• Help Support TNDeer:

Day of the Kill Eating: Backstrap Two Ways

TAFKAP

TAFKAP

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2009
Messages
16,351
Location
Memphis
A small-ish Chaney Lake 6-point. I'm estimating a 120lb live weight buck. Shot at 9:00 on Saturday morning, and it was about 55� that day. Drug out, quartered up, and in the cooler by 11:00.
November20146-Point_zpsc8a99311.jpg


Got the (4) quarters hanging in the fridge when I got home. They'll sit there throughout the week as I make some time to butcher and decide what to do.
November20146-pointMEAT_zps6e3bbd6e.jpg


What's becoming a day-of-the-kill tradition, I pan seared a chunk of backstrap for lunch, and a little carpaccio. The backstrap was tougher than I've ever had, but hopefully aging for a few days in the fridge will help that out.
November20146-PointBACKSTRAP_zps27d8c0c7.jpg
 
timberjack86 said:
redblood said:
reckon why he was so tough, he looks relatively young
Click to expand...
I think rigimortis has to set in at least to give the muscles time to relax.
Click to expand...

This is something Poser pointed out, and the thought never occurred to me. I made some more later that night for dinner that was quite a bit more tender. Could've been a combination of the muscle letting go, or because I changed my cooking method.

I'll try some more soon.
 
I cooked some more backstrap last night, and it was a bit more tender. However, it's still pretty tough. They've been aging over a bowl of (very) salty water since last Saturday, and there's not been a dramatic enough improvement.
 
I've had backstrap wrapped in wonder bread two hours after the kill and it was like butter.
 
Even the less-than-6-hour carpaccio slices were nearly impossible to pound out. This is definitely a slow-braise deer.
 
TAFKAP said:
Even the less-than-6-hour carpaccio slices were nearly impossible to pound out. This is definitely a slow-braise deer.
Click to expand...

I saved a couple of shanks to braise from a Thanksgiving deer. Has there ever been a recipe posted...of just a lot of discussion?
 
The same method will apply to any other seasoning option. And if venison isn't easily available, I've seen lamb shanks at Whole Foods for $5.99/lb. I think even Kroger carries them sometimes, as well.
 
jakeway":2sz6lmnv said:
I read it takes about 24 hours for the complete rigor mortis cycle to complete. I try to wait at least that long before butchering.
Click to expand...
that is interesting. Wonder how that affects meat spoilage on a deer left overnight. Maybe saves a lot of deer meat since it's so fresh, its not dead all the way.


Sent from the talk of tap
 

Latest posts

Back
Top