretch it. However, if you really want to stretch your budget and are lucky enough to have a hunter in your family then try using venison meat exclusively in your venison recipes.
There are quite a few benefits to using venison meat, both financial and health related. Of course the lean meat is a better choice than beef, but you also know that it’s probably fresher than what you can buy in the store. We’ve all wondered at some point or other how long that ground beef has been sitting on the shelf in the meat aisle. With venison, you probably have a good idea of exactly when the meat was processed. Not to mention buying store-bought meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics will cost you a pretty penny.
It might take your family a few tries to get used to the taste of venison. However, this really is one of those things that will pay off down the road. The next time someone wants to give you some venison meat, go ahead and take it. In fact, take as much as they are willing to share and do a little experimenting with your own venison recipes . You and your family may just find a new favorite!
