Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Favorite deer recipe

Ok deer hunters.
<br>How do you board members fix your deer steaks?
<br>If I had just one choice, I'd prefer to put them on a nice hot grill, a little salt and black pepper, and cook till just medium well.
<br>Wait a minute.
<br>Maybe I'd prefer to get the 11" cast iron hot, put the steaks in, then smother with sliced onion and some diced up jalapeno.
<br>Wait a minute.
<br>Maybe get the broiler hot, put the steaks on a flat cast iron griddle, and broil those deer steaks for one minute on each side.
<br>Anyone else have an opinion on cooking these steaks????
<br>

bigwad101 - The only way I prepare a venison steak is to season with garlic salt and pepper and fry them in a cast iron skillet, in butter. Careful not to cook 'em too long. You can leave out the seasoning until after the steak is done.
<br>
<br>You probably know that the steak comes out brown and firm on the outside, but stays tender and juicy on the inside.
<br>
<br>Regards, sse

101,
<br>
<br>Saute green peppers, mushrooms, and onions in lots of butter until the onions start to caramelize. Add one (1) teaspoon of sugar, stir well, and add the steaks. Cook one (1) minute per side and serve with baked potato, sour cream, more butter, the sauted vegetables, and a nice burgundy.
<br>
<br>Sincerely,
<br>
<br>Bearrr264
<br>
<br>PS1 I can't find the accent mark for saute!
<br>
<br>PS2 Don't forget to take your Lipitor!

I pound them with a meat mallet, dredge them in flour, salt, garlic, and pepper then deep fry in the cast iron pot just until they float. Mix up a little creme gravy and some hot sourdough biskits..... boy I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

Mustard Fried Venison
<br>
<br>Cut the venison into medallions.
<br>Marinate at least 20 minutes (better if over night) in equal parts of mustard and wine (your favorite of each)
<br>Flour (seasoned with Thyme & Garlic)
<br>Deep fry until golden.
<br>
<br>Great finger food around a campfire.
<br>I like a little horseradish sauce to dip mine in.
<br> PorkyPooh

Me and pds is from Texas. Chicken fried steak. UhHuh. Make you slap your Daddy.
<br>
<br>BCR
<br>
<br>ps Have a little ribbon cane syrup to finish up them hot biscuits with.

Oh yeah.... the ribbon cane...... on the leftover biskits.

Favorite venison recipe, there are so many, where to start. Well simple is always best in my book. I like a bit of back strap cut up into medallions, lightly pounded just enought to flatten out about 1/2 bigger than when cut. Start with 3/4 inch thick or less pieces. Dredge in seasoned flour, I like salt and pepper and sear in a hot cast iron pan with a bit of old fashoned Crisco to lube er up. Just enough to grease to keep from sticking turn down the heat and let cook until medium and the pan has a good glaze. Remove the meat, don't poke any holes in it the juice will escape and the meat will dry out.
<br>Now the gravy, mix up a bit of flour in some cold milk about two tablespoons of flour to a cup and a half of milk season with salt and pepper. Mix the flour and milk together if you have trouble making gravy that is lumpy.
<br>Temp of the pan is important too hot and it burns the milk, too cool and the gravy won't thicken. Expirence comes into play here.
<br>Pour the milk/flour mix in the pan, stir continusly until gravy is at a full boil add water if too thick, not milk.
<br>Now the best part add chopped up chantrell mushrooms and pour over the steaks. sour dough bread, country fried spuds, cole slaw and a good cold beer....ah life is good.
<br>
<br>Bullwnkl.
<br>

sse,thats the only way I cook them too,except I dredge in flour first,let them sit for 10-15 minutes so the flour does'nt slough off.A little garlic and onion salt and fresh ground pepper.A side of baby peas and a baked potato.
<br>Jeff
<br>

Jeff - Well that used to be the only way I cook 'em, until I read this thread. I will definitely try your version. After sizzling meat that has a coating of flour, I also like to deglaze the pan with something, after adding shallots or 'rooms, as a base for a sauce.
<br>
<br>I've tried to chicken fry steak and since I can't do it correctly with beef might as well forget trying it with venison!
<br>
<br>Good eats, sse

Sorry, I can't help but wonder about a cook who can't chicken fry a steak? What cut of steak did you try it with? What you want to use is round steak sliced about a quarter inch thick and tenderized with a meat mallet or have the butcher run it through his tenderizer. That not only makes the meat more tender, it helps the flour stick also.
<br>
<br>Chicken fried backstrap..... the best there is. I served it to my Mother-in-law who said she could not eat venison. She thought it was veal. Told her is was venison and she loves it. requests it every time they visit.

