How well done...?

[Jonny14]

I know this has probably been asked a lot, but I couldn't find a thread on it.

How well done do you have to cook game? I've heard it has to be at least med. well, and I've heard med. rare is fine? And does it differ between deer, elk, and moose?

[Red Bullets]

All about cooking venision. A good site.

http://www.livestrong.com/sscat/venison-recipes/

[lake side]

I like beef rare but my body disagrees. When it comes to wild meet I have no problems with rare. The taste is fantastic with moose meat. Most chefs will tell you rare to med rare.

EDIT-if cooking bear or cougar cook well done. I have never tried it but this is what I hav heard due to health safety.


L.S.

[Battle Rat]

I've been eating deer, moose and elk steaks rare for years.
Wild game has a small window between done and over done/dry.
I cook bear longer though.

[Pudelpointer]

Ungulates: rare and bloody. Nothing worse then over cooked venison.

Bear/cougar should be heated to..... 170?

[Peebles]

I like it rare or mid-rare. I've also eaten it raw. I've never had any problems. Bacteria form on the surface of the meat, and even a rare piece of meat will be more thoroughly cooked on the outside. In terms of food safety it's quite similar to beef, except you rely on a different butcher/processor.

As mentioned bear and cougar need to be cooked to at least 165F because of trichinosis. Deer can also carry it apparently, but everything I've read makes it sound a lot more common in bears. From wikipedia/Trichinosis:
"Between 2002 and 2007, 11 cases were reported to CDC each year on average in the United States; these were mostly the result of eating undercooked game, bear meat, or home-reared pigs."

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Pudelpointer

Ungulates: rare and bloody. Nothing worse then over cooked venison.
Bear/cougar should be heated to..... 170?

Pudelpointer is 100% correct!

[Gboe8]

Originally Posted by Pudelpointer

Ungulates: rare and bloody. Nothing worse then over cooked venison.

Bear/cougar should be heated to..... 170?

X2

[Jadham]

Originally Posted by Pudelpointer

Ungulates: rare and bloody. Nothing worse then over cooked venison.

Bear/cougar should be heated to..... 170?

I think overcooked duck is worse, but I guess we're talking big game.

Medium rare for me ... ungulates and duck. Pheasant and grouse medium. That is the goal anyways... don't always achieve it.

I brine most of my meat now, it makes the meat moister and gives you some forgiveness if you overcook it.

[OldJoe]

Originally Posted by Battle Rat

Wild game has a small window between done and over done/dry.

This.. for most wild meat rare is good, if in doubt wet cook. I like the low and slow method for roasts. Place in oven at the lowest temp you can, usually 170
use a probe. Comes out very tender and moist.
dont forget the old school pressure cooker....

[jednastka]

In my BBQ storage unit, I have a couple of beat-up, old hockey pucks. When I'm cooking game, and someone insists on well-done, I give them a hockey puck, saying at the same time that I won't do that to game meat!


Vic

[RedEd]

We like moose roast rare done (135 degrees F) on the BBQ roteserie. Injected with Italian dressing and allowed to sit in fridge overnight. Anything more well done tends to be tough.

[iliketrout]

All of my deer and moose steaks are rare-medium rare on the bbq. Ground is cooked through, burgers lean a little towards pink.

Ducks and geese I do med-rare on the bbq as well.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by RedEd

We like moose roast rare done (135 degrees F) on the BBQ roteserie. Injected with Italian dressing and allowed to sit in fridge overnight. Anything more well done tends to be tough.

That sounds TASTEY! I will give it a go. Thanks

[Jonny14]

Thanks for all the comments. I like my beef rare to med rare, but was told to cook game more. I'll never eat a med well venison steak again!!

[3blade]

Standard safety warning: 170 f is needed to kill parasites.

That being said, I've eaten deer raw, rare, burnt and everything in between. Prefer medium. seared on high to caramelize the surfaces, pink in the middle. Just remember it continues to cook after you take it off, so factor that in, and let it rest for at least 5 on a plate before serving so it stays juicy.

[HunterDave]

I eat my beef steak rare and my venison medium. My wife's trick to cook venison is to put water into the pan when cooking it on medium heat so it doesn't turn into shoe leather from over cooking. It's definitely has to be cooked differently than beef due to not having the fat content.

[jednastka]

My ungulates are always, always rare to blue rare. If anyone asks for a medium to well done, I literally put a hockey puck on their plate and tell them I won't do that to venison.

Vic

[The Fisherman Guy]

As above folks have mentioned, it is much better if it is cooked from blue to medium rare. Otherwise it is dry and much too chewy, along without the signature delicious flavor.

Be sure to place your cooked game onto a rack to rest, not a plate or a tray of any kind - use a rack! It will allow the meat to cool slowly, and will not draw out as much of the juices, leaving your meat much more moist and flavorful. Keep in mind, it will continue to cook a little bit even after you remove it from the heat.

[FlyTheory]

Originally Posted by Jonny14

I know this has probably been asked a lot, but I couldn't find a thread on it.

How well done do you have to cook game? I've heard it has to be at least med. well, and I've heard med. rare is fine? And does it differ between deer, elk, and moose?

It does differ with ungulates for sure. I’m not talking bear or cougar...
but it really depends how you wish to appreciate your cut of meat. Some steaks like a flat iron are best done med-rare. Others, skirt steak are great medium. Delmonico steaks are best blue-rare. Shanks are great when they’re pressure cooked/slow cooked to hell and back

[ghostguy6]

You realize this thread was resurrected from 5 years ago right. It safe to say the OP has figured out how to cook his steak.....

[FlyTheory]

Originally Posted by ghostguy6

You realize this thread was resurrected from 5 years ago right. It safe to say the OP has figured out how to cook his steak.....

Lol! I never checked the date.. my mistake