whole deer?

[valleypigs]

anyone ever smoked a whole whitetail deer? I am gonna try one next week for the office crew. Any advice other than don't or it will be dry. I know those thoughts....I have smoked loin cuts...but never large primal cuts.

thanks

[Cranky Buzzard]

How do you plan on doing it? Flat on the smoker, hanging, rotisserie, etc... That may get some good answers and ideas flowing.

I've only participated in a cook of a whole deer once, and we wrapped it up tight with stainless wire, stuck it on the rotisserie, and mopped a LOT.

Good eating too!

Charlie
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[valleypigs]

Lang 84. Probably cut the legs short and split the sternum and backbone to lay (relatively) flat. Sorta like a butterflied pig..at least in my head at this point.

[day_trippr]

I hope you're planning on a high-heat cook, as venison doesn't do well low 'n' slow in my experience - except as stew...

Cheers!
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[BluDawg]

A deer aint nothing but a goat DO a google search for Cabrito ( BBQ babygoat) follow the instructions.
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[Kronk]

......subscribing to this thread. I'm very interested in how this deer turns out and how you did it.
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[Mr Tony's BBQ]

I'd get rid of the large bones - thats where your wild taste is going to taint things IMHO..I am in Wisconsin - big cronick waste disease state - they say get rid of all the bones period, though not one case of CWD has ever spread to humans......I have low and slow'd quarters with good results - never on my Lang, which I am confident will help! Adding water to the RF plate would probably be a good idea also - keeps temps really even while adding moisture - Once the critter turns to rubber, give it another hour or two - it will turn to butta!
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[kcmike]

I hunt deer a bunch (bow, rifle, muzzle loader, handgun), and I skin and butcher all of my deer myself. I've also cooked them quite a few different ways... but I'd never consider cooking one whole. Here's a couple reasons why:

* Deer fat is NASTY, especially the thick waxy fat that covers most of the carcass.
* Deer meat has literally zero internal fat. It's like chicken, where all of the fat is on the outside of the meat. Therefore, it's very difficult (nearly impossible) to cook a deer enough to make it fall-apart tender since there's no inter-muscular fat.
* Deer hind quarters have a large VERY STINKY gland buried in the center of each rear ham. You don't take these out and the entire rear ham tastes like ass. And the only way to remove them is to butcher the rear hams fully down into individual muscles.
* Deer are very sinewy animals and without properly butchering each quarter into primals and sub-primals, you'll still have all of that sinew and silver-skin to contend with.
* Finally, IMO deer meat is best cooked hot and fast and ONLY until it reaches medium rare (except for jerky & sausage, which are totally different). You cook it any further and you're left with dry, chewy, gamey, nasty meat.

Just my $0.02

Mike
Oakridgebbq.com
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[gilly]

Excellent info mike & I agree. When I smoke deer meat I break it down & wrap it in bacon to give it moisture & the pig fat adds flavor & takes some of the gameiness out of it.

[shootersQ]

[Kronk]

Has anybody brined large cuts of venison? I was thinking about separating the roasts from the hind quarters, brining and then smoking for a bit. This should help to retain some moisture and even add a little flavor.

Maybe brining the critter in a large PTFE trash can or a large food safe bag would be beneficial?
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[kcmike]

[Kronk]

Very well done, KC! Looks very good. I gotta ask you though, what do you vacuum seal with? I use the top of the line food saver but cannot seal wet food efficiently. I have to flash freeze everything before I seal it. I'm in the market for a good commercial sealer.

Thanks for sharing!
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[valleypigs]

Welllllll...decided to quarter the deer to smoke in order to experiment with different seasonings and times.

Forgot the camera at the house though, so no pics.

A buddy got a nice buck 3 days before and had it hanging since. With the doe I initially planned on doing whole, we left the shoulders out and cooked 4 hindquarters and the loins.

Used a mustard slather on one, and EVOO on the others, then rubbed with a variety of spices, different combos on each one...Montreal Steak, Shenandoah Spice Co Steak Rub and Butt Rub, sage, thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, paprika, crushed garlic, larded with bacon, etc...

Started the hindquarters around 6:30 am on the lang at 300-325 degrees or so with oak and hickory (mostly white oak). Added the loins at 10 am.

Took the hindquarters to 100-110 at 10:00 am then foil wrapped and "planned" to continue to 130 or so for a medium rare-meduim temp. Did a taste test on an outside slice at this time and it was great flavor. Unfortunately, the meat temp got away on me and they were 150 to 160 within the hour. They do not respond like pork with a plateau at all!

The loins were taken off after an hour and panned with a foil cover at 110-120 degrees and "rested" in the 175 degree warmer box for an hour.

Served lunch at noon.

Results: Loins were awesome tender (as you would expect) and flavorful and WILL be done again. The hindquarters were generally overcooked but had great flavor. I wish I had foil wrapped them at 110 and then rested as well like the loins. The meat was slightly chewy, not as tender as I would like, but that may be attributed to the short hang time for the buck. The doe was much better texture wise, but at 150-160...overdone.

The mustard slather was the least flavorful of the roasts...EVOO held the rubs better with less pastey texture.

Wish I had pics...maybe next time as there WILL be a next time. No one at the office objected to the taste of anything, but the loins were definitely the biggest hit.

No "wild" or "gamey" taste...never had that problem and dont really understand the objection that is repeated so much about deer. Take proper care of the animal and you will get quality meat. Just don't expect deer to taste like beef...some of the "gamey" taste is what deer is supposed to taste like. Not gamey at all...it tastes like venison. Additionally, treat a beef like some "hunters" treat a deer and you will hear negative comments about the beef as well.

For those that enjoy putting meat on the table from start to finish...field to plate....I highly recommend trying a smoked loin.

[kcmike]

[kcmike]

[gilly]

Another trick to sealing 'wet' items in a food saver I learned from a fisherman friend is to wrap the fish (or meat in this case) in saran wrap then pop it in vac bag. Keeps liquid from reaching seal chamber most of the time & more freezer protection.

[kcmike]

[gilly]

Your welcome!! I would have never thought of it til I seen A fresh caught,gutted fish vac-loced perfectly.

[erniesshop]

I have done a Few.......
Treat the chest cavity as you would a Roast......Smear it with Mustard and use Lot's of your Favorite Rub !
Then fill the chest Cavity with Onions , Green Chile , and Garlic......Take some Bailing wire and Sew it up , so nothing can Fall Out.
On the Outside....More Mustard and Rub.....After it starts cooking between 250 and 300......Spritz it Real Heavy with Apple Cider....I usally take them to around 170 ... let it rest 30 t0 45 min......Then Serve...
Hope it helps
Ernie