All great ideas above, I might even try some one of these days.
<br>
<br>However, my favorite way to prepare venison is with my wife's "brown ketchup", which is very close to Yoshida's original sauce. Just marinate it in the sauce for half a day and barbecue or fry until just barely pink in the middle. It is not only great hot, but when I get home from work the next day I eat itcold like candy (or jerky) with a cold beer. It is to die for, as my kids have found out when they take the last of it before I get home from work the next day! - Sheister

Deer steaks should be cooked on the grill, or broiled, but not as steaks, but rather as a whole unit, then cut into steaks just before serving. They are MUCH juicier that way!
<br>
<br>Any number of marinades are great if the deer was not a fat spike or doe. I like Italian salad dressing just fine.
<br>art

Here is a pretty good one for backstrap. Cut it in @ one inch slices and marinade in soy sauce for about two hours or so. Fry it in butter (no substitute) until it is no more than medium rare. Watch your fire because butter burns easy.
<br>This is more or less the same as Sheisters just using a different cook method.
<br>
<br>BCR

pds - Sorry, aint it? Relegated to eating chicken fried steak at Bob Evans and Cracker Barrels (which aint too bad , BTW).
<br>
<br>Don't remember the cut of meat, just followed the recipe (?), but I think it was too thick and the flour coating came off like a glue blanket as the cut sweated out the moisture. I'll keep tryin' though.

Chicken fried steak is a main staple in Texas. In San Angelo, if a resturant does not make a good chicken fried steak they don't stay open very long. Those who do make a good one serve it with the gravy UNDER the steak. Anyone covering the steak with the gravy is suspect of having something to hide. As in a frozen, processed excuse for a chicken fried steak. Those steaks must be fresh, and breaded just before cooking. The gravy is important too. We have a newly opened resturant that won't last long if they don't get a better gravy cook real soon. Don't know if it's true, but I've been told that chicken fried steak was a favorite with the cowboys on the cattle drives. Chuck wagon cooks could screw up a lot as long as they put out a good pot of coffee, a good chicken fried steak, and hot sourdough biscuts. Things have not changed all that much around here.

pds - Thanks for elaborating. Picture one of them big snout dogs drippin' drool like a faucet. That's me.
<br>
<br>Regards, sse

sse my old bud pds is giving you the straight goods. If the coating sloughed off your steak then one of two things or both was happening. Get your round steak sliced no more than a quarter inch thick like pd said and kick the temp on your grease up. Chicken fries are quick and hot.
<br>
<br>BCR

Hey BCR - With venison, I'm thinking the next time I get a big hunk of steak, partially freeze, and slice to the appropriate thickness. Good to go. The thickness is molto importanto.
<br>
<br>Thanks, sse

Venison or beef either sse. when your cut of steak is too thick there is so much moisture in it steam forms under the crust of flour and won't let it stick to the steak. After you slice it blot off as much moisture as you can before you flour it.
<br>The hot oil will cause the flour and seasoning to form a crust over the meat and hold in the flavor while it cooks.
<br>
<br>BCR

Bog - Now to the gravy...
<br>
<br>Regards, sse

gravy = flour, oil, (bacon drippings are the best) milk, salt and black peper. I can not tell you the measurements of any of the ingredents I do it by sight. Use just enough oil to disolve the flour and brown it over the heat while sturing constantly. Slowly pour in the milk, again while sturing. add salt and black peper to taste and continue to cook and stur until it thickens up to your likeing. Serve it while hot.
<br>
<br>Sorry but that is the best I can do for directions. I learned to make gravy and roue from my mother. She never measured anything. Oh, yes, I use a cast iron skilet.

Hard to improve on this sse, I like to use the flour that I have rolled the steak in as using it will yield crunchy little morsels in the gravy and a bit better flavor (to me) than using raw flour will. Turn your fire down while making gravy and you want it to just start to bubble not boil. Stop it just before your prefered thickness because it will continue to cook for a little while from the residual heat in the skillet and as it cools it will thicken.
<br>
<br>BCR

Thanks, Bog and dog - Well you lead the horse to the water...
<br>
<br>I have to believe that gravy would taste doggone good on a biscuit, too. Move over butter and honey.
<br>
<br>Regards, sse

BCR - I had some biscuits and gravy today. The gravy had a nice black peppery flavor. I wonder if they season the hot grease with fresh ground pepper before adding the flour and milk. (?)

