I hear a lot of people say "That deer is too old, the meat wouldn't be very good". When I used to watch hunting shows they would always shoot a monster old buck and let it sit out all night before retrieving it. At what age on the deer do people stop wanting to eat the meat?
To eat or not to eat
- Thread starter Dustinb80
- Start date
HeartLunger
Junior Member
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As longs as the meat isn't contaminated or infected it's always good, in my opinion. For an older deer I would use cooking methods such as braising, stewing, or for those of us who are busy, crockpot cookery.
The fact about muscles is the more they are used the tastier they become. The less a muscle is used the more tender it is. This is why veal is so tender but not very flavorful.
The fact about muscles is the more they are used the tastier they become. The less a muscle is used the more tender it is. This is why veal is so tender but not very flavorful.
I don't care if it is a 10yr old deer. I'll eat it. The TV shows that leave them lay out and then parade them around? I am thinking that meat is not eaten. Guess I am never going to be a TV guy. "Hit record fellas because i am not stopping for an interview. Post hunt commentary can capture footage of quartering this sucker out!" (We have had a warm fall. If it is 20-30 degrees outside i am not as rushed.)
Spencie
Senior Member
If taken care of properly the meat will be good. Let it sit out in the warm air too long or get intestinal matter on it and it will be nasty.
DITTO to what HL and Phil both said! Ain't a damn thing wrong with mature deer venison! I'd let it age(hang) a week in a cooler or outside with the hide on providing the weather allows you to just to tenderize it more.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
Only meat I ever thought was bad tasting was an old pissed up rutting and running all night buck. Didn't matter what I did it taste like crap. Most of it ended up being bacon rollups.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Same here on age, not sure if I've had anything over a 3 1/2 year old though. Backstraps will always be good and as far as the rest you will have some good steaks off the hams you can wrap in bacon and they'll taste superb! Crock pot is always a great way to tenderize just about anything like HL said.
As far as the photo ops and all the other bull crap you see these guys doing these days I often ask myself if they actually butcher the deer or just throw it away. Too warm of weather this year to let a deer sit over night and then waste 5 hours dragging it around to a better backdrop so they can take pictures with their sponsor's products. Sickening....
As far as the photo ops and all the other bull crap you see these guys doing these days I often ask myself if they actually butcher the deer or just throw it away. Too warm of weather this year to let a deer sit over night and then waste 5 hours dragging it around to a better backdrop so they can take pictures with their sponsor's products. Sickening....
If I think it maybe a tuff one I keep the tenderloins and back straps and then have a lot of it ground up into hamburger with some beef mixed in to give it a little grease. Never had tuff venison hamburger.
Unless you're talking about the inner loins, there's no difference in flavor between a fawn or an old buck IMO. HL hit the nail on the head with the difference between flavor and tenderness. Joe's method is also spot on.
Venison that doesn't taste well was either not handled properly and/or not prepared properly. Age really has no influence on taste at the table IMO.
Venison that doesn't taste well was either not handled properly and/or not prepared properly. Age really has no influence on taste at the table IMO.
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
I disagree because i've never had a problem except for a couple older pissed up bucks that had a bad taste and it wasn't handled improper. I have many years of experience handling deer and never had a problem until those 2 deer a couple years ago. They were both killed in the morning and both were exhausted from running does all night. Both of the bucks stunk like hell from piss and I'm sure that had something to do with it along with being run down so much.
These were the only 2 deer I ever had with a bad taste. Both were over 5.5 years old.
I respect your opinion and experience. I've put 3 6.5 year old deer in the freezer who also had piss stained hocks. They tasted just fine. I'm not speaking in absolutes when I say it comes to handling and preparation, but I do believe those are huge influences on the quality of the meal. Every deer is different, so every meal will be as well.
Taxi told me the deer I got last year was 9+. You can't tell the difference. I did shoot him in ML season though too and not during the rut.
Been taking deer since 1967 and eaten over 50 plus 2 elk and sheep. Never had a bad tasting one and I've have some 200-240 lb damn old field dressed bucks. Even shot one 200 lb buck in 75 degree weather and kept it on ice for 3 days before going home. It was fine.
My dad taught me in 1967 to soak strong deer meat in plain cold water until the blood stops coming out. As a matter of fact I had 2 deer hanging when the wife had to go into the hospital. I went out and the smell was strong, soaked it in plain water and all smell went away and was aged the best ever.
As to the question of too old? Never just process it correctly.
My dad taught me in 1967 to soak strong deer meat in plain cold water until the blood stops coming out. As a matter of fact I had 2 deer hanging when the wife had to go into the hospital. I went out and the smell was strong, soaked it in plain water and all smell went away and was aged the best ever.
As to the question of too old? Never just process it correctly.
Depending on age, I will butcher differently. Does that are 1.5 and younger, along with button bucks, I will steak out the whole hind quarters except the small rump roast's, and steak out 1 of the loins and cut the other one in half and package them seperately for grilling whole. The rest of it gets ground up. Does that are 2.5 and older get the loins cut the same, and only the sirloins steaked out, and the rest of the hind end remains in roast's. Bucks get the loins steaked out, the hind ends all seperated into roast's, along with neck roast's, front shoulder roast's, then the rest ground up. Between all those different cuts, my favorite are the loins from mature bucks, as they have more flavor IMO. And then the meat from button bucks is pretty tender and has good flavor to it. I love the flavor of all deer meat, but Does are usually more tender but less of the deer flavor I love. The only bad tasting venison I ever had is stuff that comes from the professional butchers that use band saws and cut through fat and bone, transferring it throughout the meat. IMO, that's where most people who say they dont care for deer meat have gotten the bad taste from