Venison pie | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

Does cooking venison longer make it more tender? ›

Large cuts of venison taste best when pot-roasted for several hours. If you have access to a crock pot, use any recipe for beef pot roast and you'll be pleasantly surprised. However, instead of cooking for two to four hours, venison may require substantially longer cooking time for the meat to become tender.

Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours, and no more than 12, before proceeding to cook it as you normally would. The calcium in milk contains enzymes that will tenderize the meat, and the main protein in milk will neutralize the gamey flavor.

Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.

Washing deer meat

Rinsing deer meat or venison before cooking is not recommended by food safety agencies. Like other meats, washing venison can spread contamination in a kitchen.

Using a dry rub, marinade, or brine will tenderize your meat, allowing you to cook the tough cuts in much the same way you would cook a tender cut. All of these methods infuse flavor and break down the meat, causing a tender juicy result in the finished product.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

For steaks, chops, and other thinner cuts, mechanical tenderizers are generally the best option. This includes crank or push-style cubers that use fine blades to sever the muscles into smaller lengths. For the hunter who processes a lot of game every year, these are a great investment.

Why you shouldn't soak deer meat? ›

Putting the meat in water allows bacteria (primarily E. coli) to grow and spread over the entire carcass. It also removes all of the flavor from the meat. Imagine eating a good ribeye after soaking it in water for a week.

Step into any restaurant featuring a la chasse-themed menu, and you can expect to find classic pairings such as venison with cranberries, apples, celeriac, butternut squash, brussels sprouts or Belgium endive.

Juniper Berries

Like other strongly flavored herbs, it stands up well to the meaty flavor and nearly tames it. Most recipes call for juniper berries to be crushed and mixed with other ingredients in a coating applied to the venison before cooking, or in a marinade or brine for soaking the meat before cooking.

When people describe venison taste and texture, they often use words like rich or earthy; this is a festive-tasting meat, often imbued with hints of the acorns, sage and herbs that the deer enjoyed during its life.

Loosen with 2 good lugs of olive oil. Pat the venison dry with some kitchen paper, and rub the oil mixture all over it. Sear the meat in a hot pan on all sides – roughly 6 minutes for medium rare, 7-8 minutes for medium, and you'd have to be a nutter if you wanted to cook it for any longer than that!

Completely thaw and cut venison into medium to small uniform pieces before placing in the slow cooker. This helps venison cook evenly and prevents bacteria from growing. Heat on high for 1 hour to maintain proper temperature. Do not lift the cover of the slow cooker during the cooking process.

Once your meat is seasoned or marinated, cook over medium-high heat until you achieve a nice sear on both sides. For the most tender venison, I recommend cooking to medium-rare or medium.