# Who else soaks there venison in Salt water?



## wvbowhunter. (Jan 20, 2013)

Always loved deer meat, but then found out about 6 years ago from my mother in law that its even better if you soak it in salt water it will take the blood out of the meat, taking the game taste out of it. Man was she right, ever since ive always prepared it like this. 

Do most people do this? im not sure if this is a well known thing or not figured i would share just in case it isnt.


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## cavscout1982 (May 22, 2013)

Hmmm. No. But maybe I'll try it. How long and how salty? We soak our feral hogs in milk or ice water, but never deer. Do you do it with all cuts, even a roast?


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## wy_will (Mar 14, 2013)

Soaking in beer is pretty awesome. That is what I usually marinade my meat in.


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## jeepw2 (Mar 15, 2006)

Only if I'm going to smoke the meat. 

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## Matt G (Dec 11, 2005)

Not to start a war here. But I never really understood the description of "gamey" taste of meat. When I ask people to described lamb, they describe it by saying it is gamey. I feel gamey is giving to any meat other then pork beef or chicken. I just hate the term.

But no I don't soak it in salt water.... I would think it would make it gross looking like if you thaw out a steak in warm water and have the bag leak and has that water logged look.


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## Rhody Hunter (Jul 14, 2008)

What you are talking about is brining . Most of the time this is done on none red meat. I have never tried it on venison or beef .
I think I remember a cooking show saying it would make it mushy ? 
Like said does it give the meat a gray look when you do this ?


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## sethro02 (Jul 5, 2008)

I trim all silver skin , etc, no gamey taste, I've soaked the meat in numerous things and haven't found a difference as long as its prepped, I didn't think my steaks were as juicy when I soaked them in salt water, some people use milk too.


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## sethro02 (Jul 5, 2008)

Rhody Hunter said:


> What you are talking about is brining . Most of the time this is done on none red meat. I have never tried it on venison or beef .
> I think I remember a cooking show saying it would make it mushy ?
> Like said does it give the meat a gray look when you do this ?


Yes it will be gray


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## Rhody Hunter (Jul 14, 2008)

Well if it turns it grey then I will skip it. Doesn't sound appetizing having grey meat.
I do dry salt , or put on rubs on meat with good results


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## Chopayne (Mar 2, 2013)

saltwater would dry it out wouldnt it?


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## 270Bowman (May 20, 2012)

Once I quarter it up, I soak put in the cooler with salt and ice for a few days. Not a lot of salt. Before I cook it, I usually marinade it in some dark lager beer.


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## Bucks & Bulls (Jun 8, 2011)

When I cut the deer up all the meat gets tossed in a cooler with some ice and I leave in there up to two days. I drain the blood out and add more ice if needed. The more blood you get out the better the meat will taste. I don't add anything with the ice.

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## MEM (Jul 9, 2010)

While hunting in NC in December I saw a local take his deer (after skinning) and put the meat in a large cooler with water and salt. I was told the salt water removes all the blood. I don't believe I'll be trying this method the meat didn't look good. I have soaked game birds in salt water, but I won't be trying this method on venison.


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## Nicksbait (Jul 3, 2010)

I've never heard of soaking anything other then rabbits in salt water. I like to hang mine 7-10 days in the cooler. I went to a game processing seminar two years ago with a guy that owns a deer farm and he said he hangs his personal deer a minimum of 2 weeks. Rigamortis is another concern I believe it takes about three days for the muscles to relax. If treated right I've never heard of the blood causing an off taste...most of that strong flavor comes from the fat. 

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## Pete53 (Dec 5, 2011)

try soaking it in milk over nite in the fridge.draws blood out,meat does not dry out,also helps make meat more tender .


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## nicko (Feb 17, 2006)

Pete53 said:


> try soaking it in milk over nite in the fridge.draws blood out,meat does not dry out,also helps make meat more tender .


I have heard this too but have not yet tried it. The milk is said to break down the collagen fibers in the meat making it more tender.


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## Squirrel (Aug 6, 2008)

I've tried both salt water and milk. I prefer just a good marinade. But wife despises deer meat so we've tried cooking and preparing it many ways. She will still only eat it ground in stuff like chili. No she won't like it how "you" cook, we get that all the time. It's a mental block with her in my opinion.


