Growing up on a cattle farm in West Stone County, I was not raised eating deer meat.
Read as I overcome my disdain for venison while sharing some safety tips for handling
wild game. Also enjoy a really great recipe for Deer Sliders with Caramelized Onions
and Greek Yogurt Aioli.
Being raised on a cattle farm, I’ve always had beef at my disposal. So, when I married
a hunter, the art of cooking deer meat was an unknown territory that I was reluctant
to face. As someone who was not raised eating ground deer meat, I could immediately
tell the difference when Michael would try to pass it off as my beloved beef. In my
opinion, deer meat has a distinctive taste and, to add even more to my disliking,
a distinctive smell!
We recently moved 72 miles away from my parents, so having access to beef at my fingertips
has become harder to do. Also, Michael’s new job has been less demanding and stressful
so when we did get to visit the farm during hunting season, he had more time to participate
in his favorite pastime, hunting. He killed two deer within two weeks filling my freezer
with my arch nemesis, deer meat, forcing me to use it.
A few obstacles I had to overcome were the smell, the taste, and my predisposition
to not want/like to eat deer meat. I spoke with colleagues, I summoned friends, and
I meditated on what recipe I could cook that would make me want to prepare such a
protein. Many said they use deer meat in place of ground beef, but if a recipe calls
for ground beef, I would rather find a way to make ground burger travel the 72 miles
from my mother’s freezer to my own. I wanted a recipe that would highlight the deer
meat without pretending to be a cow but would also elevate it to where I wouldn’t
mind cooking it on a regular basis.
But before I can begin my journey, I must first tell you my tips for handling and
cooking SAFELY with deer meat.
Cool the deer as quickly as possible. Dress the deer in the field as soon as possible
after it is killed to ensure the rapid loss of body heat. The key is to cool the carcass
as quickly as possible to ensure its safety. You can help this by propping the chest
cavity open with a stick to allow air flow. Hanging the carcass up also helps. If
it is warm, you can put bags of ice inside the body cavity.
Wear gloves while processing the deer. We all know someone who knows someone, who
heard of some guy, who has a grandma, who has a cousin that was bitten by a tick and
developed one of the many diseases ticks are known for carrying while skinning or
field dressing a deer. Well I haven’t just heard of someone; I personally know someone
who developed the alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) from a tick bite he received while skinning
his deer. Alpha-gal syndrome causes someone to have an allergic reaction to red meat.
Another reason to wear gloves during field dressing, is to significantly reduce your
exposure to diseases wild animals can carry.
Practice safe cooking habits in the kitchen. While cooking with deer or other wild
game, you should follow the same safe practice that you follow while preparing any
other raw meat. Keep separate from ready-to-eat foods, wash equipment exposed to raw
meat often, cook to the proper internal temperature, and wash your hands after handling
raw meat.
Cooking temperature for different cuts of venison
Whole cuts (steaks or roasts) – 145 F (medium rare)
Ground venison – 160 F
Soups, stews, casseroles, and leftovers – 165 F
After weeks of research and recipe development, my friends, I bring you a recipe that
I have found I am willing to add to my repertoire and one that has not left me longing
for my family’s cherished beef. Please enjoy!
Deer Sliders with Caramelized Onions and Greek Yogurt Aioli
Slider Patty
1 pound deer meat
¼ cup Teriyaki Sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon oil; vegetable or canola
Greek Yogurt Aioli
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Juice of half a lemon
½ cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dry dill
Caramelized onions
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Brioche slider buns
Pat deer meat dry. In a medium size bowl, add teriyaki, Worcestershire sauce, onion
powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to the deer meat.
Combine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Using a hand blender or food processor blend garlic, coarse salt, juice of half a
lemon, and half of the Greek yogurt. Blend until smooth, then add the rest of the
yogurt, mayonnaise, and dill. Blend until combined.
Evenly slice three large onions and set to the side. After the meat has been in the
fridge for 30 minutes, evenly divide meat and pat out small slider size patties. Place
patties back in fridge for additional 15-20 minutes. Heat skillet and 1 tablespoon
canola oil over medium high heat. Add onions and salt. After onions begin to become
see through, 3-5 minutes, add brown sugar. Continue to cook onions until dark brown.
While onions are cooking, heat cast iron skillet and 1 tablespoon oil over medium
heat. Cook patties, about 3 minutes on each side, until they reach an internal temperature
of 155 degrees. Assemble sliders with bun, 1 tablespoon aioli, patty, and top with
onions.
Torrie Smith, Carroll County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H
shares information on about living well, saving money, and sharing tips to make life
better and easier for the everyday person. I release videos on my Facebook Page will
be providing more information about them here on this blog.