Naw... you add your fresh ground pepper after you add your milk and start to simmer. Unless of corse you are using the drippings from peppered bacon. In that case there would be some pepper in the greese.

bear264
<br>
<br>Excellent
<br>I tried your recipe for deer steaks tonight, family loved it!
<br>I did make one slight change. We added 3 medium sized jalapeno's with the sliced green peppers, rums and onions. We slice our deer steaks about 3/4" thick, so 1 minute per side was excellent timing, nice and pink in the center, the way steak should be.
<br>Thanks!
<br>Now for the chicken fried steak by bullwinkl!
<br>Excellent deer steak cooks on this board, and bow season just began today, what a combination!
<br>

sse , pepper like any other spice is best added just before you eat the dish. Don't cook pepper in grease it will be bitter.
<br>
<br>BCR

THANKS AGAIN, to the culinary duo.
<br>
<br>Regards, sse

Coupla or three recipes:
<br>
<br>1. Take steak, trim grisle or questionable parts, tenderize with one of them meat tenderizers-you don't have to flatten it like road kill but 1/4 to 1/3 is what I prefer. Cut into pieces that are approximately 3x5" or thereabout. Beat a few eggs in a bowl, empty into a Ziplock and place the steak in there until it's good and "wet". Take another Ziplock and add Italian bread crumbs-if you want to add some pepper you can, but I leave as is. Take the aforementioned "wet" steak, place in 2nd Zipperlock and make sure it's coated thorughly on both sides. Cook steak in pre-heated oil on one side until the bread crumbs start to turn dark brown-time will vary depending on how hot the oil is-if too hot it will turn the bread crumbs black-medium heat is about right. Flip to cook the off side, serve hot with baked potato, rice or whatever else you might want. Oh my.
<br>
<br>P.S. Place the meat on a plate with a newspaper down first, then paper towels on top to soak up some of the grease.
<br>
<br>2. On the grill-take steak and cut off/trim grisle or any questionable parts. Place in Ziplock with Stubb's Steak Marinade-sold at Kroger, Albertson's, etc. Marinade overnight. You can add some fresh LIME juice-not lemmon if you like. The marinade has red pepper, garlic, some other good stuff. Cook on a medium hot fire for about 5 minutes per side. Serve hot with whatever sides you like. Easy and really tasty-meat should be pink in the middle so you can test as you go. Don't let the meat cool off-have everything else ready to go and slap the steak on a plate and grab your gobbling rods (knife/fork) and have at it.
<br>
<br>3. The third is only included because it provides a stew that is out of this world (IMHO), freezes beautifully and provides a wonderful change of pace for the "steak" lover. Trim grisle, etc. Cut about 2 lbs-3lbs of steak into small squares-kinda like chili meat or even a bit smaller. Brown the meat in a large stew pot and in another pot glaze a chopped medium white onion, couple of finely chopped cloves of garlic, 2 finely chopped Serrano peppers-they work much better than jalapenos-which give a rather sharp taste and tend to overwhelm the stew. Turn off the heat on the onion/garlic/serrano pepper mixture and add a couple of table spoons of tomato paste and mix it up real well.
<br>
<br>Open a large can of crushed tomatos-I can't remember the size, but it's about 28 to 32 oz, add this to the meat and then add one can (32 oz) or so of water. Add the onion/garlic/pepper/tomato paste mixture, cover the large stew pot with a lid and cook for about 2 hours on low to medium-low heat just so it bubbles. If you need to add water do so, stir every 15 minutes or so to prevent anything from sticking--if you add too much water it will be runny-it should come out just like any other stew. Add some fresh chopped cilantro (coriander)-2-3 tablespoons-- which looks like parsely but has a very distinctive flavor. It's used in all kinds of Mexican hot sauces about 1/2 hour before serving. Taste the meat for tenderness, cook a bit longer if you like. Serve with either fresh flour or corn tortillas. I usually prepare in large batches and serve with home made Mexican rice.
<br>
<br>4. Mexican Rice- measure a cup of white long grain rice, place in a fine mesh metal strainer sold at any grocery store if you don't have one, run hot water over the rice until the water is no longer milky when it comes out the bottom of the strainer. Set strainer aside or on top of the measuring cup until dry or almost dry-should take 30 minutes or so to dry. Take your measuring cup and heat up some water in the microwave with one cube of Knorr's tomato and chicken Bouillon-takes about 4 minutes-mix together and make sure none of the cube if left at the bottom.
<br>
<br>Chop a medium white onion, 1 serrano pepper,a clove of garlic and add to a pre-heated pot with some oil-about medium heat will do until you get the hang of it. I'd say 3 table spoons should be enough- brown the rice until it is a tan color stir gently so the rice doesn't break up into small pieces, add the onion, serrano pepper, garlic and brown another couple of minutes. Add the bouillon mixture and another cup of water. Should be one cup of rice, 1 cup of the bouillon, 1 cup of water. Add freshly chopped cilantro (couple of tablespoons), cover pot with a lid, heat on high to a rolling boil and then turn down to low. SET TIMER FOR 20 MINUTES AND DO NOT TAKE THE LID OFF UNTIL THE BUZZER GOES OFF. When it dings, remove lid, take off burner and let the rice breath 10-15 minutes.
<br>
<br>Wear your ear protectors 'cause you won't be able to eat for all the cackling with glee.
<br>
<br>Hope you like the recipes-we do.