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## BvrHunter (Apr 8, 2010)

I have tried both Milk and Salt Water soaking and neither gave me the :wow: factor - If your really trying to get the gamey taste out of the meat a good marinade is what you need. Trim all the fat and silver and soak in your prefered marinade for atleast 24 hours. That works for me anyways, although I do it for flavor not because I don't like the gamey taste. Some of my best deer steaks come off the hook and right on the grill no marinade or anything just a little seasoning while cooking  MMMMM I'm hungry now! I think I may try the Dark Lagar Beer soak next


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## horsehands (Jul 25, 2012)

We have soaked venison in ice water and a little apple cider vinegar for years.The meat never turned any color.Helps tame the wild taste down.Deer that dont have access to crop land or hay ground definitely have a stronger taste,just like grass fed or corn fed beef.


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## Chopayne (Mar 2, 2013)

horsehands said:


> We have soaked venison in ice water and a little apple cider vinegar for years.The meat never turned any color.Helps tame the wild taste down.Deer that dont have access to crop land or hay ground definitely have a stronger taste,just like grass fed or corn fed beef.


As in better or worse?


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## Pete53 (Dec 5, 2011)

some of those big nasty smell`n bucks in rut,i have also soaked the quarters and loins in cold water with ice, salt and also apple vinegar for a couple of days.and then when i prepare meat for cooking the day before i season meat and soak it in milk over nite in fridge. i really think it helps. also helps if you did gut shoot an animal this method too.its worth a try. and if you grill put bacon on top of meat as the bacon and venison cook together it really helps.make sure you start to cook bacon first then add venison do not cook the deer or elk meat to long.this is my favorite and my families too ,it usually takes me three beers before i am done with the grilling !


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## jacobh (Jun 7, 2009)

I've heard of water and a small amount of vinegar for taking the blood meat out but not salt water but if its good go for it


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## 5MilesBack (Feb 28, 2007)

Salt draws the blood out......so I won't even put salt type seasoning on the meat until I'm ready to cook it. Blood = good. Grey meat = bad.


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## jpk84 (May 18, 2012)

I only soak rabbits in salt water to draw the blood out


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## nicko (Feb 17, 2006)

Grey meat = yuk.


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## MDJB12 (Jul 15, 2011)

Occasionally if I'm preparing venison for someone who hasnt eaten it before, I'll soak some steaks in milk over night. I've had lots of people tell me that it works. I've also hear that cooking it with lots of tomatoe, like in a stew or chili, taco meat, etc. can help with the gaminess.


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## sleepymoe (Jul 13, 2007)

If well taken care of I like the venison taste.

If anything a light salt/pepper/lawrys, and a light coating of teriyaki

I've boiled pork ribs then a dry rub and smoke, but never soaked venison


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## Outdoorsman63 (Aug 22, 2011)

I've only used the salt water soak on small game like squirrels and rabbits. The gamey taste comes from the fat and silver skin. It's not like beef where a little fat helps with the flavor.


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## STKA (Apr 4, 2011)

Just found this video, looks like a pretty good reference.


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## Skunkworkx (Apr 2, 2011)

The "gamey taste" I hear from a lot of people is really dependent on the location. Here in Maryland we go from mountains to farms to swamps and yes you can taste the differances...Corn feed Vs. Acorns.
A buddy who moved here from Wyoming was telling me about the deer out there tasting like sage since it was their main food.

A beer in the crock-pot with a roast instead of water.  Good stuff, just use a lager/stout/dark beer


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## Arky1cam (Jan 3, 2008)

It is pretty simple...Just age it in Ice chest! had a butcher tells several of us this 20 years ago!! I know of hundreds of hunters around here that does it!!! qtr deer up, put in ice chest with ice....drain water daily and add ice as necessary for 5 DAYS!!!! NEVER any gamey taste!!!

I cant understand why ANYONE would not do this....I hunt other states and find guys there doing the same thing!! My household kills 10-12 a year and we DO NOT buy beef! But If I had to kill it then put it up without aging it......We would have a bunch of left overs!

GF


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## Nicksbait (Jul 3, 2010)

I know a lot of guys that have picked up really cheap..or sometimes free fridges for hanging. Just gut the fridge and hang your quarters in there. Aging is the best method I think. 

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## A.J.01 (Dec 16, 2011)

Stab your steak with a fork all over on both sides. Soak it in Zesty Italian dressing and cover in the fridge. Let it soak for at least a day. 3 to 5 days is better. Cook on low heat on the grill. Cook to medium. The steak will blow your mind.


