Whenever I share wild game recipes, I am asked how to make wild game taste “not so gamey.” We don’t mind the taste, even if it is gamey, but I know it can bother some people who are used to beef or chicken instead of deer and wild turkey. We have eaten some pretty wild things with very minimal seasoning, so our taste buds are slightly skewed, but- if you are hunting or gifted wild meat, I want you to enjoy it! Here are a few tips that we do that I think can help you, too!

Our Tips

• Gut Immediately and Properly Gut
  • This is KEY to preventing as much smell as you can from a dead animal
  • If you are unsure how to field dress an animal, there are countless YouTube videos on how to do so 
  • Best knife for field dressing
• Processing Tips
  • If you’re processing it yourself, ensure you remove as many of the tendons and slimy fat as you can 
    • For turkeys- get as much of the yellow fat removed as possible
    • Don’t toss the above parts, you can cook them for your dog
    • Age large game for 4–7 days at a temperature below 40º Fahrenheit (an ideal situation; it doesn’t always work out this way)
  • If you’re getting it processed at a meat locker, request that your ground deer isn’t combined with anyone else’s if you can (you don’t know how they gutted their animal, and you don’t want your meat mixed with theirs for your ground)
• Cooking Tips
  • Use a meat tenderizer for back straps and steaks
  • Brine / Marinade Options
    • Soak in salt or vinegar
      • Soak the meat overnight in 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of cold water or 1 cup of vinegar per quart of cold water. Discard the solution after soaking
    • Marinade
      • Marinade the meat in a flavorful mixture for 1–2 days for birds or 3–5 days for game animals. You can use ingredients like red wine, garlic, onion, rosemary, and thyme
    • Soak in buttermilk
      • Soak birds in buttermilk overnight to reduce the gamey flavor. When you’re ready to cook, roll the birds in flour or breadcrumbs
  • Cook rare to medium-rare 
    • Meat thermometer
• Experiment with poppers: Poppers are a combination of bacon, jalapeños, cream cheese, etc