Serious Discussions about Deer Fat

[jlrobbins29]

From what I understand it turns rancid rather quickly and if left with venison even when frozen can ruin an entire package of meat.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

Deer Tallow is waxy to me.It Sticks to the roof of my mouth and gives me indigestion. I'm sure if I was hungry enough I could develop a taste for it. It makes good soap and candles if you want to take the time.

 

[Bone Collector]

From what I understand it turns rancid rather quickly and if left with venison even when frozen can ruin an entire package of meat.

Maybe the big layer of fat that is on the outside of the meat, but it is impossible to take all the fat off the meat before packaging.

As for what Poser is talking about that is some of the fat that is in the meat. it cooks down in the roasting/stewing process and when it gets cold thickens like a sheet of ice on the broth/juice. I will skim some off but most times I just heatit back up and it turns back into juice or broth. I have never had it cause a bad flavor.

 

[WMAn]

I have eaten the thick fat around the top of a deer heart before and had the same experience. Different texture but tasted like deer. Nothing off putting about it.

One cookbook I reference a lot argues against deer fat because it hardens quickly after cooking. Maybe the fat congealing is the bigger problem and not the taste.

 

[Coach]

Why do you eat "fat"? I must have missed something...I avoid fat in all foods if I can help it at all...

 

[WMAn]

I believe Poser was eating the fat to test the taste of deer fat without any lean meat attached. But, I'm interested Coach as to your reasons for avoiding fat?

 

[Bayou Buck]

most times I just heat it back up and it turns back into juice or broth. I have never had it cause a bad flavor.

Same here. What I won't eat is the fat that doesnt cook down.

 

[woodsman87]

I can remember eating deer fat once and it just had the worst taste and my mouth felt like I had eaten a candle. I try to get as much off as I can.

 

[Crosshairy]

I trim fat from venison because of that same adage.

I wonder if all fat is not created equal, however. Sort of like how certain animals carry smells/tastes in parts of their body due to the location of glands...perhaps certain pockets of fat house other tastes that are generally unpleasant or something.

When deer fat is cooked into food (especially when dealing with ground burger), I've never noticed a problem with the flavor when re-heating the congealed stuff.

I suspect (like a lot of things) that there's a good deal that we don't know about the specifics of deer fat. It's good to question the norm about this stuff - sort of like dismissing ribs because of poor eating quality, right?

 

[Crosshairy]

most times I just heat it back up and it turns back into juice or broth. I have never had it cause a bad flavor.

Same here. What I won't eat is the fat that doesnt cook down.

That's generally my approach as well. I need to re-read some info that i've since forgotten about the types of fats, but I seem to recall those super heat-resistant fats being worse for you or something.

 

[Winchester]

Its not as much the bad taste as the waxy texture that i dont like.

 

[Coach]

I believe Poser was eating the fat to test the taste of deer fat without any lean meat attached. But, I'm interested Coach as to your reasons for avoiding fat?

Um, well, despite the common persception or misperception I know that there are some benefits in fat, but not all fat. Saturated fats like in meat and butter and trans fats, like maybe margarine I believe will raise blood pressure, clog arteries, reduce blood flow to certain extremities like the brain.

Unsaturated fats like in Olive Oil and polyunsaturated fats like in peanut butter are better for you. I get enough acid in my supplements that I don't really want the extra calories or other health risks involved in eating these other fats any more than I need too. I simply prefer a more low carb, low fat type diet.

Many years ago I wrote an article for a health magazine with the help of a nutritionist about this and my thoughts haven't changed today. I do cheat, but I'm saying on the whole.

 

[bowriter]

It is not the fat so much as the food source for the deer. Whatever they eat gives the fat flavor. This is true of all red meat.

The mono, di, and tri glycerides in the fat collect the flavor of the digested food. Foods that are digested quickly, are less flavorfull.

Because deer are ruminants and all food gets a through digestion process, anything they eat tends to "taint" the meat.

