How to Cook Deer Meat on a Smoker

Smoke deer meat at home.

Deer meat is a type of meat that falls under the category of venison. Venison is a term used to describe antlered animals such as deer, moose, elk and reindeer. When cooking deer meat, there are several options available to you.Smoking deer meat creates a unique experience in dining because of the flavorings given to the meat by the wood chips added to the hot charcoal briquettes.

Instructions

1. Thaw frozen deer meat before putting it into the smoker. Frozen meats will not cook fully in a smoker because smokers rely on low-temperature heat to cook food.

2. Cut off any fat from the deer meat. If you leave the fat on the meat, it will stick to the roof of your mouth as you eat it and will diminish the experience of eating the smoked meat.

3. Marinade the deer meat in any spices or dressings you desire. You can marinade it in a simple blend of olive oil, vinegar, spices and herbs, salt and pepper. If possible, allow the meat to marinade over night in the refrigerator and wipe it off gently with a towel before placing it in the cooker. Otherwise, allow at least 20 minutes of marination before putting the meat in the smoker.

4. Soak 1/2 cup of any wood chips that you are using in the smoker in water for 10 to 15 minutes to prevent the chips from igniting. Some popular types of smoking wood chips are hickory, apple or maple wood chips.

5. Place charcoal briquettes into the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions and light them using lighter fluid. Allow the briquettes to heat up for about 10 or 20 minutes until they are reddish in color and covered with a gray ash.Add your wood chips to the briquettes after the fire subsides to add smoked flavor.

6. Pile the charcoal briquettes around the drip pan with thongs and fill the drip pan with water. The drip pan maintains a humid environment while catching any drippings of fat or juices from the meat.

7. Put the deer meat into the smoker and allow it to cook fully. This process can take as many as eight hours or as little as four hours. Deer meat should reach a core temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit before it is served. Use a cooking thermometer to determine the exact temperature.

8. Add between 10 and 15 briquettes every hour of cooking to maintain a constant temperature in the smoker.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are adding sauces to the deer meat for flavoring, put the sauce onto the meat no more than 15 minutes before the meat is done to prevent burning and crisping of the sauce.

References

• Global Village Institute for Appropriate Technology: Venison
• Food Safety and Inspection Services: Smoking Meat and Poultry
• Broek Arrow Ranch: What is Venison?