Beef vs. Venison

[Pydpiper]

Just read this elsewhere, thought it was pretty awesome!

From the "U.S. Venison Council"

Controversy has long raged about the relative quality and taste of venison
and beef as gourmet foods. Some people say venison is tough, with a strong
"wild" taste, others insist venison's flavor is delicate. An independent
food research group was retained by the Venison Council to conduct a taste
test to determine the truth of these conflicting assertions once and for
all.

First, a Grade A Choice Holstein steer was chased into a swamp a mile and a
half from a road and shot several times. After some of the entrails were
removed, the carcass was dragged back over rocks and logs and through mud
and dust to the road. It was then thrown into the back of a pickup truck and
driven through rain and snow for 100 miles before being hung out in the sun
for a day.

It was then lugged into a garage where it was skinned and rolled around on
the floor for a while. Strict sanitary precautions were observed throughout
the test, within the limitations of the butchering environment. For
instance, dogs and cats were allowed to sniff and lick the steer carcass,
but most of the time they were chased away when they attempted to bite
chunks out of it.

Next, a sheet of plywood left from last year's butchering was set up in the
basement on two saw horses. The pieces of dried blood, hair and fat left
from last year were scraped off with a wire brush last used to clean out the
grass stuck under the lawn mower.

The skinned carcass was then dragged down the steps into the basement where
a half dozen inexperienced but enthusiastic and intoxicated men worked on it
with meat saws, cleavers, hammers and dull knives. The result was 375 pounds
of soup bones, four bushel baskets of meat scraps, and a couple of steaks
that were an eighth of an inch thick on one edge and an inch and a half
thick on the other edge.

The steaks were seared on a glowing red hot cast iron skillet to lock in the
flavor. When the smoke cleared, rancid bacon grease was added, along with
three pounds of onions, and the whole conglomeration was fried for two
hours.

The meat was gently teased from the frying pan and served to three
intoxicated and blindfolded taste panel volunteers. Every member of the
panel thought it was venison. One volunteer even said it tasted exactly like
the venison he has eaten in hunting camps for the past 27 years.

The results of this scientific test conclusively show that there is no
difference between the taste of beef and venison...

[Tired Rooster]

I am a bit slow...something must have gone right over my head. This is a joke right?

[wheelie]

LOL, likely the truth. Thats about how some butcher there deer. I have noticed if a deer runs far it is ussually not the same as one that drops quick.

[j.krug]

Now that right there is HILARIOUS!!!

[Tired Rooster]

A deer that runs hard before it dies has a build up of lactic acid in it's muscles. This is often times the cause of a "strong" taste in the venison. Years ago I used to hunt deer with dogs. The deer would always be on a full run when shot. Venison tends to taste better when the deer is relaxed and not under tremendous stress when killed.

[killshot]

Good one.

[j.krug]

A deer that runs hard before it dies has a build up of lactic acid in it's muscles. This is often times the cause of a "strong" taste in the venison. Years ago I used to hunt deer with dogs. The deer would always be on a full run when shot. Venison tends to taste better when the deer is relaxed and not under tremendous stress when killed.

That's why you drag the carcass over rocks, stumps and through the mud.....helps tenderize it all over again!!

[Tired Rooster]

OK! Sometimes I'm a little to "serious" in my thought and can overlook humor. Thanks J.Krug for pointing out the obvious humor! That is pretty d#@# funny

[bob1961]

A deer that runs hard before it dies has a build up of lactic acid in it's muscles. This is often times the cause of a "strong" taste in the venison.

i'll have to disagree on this one, i shot two doe one year....

one was just standing there feeding without a clue that i was bout to give it the silent kiss of death and dropped within 20 feet of shot placement....

the other doe was pushed to me and seen me at the last 10 yards before the same deadly silent kiss of my arrow....but she ran at a full out throttle for 450 yards till she piled up in a beaver pond....

both deer tasted the same as to any gamey taste or toughness in which neither deer had any....but i think/know the way i process my deer have a great deal to do how it comes out on the table....sure i can tell it is venison over beef just by the absent of fat content in the venison, but it comes out juicy and tender on my plate ....pyd's story/joke reminds me of people who strap there deer on the hood of there truck, drive all round town for half a day half cooking it with the motor heat and wondering why it is gamey and tuff ......bob

....

[bob1961]

OK! Sometimes I'm a little to "serious" in my thought and can overlook humor. Thanks J.Krug for pointing out the obvious humor! That is pretty d#@# funny

your first clue should have been from the first sentence ....

From the "U.S. Venison Council"

far as i know there is none.......bob

....

[Tired Rooster]

your first clue should have been from the first sentence ....

From the "U.S. Venison Council"

.............One never knows now a days, know what I mean.

i'll have to disagree on this one, i shot two doe one year..

My statement on deer running and "strong" venison is not scientific to be sure. I think there is some truth to it, but you are absolutely correct and I agree that the preparation, processing and handling of the venison after the kill is the most important factor.

[cevans]

hummm,,,,I think the deer I always shoot,,,seem to have a super belly full of corn, soy beans, and topped off with acorns,,,,,and the beef I have been eating lately are more of the grass fed varity,, the deer are more grain fed than cows...so that means I am eating heathier myself maybe???? or am I confused,,,??

[one shot scott]

Ive heard it before and its still funny....and true.
Kill the taste with HP sauce.

[RexKay]

Its all how you process your deer and prepare the meat. Letting it hang (cold) does wonders. The longer the better. Early season, we skin and remove limbs at knees, and we hang in a hollowed out refrigerator with a hook bolted through the top of fridge. It's our hillbilly early season meat locker. I shot a 5 point Oct. Of 09 and it was 70 degrees the next day. Meat ws chill in for 5 days,and when we did the deer it cut like butter,and tasted like ......well better than filet minion. I believe the gamey taste is a result of 2 major factors....What the deer feeds on, and cold aging..our deer in Michigan taste great in the thumb and south where most crops are.......and the deer way up north and in the UP.........might need a little more whorechester sauce and pepper to my taste buds.

[bcmuledeer]

thought i put in my 2cents worth. my dad, brothers and i have been hunting for many years. ya i know im getting old, my dad also has a farm with cows. every year we butcher our spring calves, approx. 6 to 9 months old and weighing arround 600 lbs. this is prime beef, we grain feed them for 6 weeks prior to butchering. after butchering we hang in his cooler, keeps temp at exactyl 2 above freezing. we then cut them up ourselves. grade a beef! the problem with deer hunting is as hunters we all like the big boys, some times were lucky and get one early, but most of the time we get one in the rut. this is the biggest change in deer meat. they quit eating, think of only one thing, teststrone changes big time. like mentioned before preprep in butchering has alot to do with it. the deer in my profile picture was shot in the last week of hunting season. he was one skinny ass deer. still dressed 208lbs. put him in the cooler 14 days. still big time gamey. made sausage and jerky out of him. other deer i have shot, also big ones early in season taste almost as good as beef, i think the most important thing is hanging them in a cooler. good tender meat and wild game taste is much lower.