Venison care and cooking 101

Unlike shopping in a grocery store where you know nothing about the meat you buy, you know a lot about the venison you har­vest. You know its approximate age, what it’s been eating, and how it was taken. Once the animal is harvested, prompt field dressing is a must. Know how to do it and have the proper tools handy. Whoever said “cleanliness is next to godliness” must have been a cook. If the meat is spoiled in the field, nothing can rescue it in the kitchen. Be extremely careful field dressing the animal. Try not to open any organs as you remove them. Also cut out damaged meat around the bullet or arrow entrance and exit wounds, as these areas will contaminate the surrounding meat. One it’s cleaned and cooled, you need to make a decision. Even though you may want to age it to tenderize it, be cautious. If outdoor temperatures are forecast to be above 4˚C during the days you want to hang it, it’s safest to take it to a butcher instead. The term “venison” actually refers to the meat of many antlered game animals. Deer, moose, caribou, and elk can be handled and prepared the same way, and they are all deli­cious. To me, though, the best ani­mal for the table is a young grain-fed white-tailed deer that was shot with a bow in an agricultural area. Do it yourself or not? If you’re good at home butchering and have a proper place to do it, go for it. Otherwise, find a butcher who will process game before you hunt. Some will cut game after the store is closed, so they can clean butcher­ing areas and utensils to prevent any cross contamination with domestic animals. Otherwise, check out spe­cialty game butchers in your area. Ask the butcher how long he will age the meat, if he will give you the cuts you want, how much it costs, what kind of casings he uses for the sausage (I prefer natural), will he blend pork into ground venison if you want, and what type of wrap he uses. Look for one that will vacuum seal the meat for you. Many use regular butcher wrap. Versatile venison I usually get the first deer ground into burger. A third of it is used for spaghetti sauces and chili, and a third is mixed with ground pork (¼ pound ground