Marinating venison with oil, food acid, and spices improves taste and tenderness. Venison is leaner than beef, so the marinade should contain oil to keep it moist. The marinade compensates for the shorter curing time of venison and should be in a plastic or glass container.
The taste and tenderness of venison depend on the diet of the venison, how the meat has been processed, and how it is prepared and cooked. Marinating venison before cooking improves its taste and makes the meat more tender. Venison is typically much leaner than beef, and venison marinade should include oil to keep the venison from drying out while cooking. The marinade should also include a food acid to tenderize the meat. Adding other spices to the marinade will help accentuate and bring out the flavor of the venison.
Most venison is processed at home or in a bushmeat processing shop. While beef may be hung up and cured for an extended period of time during processing, venison is usually hung up for a short time before it is cut and packaged. The longer the curing time, the more tender the meat becomes. The venison marinade compensates for the shorter curing times by using food acids, such as vinegar, wine or lemon juice. The acid present in these liquids makes the meat more resistant by breaking down the tough cellular structures of the muscle tissue.
Animal fat keeps the meat moist and juicy. Venison not only contains less fat than beef, but it has very little fat marbling. The venison marinade should contain olive oil to help compensate for the lack of fat in the meat. This helps the meat retain moisture while cooking so it doesn’t dry out and chew. Very lean venison requires more olive oil in the marinade than venison with some fat present.
The spices add the flavor of the venison and help prevent a pungent taste. Venison has a distinctive flavor that is different from beef, but true gaminess is usually due to improper processing methods. A venison marinade made with soy sauce or garlic will help neutralize any gamy tastes. Additional flavorings, such as brown sugar, thyme and rosemary, work well with venison.
Venison marinade should be placed in a plastic or glass container. Do not use a metal container as the acid in liquids will react with the metal. Small pieces of venison can be placed in a plastic bag and covered with the marinade, while larger pieces should be marinated in a covered container. The venison marinade needs to make contact with all parts of the meat, so larger pieces of venison should be periodically turned into the marinade. The deer should soak in the marinade for four days under refrigerated conditions.
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