In many cases with deer, the food in the rumen begins to carbonationalize or actually "rot". This in turn provides more time for the meat to taint. The longer, the more taint.Therefore, I will not eat taint.

However, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

[DaveB]

I have done so, tasted rendered fat, with Mule deer. It was bitter, left an aftertaste, and tasted like sagebrush smells.

Poser, How much of that taste was due to the seasoning and cooking method you employed? I think cooking the neck like you did is an excellent way to salvage a generally hard to maximize piece of the animal. The long term health affects aren't really in play here as I am sure there are 29 bazillion worst places to get an overload of saturated fat.

 

[Coach]

It is not the fat so much as the food source for the deer. Whatever they eat gives the fat flavor. This is true of all red meat.

The mono, di, and tri glycerides in the fat collect the flavor of the digested food. Foods that are digested quickly, are less flavorfull.

Because deer are ruminants and all food gets a through digestion process, anything they eat tends to "taint" the meat.

In many cases with deer, the food in the rumen begins to carbonationalize or actually "rot". This in turn provides more time for the meat to taint. The longer, the more taint.Therefore, I will not eat taint.

However, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

But, have you actually eaten it? Have you actually taken a bite out of pure deer fat?

Good question...but, after reading BW's comment...I won't

 

[Coach]

It is not the fat so much as the food source for the deer. Whatever they eat gives the fat flavor. This is true of all red meat.

The mono, di, and tri glycerides in the fat collect the flavor of the digested food. Foods that are digested quickly, are less flavorfull.

Because deer are ruminants and all food gets a through digestion process, anything they eat tends to "taint" the meat.

In many cases with deer, the food in the rumen begins to carbonationalize or actually "rot". This in turn provides more time for the meat to taint. The longer, the more taint.Therefore, I will not eat taint.

However, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

But, have you actually eaten it? Have you actually taken a bite out of pure deer fat?

Good question...but, after reading BW's comment...I won't

Well, see... this is what I'm saying. It is possible that hunters have been taking certain truths for granted for years and years (this is why there is a market for coon piss, after all). BW says that the fat tastes tainted. Correction, he said that IS tainted, but I just ate it last night and it did not taste tainted at all. Now, either I have a taste for tainted meat, which, as I described, the fat tasted like venison, or the meat does not taste tainted even though it is, or, the fat is not in fact tainted. It is difficult for me to believe that tainted meat cannot taste tainted. So, which is it?

Maybe tainted was a "strong" word for something that tastes too "strong" that possibly you like? I eat farm eggs sometimes that others think are tainted but that I just think are strong. However, I don't eat fat so not sure...My grandfather always said things like this "how's it taste Mr Webb?...and he'd respond "Just like eating manure boy, it's good if you like it"

 

[Bowdacious]

I wouldn't take a bite. Yuck! I can't even eat the fat around a pork chop I don't worry about the fat on deer ( cook it but wont eat it) but that silver skin gets rank real quick.

 

[Mike Belt]

I've always trimmed all the fat off my deer. I'll continue to do so. If you guys want it I can save it all up and send you a sack full after season, lol.

 

[shagy99]

That wasn't necessarily all fat. If you roasted the whole neck you has a fair bit of collagen in it as well.

 

[Vermin93]

I made a batch of whole muscle strip jerky a couple of years ago. I didn't trim the meat that great and left some fat on the strips. Every bite that contained a piece of fat had a noticeably gamey taste that was not good, in my opinion. Bites without fat tasted fine. Ever since then I've been vigilant about removing any and all deer fat from my venison. It's one reason why I've been hesitant to do a whole neck roast. It seems there's no way to cut all the fat out without ruining the roast. Maybe I'll just give it a try and see how it turns out.

 

[BlountArrow]

...It's one reason why I've been hesitant to do a whole neck roast. It seems there's no way to cut all the fat out without ruining the roast. Maybe I'll just give it a try and see how it turns out.

