Deer

[yuli]

I found a store where they're gonna deliver fresh deer tomorrow...so I am gonna run and grab some.
I have had it quite a while ago slow-cooked as stew and remember it was very delicious.
Now I am going to eat it raw so I am wondering what it will be like? How does it compare to raw cow?

[TylerDurden]

If the deer are allowed to graze on grass on their own, it'll be fine. If the deer are force-fed on grains, the raw venison will be far less tasty and less nutritious, but still a bit better than standard raw grain-fed meats, as deer are less inbred.

[goodsamaritan]

Deer may be common in other countries... but this is the first time I ever bought a whole deer carcass... no innards, shucks. 

Cost me a lot of money P 6,000 (divide by 43 for US Dollars) and I had to drive 70 kilometers back and forth.  And I paid a butcher for home service P 500. (who has never chopped up a deer, he thought he would get it alive)

Darn small, only 10 kilos.  Too slim, didn't have fat in him. 

Chopped him up and first made sampaloc based soup for the family.

I ate raw bone marrow... it was bland.

The meat, carcass did not smell of anything bad. No smell.

The raw brain was good.  Was able to have my wife taste some of the brain in soup.

The cooked deer meat was good... amazing, better than goat and better than the sheep we did in the past.  More tender than beef.

The smoked deer I get comes out cheaper at 600 pesos per kilo smoked pure meat, no bones.  But then again, that wasn't raw.

Maybe I can get in the future another one from this supplier but he has to promise me at the same price but bigger, say 20 kilos for it to be worth it... and give the organs as well. 

This was a chance opportunity excess male deer from another province and they sent it to this other province for their own consumption and the guy remembered I was asking for some, so he sold me this third deer carcass.

Must request for older, bigger, fatter.

How big and how fat do your DEER get?

[Dr. D]

I got a young deer (still had white spots) on the side of the road, as you may have seen in my post. I haven't got around to trying it yet, as I have found recently that aging the meat for at least a week in the fridge gives it way more flavor. I will get around to it soon and let you know. I used to eat venison jerky as a kid. Tasted like beef, just a bit more "gamey" or stronger flavors, like blood or metal-ly, but not in a disgusting way.

[straight8]

In my experience deer have a very "red" flavor. Man oh man.. if I had the time I could about pile em up by the truck load. They are as thick as rabbits in PA.

[jessica]

I love the way deer tastes.  if it ever had a gameiness I have not noticed it, just tastes like very high quality meat, usually very tender too.

I have heard all different types of theories as to what imparts that "gameyness" from what they eat/time of year, how they are killed, and possible issues with bad butchering such as not totally avoiding scent glands etc....

the only time I have detected gameiness was in lamb, but only from a few farms, it was a kind of bitter/off flavor, I think it was just due to their pasture and age/composition when butchered.

 I always ask for younger female deer, I don't know, just seems like, as a female, id rather be eating meat with female qualities, and that large bucks probably have testosterone in their blood and muscles, especially during certain times of year.  in my experience its some of the best quality meat, once aged its like sashimi great tuna texture and just amazing flavor, let us know!

[ys]

Deer is super lean.  I always add plenty of fat to it.
Legs are somewhat hard.  The whole upper back and neck is soft.

[Dr. D]

So funny this topic came back up, I just woke from a dream where I was hunting a deer. I'm hungry now.