There can be several factors that are causing the "wild" taste you mention. When Ruth read your e-mail it was amazing because the first thing she said was also the first thought I had, are you by any chance cutting and preparing your venison bone-in? That, in our opinion, has always been the #1 contributor to "wild" tasting venison. We have not eaten venison with a bone in it, in the 22 years we've been married.
Some other factors to consider that contribute to strong taste are:
1) How soon it is field dressed after being shot? The faster the better.
2) Are you rinsing it out with cold clean water as soon as you can after field dressing?
3) Are you getting it into refrigeration within an hour or two at the most? If you can't because of location at harvest, at least get ice bags or frozen gel packs in the cavity.[This is critical in southern areas like Tennessee.]
4) Are you processing it within a day or two of harvest? Or do you "age" it for longer periods. I believe that aging can intensify the "wild" taste, even though many believe it tenderizes the meat. [To age venison properly, it must be done under refrigeration.]
5) Do you rinse the carcass after skinning? Any hair or foreign material can cause off flavors.
6) Are you double wrapping it, for freezing? Double wrapping prevents moisture loss (freezer burn), the more moisture that is lost the stronger the flavor of the meat. (Think of it like Kool Aid, the less water in it, the stronger it will taste.) We recommend freezer bags or vacuum packaging, and then overwrapping with locker (freezer) paper.
7) What are the deer you harvest eating? If you hunt large tracks of wooded area, then the deer you harvest may depend entirely on browse which can cause a stronger flavor in the meat. Agricultural and suburban areas usually provide a better food mix.
If you are already doing all of these things then here are some of the things we do when making our venison.
1) Spray Olive Oil for basting it prior to adding the seasonings. PAM makes one that works well.
2) Canadian Style Seasoning. We sell one, but you can find them in the spice section of most stores. They appear under several names depending on the company: Montreal, Canadian, Roast Beef Seasoning, Steak Seasoning.
3) Dry Rubs. Any of the Barbeque rubs work well. We also make our own rub using seasoned salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Accent (MSG)
4) Liquid Marinades. If they haven't been doing an adequate job then try putting the meat and marinade in a vacuum bag and sealing.
Leave in the refrigerator for at least a couple of days before preparing. (A Ziploc bag may work, but I would leave it 3 - 4 days instead.)
5) Cook on a grill. Whether gas, wood, or charcoal we believe grilling enhances venison.
As far as hunting larger deer, and providing a memorable experience I would look to the western states and go for mule deer. Wyoming and Colorado seem to be the most popular with hunters around this area. I would suggest writing to the Chamber of Commerce in several of the cities out there and ask for their list of outfitters and/or public hunting areas. Some ranches that have hunting don't advertise in magazines or the Internet and may be more reasonable. A lot of guys just wing it and hunt public or BLM land.
Thanks for e-mailing,
Dave & Ruth
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