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## Kb83 (Dec 17, 2011)

A trick I got a while back from a butcher is my favorite way to cook red meat. Especially steak. Set your steaks of the counter, salt the side that is up, and let come up to room temp before cooking. Works great with roasts as well. Great flavor, very tender with out tenderizing and no grey meat. 

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## SteveB (Dec 18, 2003)

Can't imagine wanting to soak the flavor out.


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## DUCKORBLEED (Dec 17, 2008)

Its not fish or morels lol.. its venison red meat. Try soaking in italian dressing.


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## Kb83 (Dec 17, 2011)

SteveB said:


> Can't imagine wanting to soak the flavor out.


Depends on where you live. If you live in farm land then I agree. Now I have had venison from northern michigan and the UP. Tastes like crap. All they eat is nuts and tree bark. Horrible tasting. 

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## rut hunt (Jun 8, 2012)

I like to take the whole loin divide it into 3 sections then just split each section to half the original loin thickness. Makes for some good hearty thick steaks and being thicker they are harder to over cook. 
We sprinkle a little meat tenderizer, lawrys, worsheteir sauce( very little), chopped onion and any other good stak seasoning rub it on both sides then drizzle veg oil over the. So they are coated let sit for a couple hours then grill just like a steak


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## da white shoe (Mar 10, 2009)

I always soak the tender loins in salt water over night in the fridge.
No need to do it with back straps or anything else.


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## Maddog10 (Nov 4, 2010)

I soak my fish in salt water, but not red meat... Throw it in some zesty Italian, some Worcestershire, and a drop of soy sauce and call her done.


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## chaded (Jan 15, 2011)

Umm...No. I don't soak venison in salt water. Only thing I will soak it in is a marinade sometimes.


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## Billy H (May 20, 2012)

I love venison just the way it is straight from the deer. Never did understand all the guys that soak, and the guys that cover their game meat in hot sauce before they eat it. I know a guy that puts the hottest peppers he can find on his venison and says it enhances the meat, just ridiculous. Some people just don't know how to prepare and cook game. But hey,, to each his own.


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## bsites9 (Mar 22, 2008)

I used to soak the quarters in salty/icy water for up to a week. Then I realized it didn't matter. Now, I quarter, and put it on top of bags of ice in the cooler. Still drains the blood out (which I prefer just for butchering and cooking reasons) but doesn't leave the meat wet and slippery. (again, for butchering reasons). 

The "grey" meat people are getting from soaking is no big deal. Its not like it's grey all the way through. Just on the outter most part. Just trim it and cook. 

I do believe it "aging" the meat. Getting the blood out is the only thing that I've personally noticed that changes/improves the taste of the meat. Whichever way you wanna do it works...but going waterless is much neater when it comes to butchering.


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## elcid99 (May 4, 2013)

I grew up watching my granddaddy hang up dressed deer for a week plus in his shop...not a cooler (yeah...in South Carolina). When he decided it was right, he would butcher the deer. I know few do this today, but back then they nailed duck bills to a board & didn't eat them until the body fell from the neck...I still find ducks taste better after a few days in the cooler before cleaning. Deer are different for me...I pretty much butcher them, let them sit in the cooler for several days on a rack w ice beneath...no water...before freezing.


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## CamoCop (May 19, 2009)

Bucks & Bulls said:


> When I cut the deer up all the meat gets tossed in a cooler with some ice and I leave in there up to two days. I drain the blood out and add more ice if needed. The more blood you get out the better the meat will taste. I don't add anything with the ice.
> 
> Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2


this is what i do. i prop up one end and leave the drain plug out. this way the blood and any water from the melted ice will drain from the cooler. i don't soak any meat in water. like mentioned above, i have never experienced "gamey" meat. i just assumed that the term "gamey" was used by city folk who have never eaten fresh meat before. they are just use to all the steroid injected meat they get from a grocery store.


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## BowKil (Mar 19, 2005)

I never had any need to do anything to venison other then to kill it right, clean it right, store it right, and cook it right. I don't normally wrap my venison in bacon, but I had 6 strips left in the pack and figured I give it a shot. There's a roast under there somewhere.......and it was spectacular!!!






Here's some backstrap filets. No soaking in milk, saltwater, dressing or anything else. Just some salt and pepper.