X2. Although, Poser has me talked into trying it next season.

 

[BlountArrow]

...It is possible that hunters have been taking certain truths for granted for years and years....

^^^This couldn't be more true. I worked with a guy for many years and he was probably 65 when he retired from here. To this day, he believes there is a gland/fatty pocket in the back ham of a deer that once removed will prevent your deer from tasting gamey. He told SO MANY people this that I never had the heart to correct him. He would say, "Ever since a butcher showed me where that gland was I ain't never had gamey tasting deer meat since."

 

[BlountArrow]

Yep, heard that one too. My uncle, who is the reason I got into hunting, preaches that one. However, he doesn't process his own deer??? He knows I process my own and brings it up from time to time. Where does this folklore even come from :) !

 

[bowriter]

:)

 

[DaveB]

Poser-I am wondering about this because I have tasted venison that was gamey-tainted if you will. I am a big believer in gutting and cooling as quick as possible because when I first started hunting in Miami you gotta be quick or the deer will sour right in front of you. Plus, my Ozark Mountain Dad stressed to me over and over that you gotta clean them quick or they go bad. Maybe the fat goes bad quicker than the venison if you don't get them cooled down quick?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

No thanks Poser :D . I like to do roasts with a deer roast with no fat and a beef roast. The beef fat saturates into the deer roast. That's what I like

 

[Swole Neck]

It taint the front, it taint the back.

 

[plinker22]

Interesting that you would ask this question today.

Just last night, Browtines and I were processing my 8 point from December 15th. We had a Mr. Heater running to keep the chill off. We sliced a few thin pieces of meat and let them "grill" in front of the Mr. Heater. It just took a few seconds on each side. (Yes, you ARE a redneck if you grill deer meat on a Mr. Heater) :D :D

Anyway, I cut a large hunk of fat off the deer's neck and decided to see how it would react to "grilling". Browtines said, "That is gonna stink something awful." Much to our surprise, it smelled like an incredible cut of Rib Eye or T-Bone from an aged beef.

Neither one of us tasted it, I guess we needed Poser there, :) but let me tell you, it Smelled Wonderful!

 

[Pursuit Hunter]

Very legitimate question. I've always been fanatical about removing all fat and silverskin when I butcher a deer. I've never had one that I butchered that tasted objectionably "gamey".

On the other hand, I've eaten burger from a commercial processor that was the gamiest tasting stuff I've ever put in my mouth. I have always assumed that the commercial ground meat had a high percentage of fat and connective tissue. No processor could make money if he took the time it takes to remove all that stuff before grinding it.

I have always assumed that the difference in taste that I get is due to the removal of fat and anything else that doesn't look like something I'd want to put in my mouth, but I have never tested that hypothesis. Perhaps it is the othjer stuff and not the fat that gives meat an off taste. Kudos for having an open mind and questioning the prevailing wisdom.

By the way, Poser, I've heard that deer sphincters taste really good - like calimari. I believe you're da man to test that theory. :D

 

[Coach]

Very legitimate question. I've always been fanatical about removing all fat and silverskin when I butcher a deer. I've never had one that I butchered that tasted objectionably "gamey".

On the other hand, I've eaten burger from a commercial processor that was the gamiest tasting stuff I've ever put in my mouth. I have always assumed that the commercial ground meat had a high percentage of fat and connective tissue. No processor could make money if he took the time it takes to remove all that stuff before grinding it.

I have always assumed that the difference in taste that I get is due to the removal of fat and anything else that doesn't look like something I'd want to put in my mouth, but I have never tested that hypothesis. Perhaps it is the othjer stuff and not the fat that gives meat an off taste. Kudos for having an open mind and questioning the prevailing wisdom.

By the way, Poser, I've heard that deer sphincters taste really good - like calimari. I believe you're da man to test that theory. :D

Poser, just say no to crack :D