Fruit juice key to tenderizing deer meat (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to tenderize deer meat? ›

Using a dry rub, marinade, or brine will tenderize your meat, allowing you to cook the tough cuts in much the same way you would cook a tender cut. All of these methods infuse flavor and break down the meat, causing a tender juicy result in the finished product.

Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.

This Venison Haunch was soaked overnight in an Orange Marinade then cooked over charcoal using Rotisserie. Delicious!

One method is to remove any excess blood from your meat. Another option is to simply soak the meat in buttermilk, salt water or water with a little vinegar or apple cider vinegar added. Usually an over night soak is best but if you can at least get a couple hours of soak time, that will help remove some of the taste.

Whether hosting a holiday cookout, serving up some stir-fry or tackling game meats, baking soda is the go-to meat tenderizer to help make your steak, chicken or turkey silkier, juicier and yummier.

Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least four hours, and no more than 12, before proceeding to cook it as you normally would. The calcium in milk contains enzymes that will tenderize the meat, and the main protein in milk will neutralize the gamey flavor.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

I've heard some hunters say soaking the meat overnight is enough and others who prefer a week or more. This is one of the worst things to do to any animal carcass after its slaughter. Putting the meat in water allows bacteria (primarily E. coli) to grow and spread over the entire carcass.

It doesn't hurt to rinse the deer's body cavity with cold water to remove nasty visible debris. But realize: Unless the water is boiling hot, it won't kill any bacteria that's on the surface of the meat.

Just be sure to trim away any visible connective tissue or silver skin. The addition of apple juice in this recipe makes for a sweet marinade, but it's balanced out real nicely by the saltiness of the soy sauce. Just remember that when using soy sauce, opt for the real stuff.

What does orange juice do to meat? ›

Orange Juice Both Tenderizes And Crisps Up Slow-Cooked Pork

In Cuba and Mexico, especially in the Yucatán's famed cochinita pibil rendition, sour oranges are the go-to fruit choice. Their more acidic composition enables more tenderizing and inflects a unique flavor.

The key ingredient lies within the pineapple itself: bromelain. This enzyme is the active ingredient that tenderizes meats naturally, breaking down tough protein fibers. As the meat marinates, bromelain gently breaks down these fibers, resulting in a noticeably softer, more tender texture.

People have been soaking venison and other proteins in milk or buttermilk for years. The claim is that the acidic or low ph level helps to break down the tissue to tenderize the meat while also ridding the meat of a powerfully “gamey” or wild/iron-like flavor.

Place the meat in a plastic container and keep the deer meat in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. This allows natural enzymes to break down and tenderize the meat. Keep the temperature between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the meat out of the fridge and remove it from the plastic container.

The meat may be presoaked in a solution of water and acid — often white vinegar or lemon juice — then rinsed under running water prior to being seasoned with a dry rub or marinade, after which it's cooked or frozen.

Hanging your meat, skin on, for about two weeks is the best option. Aging the meat allows the animal's natural enzymes to break down the connective tissues and mellows the flavor. Cihelka said this is the reason his venison is so tender.

I tried this with elk and deer,it did make the meat very tender. But seemed to remove any natural flavor. If you like a very bland meat and prefer to rely on seasonings this soda method might be a good option. Wife tried the baking soda trick and wiped it off instead of rinsing.

Marinades tenderize (soften muscle fibers) and enhance the flavor of venison. Marinades can add fat and calories to this lean cut of meat. Always be marinate meats in the refrigerator. Always include a high-acid liquid like lemon or tomato juice, vinegar or wine to soften the muscle fibers.

Cola's high acidity and caramel flavor makes a surprisingly good meat tenderizer. Cola typically has a pH of about 2.7—for comparison, lemon juice has a pH of 2—making it acidic enough to break down some proteins without dissolving your meat.