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## jacobh (Jun 7, 2009)

OP do u butcher right away? Best thing to do is cut up and cool down ASAP. A lot of the gamey taste is due to rigamortise. I think if u try this u will see the meat tastes better and is more tender. If u hang wait until the rigor. Is out then cut up and freeze


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## Rev44 (Dec 19, 2008)

Kb83 said:


> Depends on where you live. If you live in farm land then I agree. Now I have had venison from northern michigan and the UP. Tastes like crap. All they eat is nuts and tree bark. Horrible tasting.
> 
> sent from my LG Escape.


?? I have shot a lot of deer here. Never had one taste like crap.


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## Corinth Hunter (May 6, 2009)

Yes, I have soaked deer meat for many years in salt water. After thawing put in bowl cover with water and add some salt. Let it soak about an hours then rinse off. It will draw some of blood out and tenderize the meat. It won't taste salty. Don't soak too long or it can lose flavor. 

For you new comers to deer hunting that think deer is tough try this. It will make a difference.


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## E. Johnson (Jan 17, 2009)

I always soak mine in salt water for a couple hours changing the water several times. After the salt water I will soak it in Coke for an hour or so then use my rub before it goes on the grill. I don't use a lot of salt and it does draw the blood out and doesn't dry the meat out. This is the only way I can get my Wife to eat deer meat.


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## deerhuntinsunof (Mar 15, 2012)

Soak mine In vinagar an saltwater can't tell the difference from steak

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## j1b (Jul 9, 2011)

Squirrel said:


> I've tried both salt water and milk. I prefer just a good marinade. But wife despises deer meat so we've tried cooking and preparing it many ways. She will still only eat it ground in stuff like chili. No she won't like it how "you" cook, we get that all the time. It's a mental block with her in my opinion.


I'm in this boat!


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## azarrowflinger (Aug 8, 2005)

I've almost gotta soak it in milk if I plan on eating it for more than a couple days. I can eat elk for many days on end just fine, but the second day of deer, meh gotta change it a bit.


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## ManOfKnight (Mar 5, 2009)

I soak my meat in icy salt water. The salt will allow the water to get below freezing...allowing more blood to come out while keeping the bacteria growth to a minimum. I normally soak for a week or so.


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## wvbowhunter. (Jan 20, 2013)

E. Johnson said:


> I always soak mine in salt water for a couple hours changing the water several times. After the salt water I will soak it in Coke for an hour or so then use my rub before it goes on the grill. I don't use a lot of salt and it does draw the blood out and doesn't dry the meat out. This is the only way I can get my Wife to eat deer meat.


this is what i do i just keep changing the water out and it draws a lot of the blood out... i personally dont mind the taste of deer, but as you said it gets my family to enjoy it more.


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## wvbowhunter. (Jan 20, 2013)

jacobh said:


> OP do u butcher right away? Best thing to do is cut up and cool down ASAP. A lot of the gamey taste is due to rigamortise. I think if u try this u will see the meat tastes better and is more tender. If u hang wait until the rigor. Is out then cut up and freeze


i usually just hang them up then imediatly chop into roast, steaks, and back straps then cool them down in the fridge then whenever i have time (within 24hrs or so) grind up what i want into jerky and burger, and freeze leftover steaks and roasts. 

I always let them hang when it was cold for a day or so, but last few seasons have been so warm its hard to do that unless you kill them in december.


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## xman59 (Jan 19, 2009)

ice water for a few days in the chest and before cooking always soak it in salt water,,, it draws the blood out which is what causes the strong taste in most meat,, the salt does not soak into the meat after soaking i simpy wash off with cold tap water


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## S.F. steve (Mar 1, 2010)

i live 10 miles from lake erie, 20 miles from the penn line and nobody around here uses salt water that i know of. gut it where you find it and get it to the butcher asap unless your butchering it yourself. use steak seasoning on the steaks and you are good to go. we have also marinated steaks in zesty italian salad dressing. one year my brother shot a couple of deer in west virginia on a gun hunt and i asked him what in the hell did you do to them,they tasted really gamey. here in the ne corner of ohio i would rather eat our venison than beef, it's that good and all you need is a frying pan.


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## wvbowhunter. (Jan 20, 2013)

Bowkil,,,,,Your on the right track wraping in bacon is the way to go. i always take the back straps and make deer filet minion, try thick cut peppered bacon too, i found its the best. Unless of course you cant stand peppered bacon.


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## Kb83 (Dec 17, 2011)

Rev44 said:


> ?? I have shot a lot of deer here. Never had one taste like crap.


