My old buck don't taste like my brothers doe

[clfergus]

Well - Got my first deer this year after a shutout in my first year. He was a 10 point buck.

He died quickly, I field dressed right away and took him to the Archers.

We have have some ground with suet and strap so far. I am not gonna say he tastes horrible but after having some of my brothers doe sausage and ground he does taste way more gamey.

Is the major reason due to the amount of testosterone he had when killed? He neck was swollen bad and it was during prime rut.

In any case, I don't want to have to soak my meat in milk or salt water like i keep reading so next year it will be does only.

 

[Sailor]

My neck swollen buck this year tastes the same as doe. I process my own though. The gamey flavor is from the fat in my experience. I take a lot of time to remove it all.

For ground meat, some processors do not return your own ground meat, so it could be anybody's gut shot left in the sun deer.

For the straps, it is not beef it will have a stronger taste. Try this, warm up some fresh crushed garlic and rosemary in olive oil, on the stove. Let it cool and use as a marinade for an hour or 2. Salt and pepper and grill to medium rare.

Or if you want to kill all venison flavor, marinate over night in apple cider, then wrap in bacon and grill, and sauce with your favorite bbq sauce. This is my recipe for those I dont eat deer people.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

It can also depend on what the deer's been eating.

We all know that grain-fed beef tastes different than grass-fed (as they're supposed to be)

If a deer's been munching corn/beans it'd taste different than if he'd been eating a lot of, oh, say acorns.

could also be the spice mixes used in the preps of the sausage, too.

-J-

 

[shibumiseeker]

What indyguy and sailor said. I trim ALL the fat I can when I process. Aside from getting leaner meat, it removes a lot of the stronger flavor. The deer around me have access to a fair amount of grain as well since there are a few fields nearby. I prefer doe, but this year I got a buck, and he had a lot of bodyfat. We're just finishing up venison still in the freezer so I haven't had any of the new one yet, but I processed him mostly for ground and will use it in chili and spaghetti sauce and the like and other dishes that I can spice up.

 

[Expat]

I have never tasted a buck in rut that tasted as good as a doe or button buck. They just have a stronger flavor. Cutting out the fat and silverskin helps.

 

[vthokie]

Soak the meat in salt water for about 6 hours chaning the water ever couple of hours then soak it over night in a mixture of 80% water, 20 % apple cider vinegar and garlic powder. This will tenderize the meat and take out most of the gaminess.

 

[CountryBoy19]

What indyguy and sailor said. I trim ALL the fat I can when I process. Aside from getting leaner meat, it removes a lot of the stronger flavor. The deer around me have access to a fair amount of grain as well since there are a few fields nearby. I prefer doe, but this year I got a buck, and he had a lot of bodyfat. We're just finishing up venison still in the freezer so I haven't had any of the new one yet, but I processed him mostly for ground and will use it in chili and spaghetti sauce and the like and other dishes that I can spice up.

This^^^

That is why I process my own. Most places just simply can't take the time to trim all the fat. I can take the time, and I do take it.

If I want summer sausage or something made, I'll trim and cube the meat up at home then take it to a processor.

As a matter of fact, just cubed up about 25 lbs of meat the other night from a buck that a coworker shot and dropped off. I'll be taking that to the processor next week to get summer sausage made.

 

[Leadeye]

I'm in the process your own group and it gets done as soon as the animal is back from the check station allowing for temperature, colder meat is easier to work with. Some folks might find it wrong but I usually skip much of the front shoulder as that's where the slug goes through in addition to having lots of small muscle groups surrounded by silverskin. I don't field dress but haul the animal to a barn and field dress it there hanging from its back legs. Keeps the meat cleaner.

 

[Eddie]

All good advice so far. I have always preffered the flavor of a fat doe over a buck. Processing your own meat is the best quality control you can have. If you are butchering meat for yourself and something doesn't look right you will cut it out rather than leave it in. Diet can make a big different, particularly in a late harvest year where the deer have a lot of standing corn to feed on. Some guys are big believes in removing the glands from a buck's hind legs but I don't think it does much to change the flavor. I typically mix my deerburger with hamburger to give it some fat for frying. I tenderize my deersteaks, cut them into strips and roll them up with bacon to make pinwheels. The extra fat, especially from bacon, will help flavor the meat and make it cook a bit more tender. The marinade that sailor mentioned is also a good idea although I prefer to use about a cup of red wine with it.

