Venison steaks cry out for a good marinade before hitting the grill.
One deer fills up a freezer fast. A 100-pound deer yields 50 pounds of meat, and since it's safest to freeze it for six to 12 months, that's enough to give even the most creative cook a migraine. Venison is as versatile as more familiar meats, given the right preparation.
Venison Basics: Using Familiar Cuts
Steaks, chops and roasts are the most familiar cuts of venison. They look like anything found in a grocer's freezer case, but because of the strong flavor, they require a little extra care. Start by trimming excess fat, then marinating in a vinegar bath--a mixture of 2 tbsp. of vinegar for each quart of water--in the fridge for at least an hour. Add fat and liquid when cooking. Braising--cooking with liquid in the pan-- and basting the cuts with oil, butter or broth are recommended.
For more flavor, marinate in French or Italian dressings, tomato sauce or steak sauce after draining the vinegar bath.
Mix It With Other Meats
Mixing venison with other ground meats makes it go further and makes it moister.
Since venison is dry, pair it with a fattier meat in recipes for meatballs, meatloaf, chili and burgers. Grind the venison and mix with ground pork or ground beef. Avoid chicken and turkey since both have low fat content. You might have to cut down on bread crumbs, which soak up liquids.
Preserve It
Dried jerky, sausage and canned venison are a respite for the wild-game weary. Make them at home--on the stovetop or in the oven--with limited equipment such as a food processor and large pots. Canning jars and seasonings are in most grocery stores.
Feed the Hungry
Food pantries and homeless shelters benefit from overstocked freezers, but can't usually accept meat directly from hunters. Deer should dropped off at a participating meat processor that distribute the deer after processing. Contact your food pantry for the nearest participating processing site or visit Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, a ministry which lists meat processors who will do the job for free.
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