You ever tasted corn fed deer? Lol I would take the deer down here over up there any day. To me they taste bad. Now if it was all I ever had I may not notice. 

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## Billy H (May 20, 2012)

S.F. steve said:


> here in the ne corner of ohio i would rather eat our venison than beef, it's that good and all you need is a frying pan.



You can count southeast Pa. in on that. I would rather eat venison the any store bought beef.


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## lunglancer (Jul 30, 2009)

Have always thawed it in salt water over night and the next day in milk, can cut it with a fork. Doesn't dry it out at all.


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## Kb83 (Dec 17, 2011)

Biggest thing is to get the meat cooled.down quickly. What we always do is hang it, skin it, put a bag of ice in the chest cavity and wrap the whole thing with plastic. Let it hang there for a few days if its cold or we have a gutted fridge with hooks if its warmer. I have heard that straight from the same butcher that gave me the other tip. Get the meat cooled quick and let it age some. I'll take his advice. 30+ years as a commercial butcher plus he processes deer at his house. Few hundred a year. I love watching the guy cut up deer. 45 mins or less from hanging to packaged in the cooler. Burger and all. 

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## wvbowhunter. (Jan 20, 2013)

i have a small mini fridge im not using, can you still age it after you chop it up into nice roast sizes and backstraps or is it best to be left in quarters or the deer whole? 

like i said weve had really warm seasons lately usually 50's and sometimes up to 70's on some november days. I just cant leave them hanging.


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## Hokiehunter06 (Sep 4, 2008)

The majority of our deer we quarter and soak in ice water overnight before processing. We eat some fresh that isn't soaked in anything, and it tastes just fine too. Soaking it will pull blood out of bloodshot meat, but we trim most bloodshot meat out anyway.


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## Buckin doe (May 11, 2013)

That's the only sure way to do it right! pure salt water! draw the blood out! The blood is what give that meat a game taste to deer. so if you get rid of the blood u get rid of the game taste. have you ever gone to a true steak house with aged steak? they age it to insure no trace of blood is found in the steak which brings out the flavor of the meat and fat.


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## CamoCop (May 19, 2009)

Buckin doe said:


> That's the only sure way to do it right! pure salt water! draw the blood out! The blood is what give that meat a game taste to deer. so if you get rid of the blood u get rid of the game taste. have you ever gone to a true steak house with aged steak? they age it to insure no trace of blood is found in the steak which brings out the flavor of the meat and fat.


actually aging meat brings out the flavor. by aging the meat it is hung in a cooler where the cold air draws the moisture out of the meat which increases the flavor. this process also allows the enzymes to start breaking down the connective tissue which makes the meat more tender. leaving meat submerged in water does not exactly pull the moisture from the meat. blood will naturally seep out from the meat and when it is mixed with water, it looks like there is far more blood than there actually is. so you get the illusion that it's "drawing the blood" out.


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## Chopayne (Mar 2, 2013)

Buckin doe said:


> That's the only sure way to do it right! pure salt water! draw the blood out! The blood is what give that meat a game taste to deer. so if you get rid of the blood u get rid of the game taste. have you ever gone to a true steak house with aged steak? they age it to insure no trace of blood is found in the steak which brings out the flavor of the meat and fat.


Thats due to the aging process, not the salt sucking it out.


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## wy_will (Mar 14, 2013)

Sam Adams Boston Lager.


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## Varmintwade (Jun 17, 2012)

Yes we soak deer in salt water. My mother could cook deer and the people who "didn't care for deer meat" would really eat it up! This was a normal procedure for deer....... When processing the meat don't cut through any bone. Bone meal from deer is bitter. Remove all fat, tendons, and the gray/silver membranes on the meat. Wrap tight and freeze it. When she got it out of the freezer to cook for supper she would take it out early in the morning before work. Put it in a glass or plastic bowl with a handful of salt and a cup of vinegar. Add enough water so the meat was completely covered and let it thaw all day long. When she got home from work the meat would be pale in color and the water would be bloody colored. Rinse it off with water, salt ,pepper, batter with flour and cook it in lard. It was as good as any pork or beef I have ever had. And no the meat didn't taste like vinegar.


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## Nicksbait (Jul 3, 2010)

wvbowhunter. said:


> i have a small mini fridge im not using, can you still age it after you chop it up into nice roast sizes and backstraps or is it best to be left in quarters or the deer whole?
> 
> like i said weve had really warm seasons lately usually 50's and sometimes up to 70's on some november days. I just cant leave them hanging.


