Choosing a wild game marinade can be challenging, but adding fat and acid is important. The cooking method should also be considered, with slow cooking working well with smooth flavors and faster cooking requiring stronger flavors. Experiment with sweet or savory marinades to find your favorite.
Choosing a wild game marinade can seem daunting, especially if you’ve never prepared game meat before. One very important thing to remember is that most game, such as deer and rabbits, don’t have a lot of blubber. You need to add some sort of fat to the venison marinade to keep the meat moist and help bring the flavor into the meat. Another important consideration is how the meat will be cooked. For example, steaming marinades usually contain different flavors than roasted marinades. After that, you just have to think about the flavors that you like the most.
Two ingredients that you almost always need to include in a game marinade are fats and acids. As mentioned earlier, fat is a vehicle for flavor and helps make meat succulent. The acids tenderize the meat and help neutralize any bitter and gamey flavors it may have. Fatty options include cooking oils, like olive oil, and fatty meats, like bacon. Vinegars, like apple cider or balsamic, are popular acidic choices. Fruit juices and wine can also be used.
The next thing to consider when putting together your venison marinade is how you plan to cook the meat. The smoke typically works well with smooth flavors, like cumin and paprika. The long, slow cooking times allow these flavors to infuse deeply into the meat. The smoke also acts as a carrier for spices and flavours. A little mesquite or liquid smoke might also work well in a steaming marinade. The mild flavors might also work well if you’re braising or slow cooking the meat.
Faster cooking methods, such as roasting or grilling, may require stronger flavors. Chillies, garlic, onions, and fruit often work well in these cases. The meat doesn’t have time to infuse with the marinade in these recipes, so stronger flavors have a better chance of penetrating the meat more quickly.
After considering the above factors, all you need to decide is what kind of marinade you want to make. If you like sweet marinades, try experimenting with crushed fruit, honey, and garlic. A savory deer marinade might include chopped cranberries, apple cider vinegar, honey, a little brown sugar, and strips of bacon wrapped around the pieces of meat. Rabbit might taste good when marinated with cherries, rice vinegar and olive oil.
If you prefer a smoked or savory venison marinade, try using dry mustard, a little hot sauce, and lots of onions and garlic. Sliced fennel and smoked paprika can also work well. Eventually, you may want to make several small sample marinades and taste each one to find out which one is your favorite.
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