A place for gourmet aviators. Musicians are also welcome.

Moderator: Dave W

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By JimKing
ordered a joint of Venison (pick it up friday) as I thought it may be nice to do for sunday dinner. (visitors coming).

anyone got any tips on the best way to cook it?
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By TheKentishFledgling
It's not a fatty meat, so I'd always recommend cooking it rare.

It'll dry easily unless you're careful. If you're roasting, trim it well before cooking, and frequently baste it, or think about cooking it with a decent sauce to keep lots of moisture in eat.

Cooked well, it's divine. Cooked badly, it's like boot leather!

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By Dave W
Sirloin and rump roast well, but don't dry them out. Rubbing with a little fat or covering in bacon often pays dividends. Other cuts are best braised, I think.

Garlic and Rosemary go well with venison, as do red wine based sauces. Marinades and venison are natural partners. :)

Slow cooked venison stew is lovely; cook generally as beef.

Red deer venison is not my favourite; too strong a flavour for me. Roe and fallow I enjoy; never had muntjac (but probably only about a mouthful) or the other UK species.

tKF wrote:Cooked well, it's divine. Cooked badly, it's like boot leather!

Absolutely spot on!
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By JimKing
Thanks for the replies. Think i will roast it and baste it often as explained. Hopefully it will be nice, and lot like a boot :)
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By ray
I can't decide between a .243 a .270 or even perhaps a 6.5 X 55 - any informed opinions?
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By Dave W
Others - e.g. PW, Rob P - will be better informed than I, but I have often been told that a .270 is overgunning for deer. My Dad's first shot with one on the hill at a red stag turned messy when it turned rear-end on to him at the moment critique. Known as a "Texas Heart Shot", I understand.

Dad always reported the ghillie's reaction as "Och, tha's forty poond o' mince we didnae need."
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By ray

I tend to agree, and think .243 may be the way to go, but I keep hearing/reading some very conflicting advice. A lot of people use .243 but I'm told it wears out barrels quickly and the ballistics of the mauser 6.5 55 are better, many others swear by the .270 for its ballistics etc etc.
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By Gerard Clarke
See the thread in the Foodie Forum, which needs more visitors. EDIT: Dave shot first.

If roasting, preferably marinade first, then bard with fat or baste regulary, then roast (from room temperature) on high heat for a very short time to obtain pink and juicy results. Some cuts can be cooked as you would a rib steak of beef.

With non-roasty cuts, slow braise or casserole, but do not allow the liquid to boil. Tough, dry venison is a waste of Bambi's mum.

For marinades, red wine, good olive oil, and crushed juniper berries are obvious choices.
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By nallen
Depends on the cut. If you're going the stew route, try marinade containing at least red wine, bay and juniper. If it's one of the more tender parts, then cook it like a beef steak. Or wrap in pancetta and roast on a bed of suitable veg.

By the way, if you ever get the chance, muntjac is just delicious -- the sweetest, most tender deer I have ever eaten.
By brand1068
Chop an oinion and a couple of carrots ( just for looks you understand )

Cook slowly (3 hours) in a large pot with at least 3 pints of Newcastle brown..... Yummy...

Bugger - hungry now..

By denopa
if you have a precise enough oven, and loads of time, I would suggest slow cooking, which also means you can prepare it in advance. Put the meat inside tin foil with a meat thermometer inside your oven at 60deg celsius. Check every 30min until the meat thermoter has reached 60deg. That's the temperature of medium rare meat so you know it's done perfectly. The last time I did it took four hours. The good thing is you can't overcook!
Yuo can store in the fridge overnight or prepare to serve immediately.
When it's time to serve, heat a stove as high as you dare, put in somem seasoning and sear for one minute per side (so four sides for a roast). Cut and serve.

This works will all roast cuts
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By JimKing
Sorry for late reply, But went very well thanks, I slowly roasted basting very regularly, and it was really nice. Everyone thought so too, and I could tell by the way they were eating that they were not just being polite.

Thanks for the Help :)