There's no doubt venison meals are nutritious, but there is skepticism whether the meat is delicious.
I turned to gold-medal chef Milos Cihelka for answers. Cihelka should know. He is a lifelong bow hunter who led the Michigan culinary team to 44 gold medals in the Culinary Olympics, and that barely touches the tip of his accomplishments. Cihelka was the first certified master chef in the U.S.
Anyone who tasted his sometimes simple and always sumptuous creations at the Detroit Athletic Club, the London Chop House or the Golden Mushroom during the years he was there can attest to the gastronomic prowess of this Czech immigrant.
He had plenty to say about the flavor of venison — why for some it is a delicacy and for others it's fit only for grinding.
"Freshly butchered venison — especially when it is in rigor mortis — will be super tough," Cihelka said.
When rigor mortis sets in, the animal stiffens. Hanging the animal prevents the muscles along the spine from shortening. This is why backstraps and tenderloin are tender. However, it doesn't prevent other muscles from shortening and becoming tough.
"You cannot blame hunters for having their meat turned into sausage and salami if the meat is tough," Cihelka said.
Cihelka said the body relaxes in 72 hours or more. 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. Hunters don't always do this. They fear bacteria growth. However, the prominent chef, whose meals are the subject of public scrutiny, said if this practice had sickened anyone, lawsuits would have been loud and plentiful.
He recommends a temperature of 40 degrees, but warmer will do.
"If they hang it at home, they often don't have a walk-in freezer," Cihelka said. "Even though cooler is better, I've hung deer even in the 60s, and it has been perfectly fine."
In warmer weather, the key is avoiding contamination from flies. Milos uses a hot oil treatment to repel them.
"I've seen flies turn around and fly away from this stuff," Cihelka said. "To make your own, you just need some vegetable oil and chili peppers. It's simple. It works."
But Cihelka also cautions, "Make sure the carcass doesn't freeze if it's very cold."
Cihelka strongly advocates butchering your own meat if possible.
"When hunters bring their deer to a processor, they give the hunter a certain amount of pounds back according to weight," he said. "It could be anybody's deer. You don't know how long it was left in the field, if it was gut shot, or how they dressed it out."
These are all factors that affect meat flavor and quality. "They have no time to start sorting or finding exactly your deer," said Cihelka.
Cihelka suggests deboning the meat, leaving on the silverskin to prevent freezer burn, and freezing with a meat sealer that removes air.
"There is no reason that venison or any wild game shouldn't taste delicious," said Cihelka.
If you want to give his tips and recipes a try, Cihelka has written a book detailing every aspect of game and fish cooking. It makes for a great holiday gift, and I recommend it. It's easy to understand, and the tips are invaluable, whether you are a just a hack, a gourmand in the kitchen or somewhere in between.
"Cooking Wild Game and Fish with Chef Milos" is available for on Kindle, ($3.99) in paperback ($47.99) or hardcover ($48.99) at www.amazon.com/Cooking- Wild-Game-Fish-Milos/dp/1504949943.
Know the outdoors
Outpost: Making meat delicious
Between muzzle-loading and bow hunting, nearly a month remains for the intrepid hunters who don't fear the cold. Last year's take of over 350,000 deer by hunters resulted in more than 150,000 meals for the homeless, generally ladled out in soup kitchens in the form of chili. To ensure the meat you bring home is delicious and edible — not just as ground meat, but as a delicacy — follow these tips from gold-medal chef Milos Cihelka:
1. Let your deer hang, about two weeks, skin on.
2. Do not butcher it when rigor mortis has set in. It will be tough.
3. Use hot oil to keep away critters, including flies. To make your own, place two cups vegetable oil in a small sauce pan. Add a small handful of dried, crushed red chili peppers. Heat and stir. Allow the oil to start sizzling, then remove it from the stove. Set aside to cool. Put it in a jar and seal it. Keep in a cool place until you're ready to use it. The longer it remains, the stronger it will get. Before you apply it, make sure the cavity of the animal is dry. Put some of the oil in your hand and lightly coat the entire cavity as well as any openings such as eyes, mouth, nose and shot holes. Pour a little down the throat.
4. Don't let the carcass freeze.
5. Butcher the animal yourself when possible.
6. Leave the fascia on to protect from freezer burn.
7. Debone before freezing.
8. Use a freezing method which eliminates the air from the meat.
Venison stroganoff
1/2 cup clarified butter
2 pounds trimmed tenderloin or top butt cut into strips or slices 1/2-inch thick
1 quart sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups onions, halved and cut into 1/4-inch strips
3 cups sour cream, room temperature
4 tablespoons hot mustard
Salt and pepper
Preheat a large skillet or two to very hot. Add a little butter and put in no more meat than will cover the bottom of the pan. Do not stir! Over high heat, sear the meat on one side to brown. Turn over and sear about 15-20 seconds on the other side. Remove meat from the pan while rare. (If you do this in batches, the pan must be clean and very hot before you add more meat. If you overload the pan, the meat will start boiling in its own juice and will not brown.)
After the meat is browned, add the mushrooms and onions to the same skillet, and if necessary, add more butter. Cook until mushrooms and onions become limp. Drain and reserve the juice.
Add the mushrooms and onions to the meat. Return the juice to the pain and whisk in sour cream and mustard. Bring to a simmer. Season the meat with salt and pepper, then fold it into the simmering sauce. Stir and serve it immediately over noodles or spaetzles.
