I'm going to post this on a couple different places. I think it's worthwhile.
The moose I shot this fall was shot way late in the season (Sept 28 or 29) and was going into rut. In the round, the bull had only a slight rut musk to it. It was most properly cared for in all aspects, and the cooling/aging temps were excellent. In the butchering, the odor became more noticable. Even more so in cooking.
I'll not shoot another after the 20th, unless it is a cow, but a couple previous bulls, shot earlier in the season, also had this off flavor. They were all 3 year olds, and I have a theory that some bulls of that age just go hog wild over the breeding thing, hormones, and drinking piss, even tho they haven't a clue, and almost certainly won't be accepted by a cow. Much like some human teenagers.....
When I opened the critter up, the several gallons of blood inside really stunk, and further experience with it determined that the rutty scent was almost entirely in the blood.
The meat has a definate "tang" to it (trapped blood) - not inedible, but not all that pleasant either. Heavily spicing it doesn't handle the problem, nor does a salt water soak (just made it salty rutty!). Plain water soak helped.
Then I tried throwing some baking soda into the water I use to defrost the cuts.
Bingo! The objectionable flavor is almost entirely gone, and it seems to also serve to tenderize. Assuming the flavor is uric acid based (what it tastes like) - this makes sense. Baking soda neutralizes acids
Soak an hour or more., rinse with plain water, and cook. File this one away, if you will....
This is not to say you should go around shooting bull moose or caribou in full rut. Don't. Maybe some other species too that get rank in the rut.
How much baking soda are you adding? A couple tablespoons?? half a box??? etc.
