Also known as venison like the meat of a cow is known as beef, deer meat has become more popular. In less recent decades, venison was primarily eaten at supper clubs, wild game roasts, and by hunters – it wasn’t seen at regular restaurants as much.
Deer meat can have a small variety of flavors with a few variables. Overall, it’s not a particularly popular meat in the United States, but it’s still tasty and beneficial.
Deer meat tastes a bit “gamey.” It can taste a bit like beef with hints of acorn. Some describe it as “earthy.”
Where do you find deer meat?
Before we dive into the taste of deer meat, we have to note that you probably haven’t seen venison in the grocery store. Venison is more commonly found at butcher shops after they have been either farmed or hunted. In some states, it’s illegal for hunted animals to be sold in grocery stores, so grocery stores tend to acquire meats from larger companies who can farm in larger supplies.
You might also be able to find venison from locally established hunters who sell their meats privately, or from butchers who cut up and prepare venison after acquiring it from a hunter or farm. Deer farms are significantly less common than dairy farms.
What does deer meat taste like?
To describe the taste of deer meat, or as it’s called, venison is to rely on adjectives and some generalities. The tate of venison does depend on what it has been eating, just like any other wild or farm raised animal. A deer hunted from the woods probably tastes like a smoother beef, with a hint of acorns and earth. Some describe this as “tasting like fall” or tasting “festive” since fall and winter celebrations tend to use earthier flavors.
Others just use the word “gamey.” To be fair, this is a pretty accurate assessment and is usually defined as pungent and wild. Deer certainly can taste pungent and wild considering that most deer eaten were wild before being hunted. Some meat eaters love the taste of gamey meat while others prefer the consistent farm raised taste that comes with animals eating a consistent diet or grass or grains.
If you don’t like the gamey flavor, it’s quite possible to buy deer from a butcher who ships locally or nationally on a farm, reducing the chances that the venison tastes like the wild.
What is the texture of deer meat like?
So we’ve covered the taste, which just like beef, varies based on what the deer ate. Deer ultimately has about the same texture as the leaner kind of meat you can buy at a grocery store. The reason for this is that deer tends to be leaner, as it’s often wild – and deer isn’t often raised or harvested as a fatty meat. Remember, a deer can be sleek and muscular, capable of outrunning a predator or jumping over a french in one leap.
Deer is less juicy than beef, making it less “mouthwatering.” Venison when prepared incorrectly or overcooked is just like any other team – tough or chewy.
One element of the texture comes from even before preparation. Many deer that arrive in butcher shops come directly from the woods with a bullet, bow, or blunt force taking their lives. A deer can enter a bodily stage known as “rigor mortis” that makes the resulting meat rather tough. If you walk into a butcher shop, it’s possible that they hang the deer upside down to keep it stretched – and to keep the muscles from stiffening.
Deer is often softened by using a dry rub or seasoning, as the average forest deer isn’t particularly ready for consumption naturally, unlike cows that are specifically bred for meat farms.
Is deer meat healthy?
Venison is surprisingly healthy compared to red meat. Venison is typically less fatty (the fatty part can often be the gamiest part, too). The meat of the door also has less cholesterol than red meat and has vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B, iron and phosphorus. All of these things come from wild deer who are often eating leaves, berries, and whatever they can forage.
Wild deer also has no antibiotics or steroids. You are literally eating an animal that was born and raised in the woods – unless it happened to have escaped a farm.
The biggest potential danger in eating venison comes from potential parasites. Deer across parts of the United States have parasites that can enter the stomach or even brain – though studies have shown that parasites attach mostly the brain of the deer. Thoroughly cooking deer meat helps prevent issues across all meat – not just deer.
How do I use deer meat?
Deer meat is often served as a steak or tenderloin, with seasoning and sides. Venison can also of course be cut into chunks to make a stew, soup, or even a burger. The possibilities are really endless with deer, just like beef, though deer is still lower in fat for any of these purposes and is great for the health conscious.
Conclusion
Venison, or deer meat is healthy but a little more difficult to find. Don’t expect to find this lean meat in the grocery store, but head to your local butcher shop, or find a local farm that raises deer. Many people who grew up eating meat like deer will like the wild, gamey flavor or an animal that has been foraging in the forest. Others might prefer the taste of farm raised deer that have a consistent diet.
Deer meat can substitute for almost any meat in many meat based dishes. It’s most popular as a steak or stew. Try some deer meat when you have a chance and you might discover a healthier way to get protein and vitamins.