 

[paperboy]

I have only taken 1 deer that was strong tasting and he was an in rut, swollen kneck 180 lb. 12 pt. Buck. I do think big ones are gamier than does/button bucks. I myself am not a trophy hunter, I won't pass up a buck but I prefer to get does/button bucks. I also process my own deer, this way I know the deer I get is mine. My brother took a deer into a place one year that just piled them in a refrig. unit. There were probably 50-60 deer laying ontop of one another. It just grossed me out!! It's not hard to process yourself and really all you need is a grinder. I also don't add ANY fat to my ground meet, I prefer it lean. I also cut as much fat off of any steak/roast that I can. That will help take away the gamey taste. I have been butchering my own deer for the last 10-12 years and won't do it any other way.

 

[parson]

I lived in Maryland for 10 years. There was very little agriculture in our area so the deer pretty much browsed on whatever they found in the woods. None of the deer that I took there had as good of a flavor as those taken here in Indiana.

Also, +1 for processing your own.

 

[yotewacker]

I read an article published by Uncle Sam. It stated that deer should not be considered good tasting if the animal lived for 30 seconds after it was shot. It explained in about 4 pages of details that every 5 seconds a deer lived after being shot, what was happening to his body and how it affected the taste. And no deer would taste right if it got startled and ran after being shot. For this reason I stopped using a bow several years ago.

 

[boljr01]

I read an article published by Uncle Sam. It stated that deer should not be considered good tasting if the animal lived for 30 seconds after it was shot. It explained in about 4 pages of details that every 5 seconds a deer lived after being shot, what was happening to his body and how it affected the taste. And no deer would taste right if it got startled and ran after being shot. For this reason I stopped using a bow several years ago.

Seems odd to me as some of the best venison I've had was from bow kills. I'm in the young buck & doe preference category.

 

[djl02]

Marinate and cook on the grill.For some reason red sauce and the grill do wonders for old deer.

 

[grunt soldier]

the only bad tasting deer i have ever had was a super super old buck. literally had no teeth left. he just tasted bad period in everything i tried. i have ate many a bucks that we not shot well and lived much longer than 1 minute and they all tasted good to me. we usually add a bit of soy sauce and seasoning and its good to go. but my grandma taught my dad and me that you always slow cook venison. i personally like it in the crock pot, chilli's and burgers. i may cook some more back straps tomorrow

 

[mattkellyind]

I myself find hang time greatly changes the taste of my meat, dont know why but have seen a show on butchering cows where they age beef two weeks (38F)to get the best flavor. Just my two sense

 

[ironjaw]

IMO, weather permitting(34-38deg.) I like to hang my deer for atleast 4-5 days w/out the skin. My wife marinates the deer steaks in italian dressing in the fridge for atleast 18 hrs before SLOW cooking the steaks. Also, learn to process your own deer! not only do you know that you are eating the deer you shot, but also you get all the meat off that you want. In additon to that, I think you take greater pride in providing for your family this way.

 

[wolfman]

I have only taken 1 deer that was strong tasting and he was an in rut, swollen kneck 180 lb. 12 pt. Buck. I do think big ones are gamier than does/button bucks. I myself am not a trophy hunter, I won't pass up a buck but I prefer to get does/button bucks. I also process my own deer, this way I know the deer I get is mine. My brother took a deer into a place one year that just piled them in a refrig. unit. There were probably 50-60 deer laying ontop of one another. It just grossed me out!! It's not hard to process yourself and really all you need is a grinder. I also don't add ANY fat to my ground meet, I prefer it lean. I also cut as much fat off of any steak/roast that I can. That will help take away the gamey taste. I have been butchering my own deer for the last 10-12 years and won't do it any other way.

Rances at Logansport?

Been there, done that, worst deer I have ever had, never again !!!!

 

[clfergus]

I would love to process it myself. I would literally have to quarter it in the field and transport in coolers home. I live in a subdivision...no go on the hanging or place to dispose of carcass. Bummer

 

[clfergus]

the only bad tasting deer i have ever had was a super super old buck. literally had no teeth left. he just tasted bad period in everything i tried. i have ate many a bucks that we not shot well and lived much longer than 1 minute and they all tasted good to me. we usually add a bit of soy sauce and seasoning and its good to go. but my grandma taught my dad and me that you always slow cook venison. i personally like it in the crock pot, chilli's and burgers. i may cook some more back straps tomorrow

Interesting comment, my buck was void of a majority of his teeth as well.