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-   -   Tough moose meat (http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=49583)

atlas 01-09-2010 03:55 PM

Tough moose meat
 
We took a cow moose in late November. She was about 3 years old. We thought she would be great eating but the steaks are tough as nails. She was standing there watching us and was hit in the spine about halfway across the back. She was down right away. We got to her 5 minutes later and shot her in the head. We took great care field dressing her and it was -10. After we had her in the truck she went straight to the butcher shop and hung right away for about 2 weeks.

Could the spine shot have done something? We can't figure what it could be. The meat should be prime eating. Thanks.

honda450 01-09-2010 04:01 PM

Simple. Your over cooking it.:wave:

atlas 01-09-2010 04:05 PM

I wish it was that but I cook my meat almost blue rare and the other two guys I split with are experiencing the same thing.

IR_mike 01-09-2010 04:09 PM

Try piercing it with a fork and marinating it overnight in pineapple juice...seems to tendarize it a bit.

BrownBear416 01-09-2010 04:13 PM

Cook it in the slowcooker on low heat and it will be tender :)

Redfrog 01-09-2010 04:13 PM

Which steaks and how are you cooking them.

flyguyd 01-09-2010 04:16 PM

The spine shot might have more to do with it than you think . I called in my Whitey buck ,zero stress and had no idea anyone was around and not an old buck either . I took the only shot I had, which unfortunatly was the base of the tail and could not finish him for a couple min and he is very tough also. You might want to invest in a meat hammer:)

honda450 01-09-2010 04:17 PM

Well than I do not have an answer. I shot moose in warm weather, cold weather, froze and then thawed, In the head, heart shot etc. Mine were all fine. But I ain't an expert. :lol: But do find ya can't cook it like beef.

wapiti11 01-09-2010 04:19 PM

Tough moose meat
 
Could your moose carcass or portion of it been switched with an old animal at the butcher? Spine shots should not have an impact on meat quality.
wapiti11

atlas 01-09-2010 04:20 PM

Redfrog... Which steaks and how are you cooking them.


It's all cuts except possibly the tenderloins as I haven't tried them yet.

honda450 01-09-2010 04:24 PM

Stress has nothing to do with it. Its a myth.:wave:

atlas 01-09-2010 04:26 PM

honda450

how do you cook your moose steaks?

u_cant_rope_the_wind 01-09-2010 04:28 PM

are the steaks cut wth the meat grain or across the meat grain??? when yer cooking it do you seer it then flip it rt away and keep seering it flippin it??? that meat should be tender, enough to cut it wth a fork, invite me over I,ll test it out for ya evan cook it for if ya want:)

honda450 01-09-2010 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlas (Post 477511)
honda450

how do you cook your moose steaks?

I am a BBQ man. Otherwise it ain't steak. :wave: Honestly I do not follow any recipe just look what is in the fridge and cupboard and improvise. :lol:

atlas 01-09-2010 04:43 PM

One of the guys I split it with has been hunting moose for 20 yrs and figures it might have been the spine shot.

honda450 01-09-2010 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlas (Post 477521)
One of the guys I split it with has been hunting moose for 20 yrs and figures it might have been the spine shot.

Doubt it.:wave:

yamaha 1 01-09-2010 04:58 PM

I thing you got your moose switched with someone elses moose.It use to happen to me all the time until i started to cut my own meat.I have been cutting my own moose,elk,deer now the last 5 years never have any problems.And as far as cooking steak I cook it on the BBQ. just like my beef medium rare,always tender.:D

atlas 01-09-2010 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by u_cant_rope_the_wind (Post 477516)
are the steaks cut wth the meat grain or across the meat grain??? when yer cooking it do you seer it then flip it rt away and keep seering it flippin it??? that meat should be tender, enough to cut it wth a fork, invite me over I,ll test it out for ya evan cook it for if ya want:)

So you're saying to keep flipping it so as to not cook it too long on one side? I'm not sure about how it was cut with the grain or not

sheephunter 01-09-2010 05:13 PM

It happens every now and then.

Most times it can be attributed to an animal running a long way after being hit, old age and other times improper handling but occasionally you just get one like that for no real reason.

I shot a cow one time that was so tough that you couldn't stick a fork in the gravy:D Funny but true.......

moosemad 01-09-2010 06:06 PM

With a roast we always put a couplke of slices in it and stuffed a piece or two of bacon in there. The bacon grease seemed to help make it more tender and juicy. Not sure about a steak but if they are thick enough give it a try. Best part is you get to eat the bacon youself!:love:

BallCoeff.435 01-09-2010 07:01 PM

hamburgers, goulash soup, stew, sausages, zuri' geschnetzeltes, chili con carne, spaghetti sauce con carne, meat tacos, burritos, meat loaf, hot nachos with spicy hamburger sauce....

