Have you ever tried venison or deer meat? What does venison taste like and do you like it?
Whether you’re a foodie looking for something new to eat or you’re a meat lover eager to try every kind of meat out there, you’re probably familiar with game meat, in particular venison.
Venison is the king of game meat, not only because it’s one of the easiest game meats to acquire but also because it’s one of the most popular choices out there. After all, when you think of a hunter, isn’t a hunter hunting a deer the first thing that comes to mind?
Not only is venison a popular first choice for game meat but it’s also a healthy choice for those looking for an alternative to beef.
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Health Benefits of Venison
- Venison meat is healthier
Venison meat is considerably leaner than beef. It contains about 1/5 of the fat cattle does and around half the calories.
As far as saturated fat goes, venison meat has 1/6 of the amount of saturated fats beef does, and it also packs more protein.
Sure, venison has higher cholesterol levels than beef, but considering it has more vitamins –including iron, vitamin B6 and niacin– we think it’s a fairly good exchange.
- Venison is more delicious
Alright, alright. So maybe this is very subjective but, trust us, venison is delicious when hunted and cooked right.
Venison has a rich flavor that any meat lover is bound to appreciate, though it does have a harder texture that makes it harder to get used to for those who enjoy the tender and fatty texture of beef.
So, while enjoying the flavor is pretty much guaranteed, the texture just might not be your thing.
What About the Risks?
Granted, there are certain risks when eating venison that need to be considered, such as any diseases that can be contracted in the wild.
The biggest concern? Chronic wasting disease, which has been found in 16 states.
However, “biggest concern” makes it sound worse than it is, being as there has never been a case of a human contracting this disease from a deer.
The same goes for most bacteria and parasites wild meat can contract, with the only exception being Ecoli, a relatively easy to kill bacteria that disappears when you cook your meat properly.
So is venison meat dangerous?
Not at all!
As long as your meat is processed correctly it’ll be quite safe to eat. Which is exactly the same thing you can say about beef.
- Related article: Best manual meat grinder
What Does Venison Tastes Like?
Biologically speaking, deer is very similar to cattle. This means its meat isn’t different enough to throw you off.
However, the fact that they have different diets, different activity levels and completely different ‘lifestyles’ means that the taste, texture and even appearance has significant differences that you’re bound to notice.
- Texture
For starters, deer has a tougher and drier texture that throw you off if you’re expecting the same soft and juicy experience you get with beef.
Due to its lower fat content, the meat is leaner, which means it’s firmer without being chewy.
Think beef fillets, but slightly harder.
- Flavor
You’ll often find people telling you that venison tastes ‘gamy’ but, let’s be honest, that really doesn’t tell you anything about its taste.
Venison tastes like beef but in a more complex way. The flavor is stronger, with a somewhat sweet taste to it that will remind you of lamb while also reminding you of beef.
Sounds complex?
It is!
Remember that venison is a wild animal so a lot of the flavor of its meat comes from its diet and the diet changes from season to season as well as country to country.
The point is, the easiest way of finding out what venison tastes like is trying it yourself!
How To Cook Venison Meat?
Feeling intimidated by this kind of meat is normal. After all, for many of you it’ll be the very first time you touch it.
There are various ways you can cook venison meat. You can make stews, curries, cook them with alcohol such as sake or wine on the pan, you can make a stock and more.
Sure, venison meat might not be as versatile as beef, but no one said that meant it had to be boring.
However, if you’re looking for the easiest way of cooking venison, we recommend you just season it lightly on both sides and cook it until it’s well done to make sure you eliminate any kind of bacteria that might linger in the meat.
In Conclusion
As you can see, describing venison meat is not an easy thing to do properly so if you really want to get a good idea, you should try it yourself.
Sure, venison meat can be a bit pricey compared to beef, particularly if you didn’t hunt it yourself, but its’ a delicious experience that we should all try at least once.