I don't see why not. The closer you get the fridge to 32 the better off you'll be. My cooler stays 34-35 degrees and about 90% humidity which is really good for aging deer. The only problem with aging without the hide on is you will have to trim the outside layer off due to it drying out that's all. I normally don't let any water touch my venison. If its hung right there should be no need to soak it at all. 

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## DV1 (Dec 12, 2004)

Buckin doe said:


> That's the only sure way to do it right! pure salt water! draw the blood out! The blood is what give that meat a game taste to deer. so if you get rid of the blood u get rid of the game taste. have you ever gone to a true steak house with aged steak? they age it to insure no trace of blood is found in the steak which brings out the flavor of the meat and fat.



They age it for up to 21 days in the fridge, no salt water or marinades. You should try this with your venison steaks and, backstraps. Maybe not 21 days, but at least one week. I let mine sit in the fridge in a sealed tupperware container for minimum of 5 days after it's thawed. Bring it out, sprinkle with whatever type of seasoning you prefer, let come to room temperature(sit out about 30 minutes), then grill it. And don't over-cook it. Alot of what people consider "gamey" venison is really just over-cooked venison. It you cook it well done, it will taste "gamey", with few exceptions.

You guys soaking them in salt water are messing up great cuts of meat. If it's trimmed correctly, and was aged before butchering (5-7 days in a cooler before buchering) it will be great table fare. Save the bringing (salt water soaks) for poultry.


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## camohunter24736 (Oct 15, 2007)

this is a cool thread. some good ideas here that I think I will try this season. I have always cut up my deer which ever way was most convenient for me. I like the way venison tastes so it never made much difference. Now that I have a fiance who was not raised eating it I need to try some more ways to get her to eat it more. or she will have to become a vegetarian.


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## Nicksbait (Jul 3, 2010)

Here is a pretty good read on venison, butchering and aging. http://www.chefdepot.net/agingwildgame.htm

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## dblungem (Dec 2, 2008)

I'm thankful I live in a state where the venison is great just as it comes out of the animal. To me, soaking in salt water, purging the meat of all blood and turning it grey is not my idea of appetizing. I don't taste "gamey" at all, I taste venison.


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## DV1 (Dec 12, 2004)

Nicksbait said:


> Here is a pretty good read on venison, butchering and aging. http://www.chefdepot.net/agingwildgame.htm
> 
> Sent from my Motorola Electrify using Tapatalk 2


I do most of what he has written, minus the bone saw. I don't like bone dust in my meat, so everything is de-boned with knives. I sometimes use a vaccum sealer but have found that clear plastic wrap on the meat, then wraped in freezer paper is better. The key is to keep air off the meat and the clear pastic wrap adheres to the surface of the meat, totally protecting it. You can keep meat wrapped in freezer for years like this without freezer burn.


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## treetops (May 17, 2011)

Another vote on the aging process making the deer taste better! We have 2 processors we use. The first hangs in a cooler for 7 days before butchering. The other may call you on your way home from dropping off the deer to tell you it's ready!!
The aged deer is incredible! It's alos totally free of fat and silverskin. The other, well...it's sometimes edible.


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## bighunter69 (Sep 10, 2012)

Aging deer meat really isn't necessary. Deer meat has very little fat content and thats what is effected by aging the most. The way you prep your animal from the time you kill it to the time you eat it has alot to do with taste. Do it wrong and it tastes terrible but if you do it right it is awesome. If you want to soak it in something try buttermilk. It helps get any blood out and tenderizes the meat as well. Papaya juice will do the same. Thats just my 2 cents.


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## Nicksbait (Jul 3, 2010)

DV1 said:


> I do most of what he has written, minus the bone saw. I don't like bone dust in my meat, so everything is de-boned with knives. I sometimes use a vaccum sealer but have found that clear plastic wrap on the meat, then wraped in freezer paper is better. The key is to keep air off the meat and the clear pastic wrap adheres to the surface of the meat, totally protecting it. You can keep meat wrapped in freezer for years like this without freezer burn.


No bone saw for me either. Dragging the marrow/bone dust through a good steak isn't very appetizing to me. That actually was the main reason I built a cooler and process all my own deer now. That and my boxes always seemed light to me...atleast now I know what I start with and know what I end up with. 

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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

Never ever.


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