Some people have never even eaten steak. This is a great chance to develop your culinary abilities.

Don't worry, be happy.

Canuck44 01-09-2010 07:26 PM

thats weird, a cow like that should be good, i have had spine shot deer before and they were always good. The worst animals I have had were ruined by the butcher. Did you all use the same butcher? have you used that one before?

WTHunter 01-09-2010 07:31 PM

Got a tougher old bull this year....wife has been soaking the steaks in balsmic vinergrette over night.......makes a significant difference. All roasts are done in slow cooker.

Agree that the spine shot shouldn't have mattered.......

u_cant_rope_the_wind 01-09-2010 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlas (Post 477537)
So you're saying to keep flipping it so as to not cook it too long on one side? I'm not sure about how it was cut with the grain or not

yes if you cook the moisture outa wild meat it goes tuff dont use as hot of heat as u would wth beef or pork,test it a few times when it looks rt to yer likeing it should be tender and juicey, and umm (trying to explain wth out showing you ) if its cut wth the grain instead of across the grain it will always be tuff not sure why but thats what alota people do and end up wth tuff cutts instead of tender cuts look at how meat is cut at safeway its cut across the the grain not wth it . like a log if you cut it length ways (wth the grain)u get a board if u cross cut it u get a block (steak) do that make sence?? I have taken steaks off an animal as we were dressing it out ( no cooling no hanging it 10 days )& always tender, once my sister took a roast and cut it length ways (wth the grain) so the steaks were bigger and those were the tuffest piece of meat i ever had, and the next time she cross cut the roast made like steakettes same animal & real tender and soft

brewster1 01-09-2010 08:16 PM

tough meat
 
I agree with yamaha. spine shot, head shot, heart shot, makes no difference as long as they go down immediatly. I would ask around about the butcher sounds like you got someone elses meat.

u_cant_rope_the_wind 01-09-2010 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewster1 (Post 477689)
I agree with yamaha. spine shot, head shot, heart shot, makes no difference as long as they go down immediatly. I would ask around about the butcher sounds like you got someone elses meat.

i kinda would say not likely a mix up but it could be in how twas field dresed but not likely, I,m thinking how it was cut, or how its being cooked, maybe to much heat and drying it out to fast, try not thawing it out in a microwave (thatll, defenetly make it tuff) and then try doing a roast in the slow cooker, and expierment wth different tempatures and keep flipping it so it keeps its moisture in the steaks,:lol:i dont think the hamburger is tuff if it is then i I :huh::huh:dunno, then I,d say ya got a tuff old granny moose not 3 year old,
that just give me a idea, it would be great to get a bunch of guys together and do a BBQ cook off wth wild game, jst see how,others prepare and cook their wild game, and to enjoy each others company for a weekend, meet some people off this forum

Bassett 01-09-2010 08:44 PM

how did u cut with or against the grain?

canadianbigbuck 01-09-2010 08:46 PM

I experienced the same this past fall. I shot a nice 3-4 year old bull, dropped in his tracks and the animal wasen't stressed at all. I cut the backstraps off and the tenderloins, the rest went to the butcher. We make meal portions with the vaccum sealer with marinate and freeze, but they still were tough, although still very tasty. The tenderloins were not as tough as the backstraps.
This was a farm-land bull, not sure whether that has anything to do with it?

atlas 01-09-2010 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canuck44 (Post 477641)
thats weird, a cow like that should be good, i have had spine shot deer before and they were always good. The worst animals I have had were ruined by the butcher. Did you all use the same butcher? have you used that one before?

we had it done at the same butcher. we just split it afterwards. a lot of people on here recommended the butcher on another thread earlier in the season. i don't think it was the butcher.

atlas 01-09-2010 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadianbigbuck (Post 477718)
I experienced the same this past fall. I shot a nice 3-4 year old bull, dropped in his tracks and the animal wasen't stressed at all. I cut the backstraps off and the tenderloins, the rest went to the butcher. We make meal portions with the vaccum sealer with marinate and freeze, but they still were tough, although still very tasty. The tenderloins were not as tough as the backstraps.
This was a farm-land bull, not sure whether that has anything to do with it?

this was a farmland cow. just north of drumheller


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