101,
<br>
<br>I'm glad that you liked it!
<br>
<br>I've got a couple more recipes that I need to post.
<br>
<br>One of the great things about living on the "four corners" (IA, KS, MO, NE) is that NE has a January deer season for does. January corn/bean fed NE does that have lots of fat and marbled meat are the best eating deer that I have ever had. I have even thought about moving my "official" residence about fifty (50) miles across the MO River to take advantage of the virtually unlimited $26.00 resident tags, but I like my place in MO and it is close enough to the airport in KC to be convenient for my constantly traveling wife.
<br>
<br>Sincerely,
<br>
<br>Bearrr264

Here's one from a lady in Texas who's in the Army. She hasn't had any venison in awhile, but hopes we'll enjoy her recipe:
<br>
<br>Venison Swiss Steak
<br>
<br>3 slices bacon
<br>2 lbs venison round steak
<br>1/2 tsp salt
<br>1/4 tsp pepper
<br>1/4 tsp paprika
<br>1 Tbls olive oil
<br>1 medium onion, sliced
<br>1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
<br>1 (1 oz) envelope onion soup mix
<br>1/2 cup dry red wine
<br>1/4 tsp fines herbes
<br>2 Tbls water
<br>1 Tbls cornstarch
<br>
<br>Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, reserving drippings in skillet. Reserve bacon for another use. Set skillet aside. Pound steak to 1/2 inch thickness, using a meat mallet. Cut into 4 pieces; sprinkle salt, pepper and paprika over both sides. Cook, in batches, in reserved bacon drippings in skillet over medium high heat until browned on both sides. Remove to a 4-quart electric slow cooker.
<br>
<br>Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; add onion. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, soup mix, wine, and fines herbes. Bring to a boil; pour over steaks. Cover and cook on LOW setting 8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove steaks to a serving platter, reserving tomato mixture in slow cooker. Combine water and cornstarch; stir until blended. Stir into tomato mixture. Cook on HIGH setting, uncovered, until slightly thickened, stirring often. Pour tomato mixture over steaks.
<br>
<br>Makes 4 servings.
<br>

Here's another one from the same Texan:
<br>
<br>Venison with Stout and Potatoes
<br>
<br>2 Tbls butter or margarine
<br>1 Tbls vegetable oil
<br>2 lbs venison or sirloin steak
<br>1 tsp salt
<br>1 tsp pepper
<br>1 medium onion, chopped
<br>1 Tbls all-purpose flour
<br>6 oz stout beer (try Guiness with extra stout)
<br>1 1/4 cups beef broth
<br>1/2 tsp prepared mustard
<br>1 bay leaf
<br>1 1/2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
<br>1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
<br>Garnish: fresh thyme sprigs
<br>
<br>Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle venison with salt and pepper; add to pan. Brown meat on both sides; remove meat from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Set meat aside and keep warm. Cook onion in pan drippings 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring often. Stir in flour; add stout, broth, mustard, and bay leaf. Return meat to pan; add potato. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 30 additional minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garnish if desired.
<br>
<br>Makes 6 servings.

PorkyPooh,
<br>
<br>Your Army buddy ought to try for a transfer to Fort Riley, KS. They have great hunting for whitetail, pheasant, and quail, as well as a resident herd of elk. KS deer are corn/bean/milo fed, but not as tasty as NE does ;-). If she gets up that way, have her check in with Tom Slick in Junction City, KS. Tom is an excellent guide and probably knows the flint hills country a well as anybody.
<br>
<br>Sincerely,
<br>
<br>Bearrr264

Sitka has it right. Backstraps should be marinated WHOLE with 1/2 half Italian dressing, 1/2 teryaki. Poke slits with a filet knife tip and insert 1/2 cloves of garlic all around about an inch apart and let sit overnight. Allow meat to reach room temperature before putting on the barby. Slather with real butter as it cooks DO NOT ALLOW IT TO DRY. Cook only to medium rare - this is important as venison is very lean and will lose its tenderness and true flavor if overcooked. Trust me on this those of you who only eat steaks well done. When serving, cut only the medallions you are eating now and leave the rest whole so it will keep the juices intact. It's best to carve the steaks from the whole loin on a tray with a lip on it to capture any juices. Another trick is to add a little melted butter and teryaki onto the tray with the juices and swirl the individual steaks just before serving.

I like the steaks cut thin and marinated in plain old Italian dressing. I let them sit in it over night and throw them on the barbi. The oil keeps them from drying out and the garlic and spices are perfect. Flinch