While the thrill of whitetail deer hunting and the camaraderie that you experience with your fellow enthusiasts may be a big reason that you hunt, you hopefully also enjoy the significant amount of venison meat that you can get off a single deer. Unless you're splitting the meat with another hunter after you get a kill, you can reasonably expect to fill much of your freezer with this meat — especially if you were fortunate enough to get a large deer. This can feed you and your family many meals and snacks in the months ahead. It's worthwhile to have a plan for how you want to use the venison. Here are some suggestions.
Slow-Cooked Stews
Many people find that the gamy taste of venison works well in stews. If you're not someone who necessarily favors venison steaks, stew is an effective way to use the bulk of your meat. There are many different ways that you can approach venison stews and a seemingly endless list of recipes available on the internet. You can use a pot on the stove or a slow cooker, and you might even consider using a pressure cooker to break down the meat and make it more tender if you're short on time. Spice, potatoes, tomatoes, and vegetables can all work well with the venison to produce your stew.
Pepperettes And Jerky
Venison also works well in the form of pepperettes and jerky. It's useful to convert some of the venison from your hunt into these products, as they'll have a long shelf life and can provide a protein-dense snack when you need it. Many hunters take some of their venison to a butcher to convert into pepperettes; unless you have a meat grinder and some other devices, as well as a smoker, this process can be extensive. However, if you have a smoker, cutting the venison into thin strips and marinating it for smoked jerky can be perfect.
Hamburgers
While plenty of hunters enjoy venison steaks, the gamy flavor may be too much for you to enjoy this meat on its own. Another effective way to thus use your venison is to grind it and form it into patties for hamburgers. You'll often notice that with a variety of tasty toppings, such as mustard, onions, and bacon, the gamy taste of the venison isn't as pronounced. Some hunters enjoy grinding the venison with beef or pork to make burger patties that are a combination of the meats.
