How to Remove Wild Taste From Venison

Farmed venison has a mild flavor, but ones caught in the wild can be gamy.

Venison is a term properly applied to the meat of any game animal, though in practice it is usually used only for deer, and to a lesser extent moose and elk. Today, most venison is farm raised and is processed in the same way as beef or lamb. This makes commercial venison tender and mild in flavor, compared to the wild-caught variety. Wild animals are typically older than the ones on farms, and have a less predictable diet. They are also killed and butchered under less controlled conditions. This makes the meat tough and gamy, which is traditionally countered with a red wine marinade.

Things You'll Need

• 2 loins or racks of venison, or other cuts as desired
• Paper towels
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Container with lid, just large enough for the venison
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 small onion
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 or 4 whole stems of fresh parsley
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, or one to two of dried
• 2 to 4 bay leaves
• 4 to 6 leaves fresh sage
• 1 tsp crushed black pepper
• 4 whole cloves (optional)
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 to 2 bottles red wine

Instructions

1. Pat dry the surfaces of the racks or loins with paper towels. Inspect them carefully for bone fragments or other debris, and wipe away as needed. If you are substituting a rolled cut of venison, make sure that it is rolled and tied tightly.

2. Peel and finely chop the carrot and onion, and put in the large container. Mince or crush the garlic and coarsely chop the sage leaves, then add the other flavoring ingredients to the container. Add the wine vinegar and the first bottle of wine, and stir well.

3. Place the venison in the container with the marinade. If there is not enough marinade to cover it entirely, add some or all of the second bottle of wine. Cover, and refrigerate for up to two days.

4. Remove the venison from its marinade and pat the surfaces dry with paper towel. Cook as directed in your favorite recipe.

Tips & Warnings

• The same marinade may be used to give these traditional flavors to tender farmed venison. Increase the flavorings by 50 percent, but only marinade the racks for four to six hours.

• A venison steak may be prepared for grilling by tenderizing with a meat mallet, then soaking in milk for one to two hours before cooking. This will also moderate the gaminess of the meat, but it is not practical for large cuts.

• Red currant jelly is traditionally served with venison, either as a condiment on the side of the plate or as an ingredient in the sauce.

• Wild caught venison must be handled with the same care as any other raw meat. Refrigerate or freeze the meat once the animal has been butchered, to avoid spoilage. Venison's flavor is best when served rare or medium-rare, but in areas where trichinosis is a problem it must be cooked well-done.

References

• "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, Revised Second Edition"; Harold S. McGee; 2004
• "Professional Cooking, 5th Ed."; Wayne Gisslen; 2003
• "Cooking Wild in Kate's Kitchen"; Kate Fiduccia; 2001
• USDA Food Safety Information Service: Game From Farm to Table