Smoking Deer Meat??

[BIGBrandon2785]

Well im sure I will have plenty of venison again this year,so im wondering whats the best methods of smoking the meat??Ive never tryed it but I would imagine backstrap and roast would smoke great??What kinda wood is prefered and what are the ideal temps?

[Skidder]

Venison is very lean so I would do like I do chicken grill it (don't over cook) or you will end up with shoe leather. If you want a smoke flavor add a chunk of what ever wood you want the the coals.

[IamMadMan]

Originally Posted by BIGBrandon2785

Well im sure I will have plenty of venison again this year,so im wondering whats the best methods of smoking the meat??Ive never tryed it but I would imagine backstrap and roast would smoke great??What kinda wood is prefered and what are the ideal temps?

Keep in mind that Venison does not have a lot of marbling in the meat so by nature it is leaner and can dry out very fast in the cooking process.

I personally think the backstrap (tenderloin) would be best cooked on a hot grill very fast. As far as the roasts there are many options for low and slow. I have used a larding needle with beef suet, but it can be difficult at times. In the past years I started the smoke very low for a few hours to impart the smoke flavor, and then I wrap in pig skin and finish the cook in a half-size pan. I am sure there are many more ways, but these have worked for me for many many years.

I also prefer to get doe permits and harvest that meat as it is much more marbled than meat from a buck.

[Limp Brisket]

Debone a hind quarter, lay onion, peppers and pads of butter in middle, dust it with some rub, roll it up and tie with butchers twine, dust outside with rub and place in a foil pan, add a couple pads of butter on top of roast, smoke @ 250-275 basting with juices/butter every 30 minutes until internal temp is 130-135, remove from smoker and refrigerate overnight then place roast on a slicer and slice thin.

People that claim they don't like deer will eat it prepared this way, it looks like nice pink roast beef after slicing.

Pile it high on some bread for a fantastic sandwich.

Save the straps for frying or reverse searing.

[GreenDrake]

A neighbor brought me a hind quarter from a whitetail a week ago and here's what I did. I injected it with Smoke on Wheels, rubbed with Sweet Seduction and Pecan from Simply Marvelous, laid it on the smoke with bacon strips on top of it *oak lump and pecan chunk in the Kamado Joe at 225, then smoked it for a couple hours. I wrapped it at 150 IT because of the lean quality of the meat. I also dumped in a Paulaner Oktoberfest beer. I kept the bacon on top of it and double foiled it until it hit 200.

Popped it into the Cambro for a rest but my neighbor could not wait. He and another buddy reached in and took a pull, looked at each other while they tasted the succulence, wide eyed and amazed that it was so juicy and delicious....then they grabbed the whole hind quarter and took it to the kitchen counter....pulled it all and just about devoured it in it's entirety right there. Little bbq sauce and it was money. Even my son, who has a little hangup about eating deer, mowed through a plate of it and told me it was the best beef he had ever eaten. I told him it was venison and he paused, shrugged and said "guess I love venison then".

I was very happy with the results, bone in and all it turned out great.

[BIGBrandon2785]

Nice,sounds like im gonna do a hind quarter then.Thanks folks,much appreciated

[columbia1]

We just did backstrap on the WSM, marinated in olive oil, garlic salt and pepper, smoked over cherrywood. Pulled at 135' and it turned out very moist. Kicking myself in the butt for not taking pictures.

[RAYSOR]

Originally Posted by GreenDrake

A neighbor brought me a hind quarter from a whitetail a week ago and here's what I did. I injected it with Smoke on Wheels, rubbed with Sweet Seduction and Pecan from Simply Marvelous, laid it on the smoke with bacon strips on top of it *oak lump and pecan chunk in the Kamado Joe at 225, then smoked it for a couple hours. I wrapped it at 150 IT because of the lean quality of the meat. I also dumped in a Paulaner Oktoberfest beer. I kept the bacon on top of it and double foiled it until it hit 200.

Popped it into the Cambro for a rest but my neighbor could not wait. He and another buddy reached in and took a pull, looked at each other while they tasted the succulence, wide eyed and amazed that it was so juicy and delicious....then they grabbed the whole hind quarter and took it to the kitchen counter....pulled it all and just about devoured it in it's entirety right there. Little bbq sauce and it was money. Even my son, who has a little hangup about eating deer, mowed through a plate of it and told me it was the best beef he had ever eaten. I told him it was venison and he paused, shrugged and said "guess I love venison then".

I was very happy with the results, bone in and all it turned out great.

That sounds great, thanks!

[smoke-n-my-i's]

Originally Posted by GreenDrake

A neighbor brought me a hind quarter from a whitetail a week ago and here's what I did. I injected it with Smoke on Wheels, rubbed with Sweet Seduction and Pecan from Simply Marvelous, laid it on the smoke with bacon strips on top of it *oak lump and pecan chunk in the Kamado Joe at 225, then smoked it for a couple hours. I wrapped it at 150 IT because of the lean quality of the meat. I also dumped in a Paulaner Oktoberfest beer. I kept the bacon on top of it and double foiled it until it hit 200.

Popped it into the Cambro for a rest but my neighbor could not wait. He and another buddy reached in and took a pull, looked at each other while they tasted the succulence, wide eyed and amazed that it was so juicy and delicious....then they grabbed the whole hind quarter and took it to the kitchen counter....pulled it all and just about devoured it in it's entirety right there. Little bbq sauce and it was money. Even my son, who has a little hangup about eating deer, mowed through a plate of it and told me it was the best beef he had ever eaten. I told him it was venison and he paused, shrugged and said "guess I love venison then".

I was very happy with the results, bone in and all it turned out great.

That is pretty much what I did when I did a couple of shoulders. I smoked it just like I would a brisket... I even used my beef rub. slow smoked, wrapped and added beef broth, and eased the meat to a probe tender and let rest. Then I pulled it like pork, done a little experimenting with a couple of different sauces. I actually ended up with the meat pulled, and my chicken sauce on it, a semi-sweet tomato base.

My wife who is a some what picky eater, loved it. I took some to work and gave to a couple of the "hunters" there, and they too loved it....

So, with that said, try what you like, you can always do something different next time....

[fweck]

Originally Posted by columbia1

We just did backstrap on the WSM, marinated in olive oil, garlic salt and pepper, smoked over cherrywood. Pulled at 135' and it turned out very moist. Kicking myself in the butt for not taking pictures.

With some bacon too, awesome!

[toadhunter911]

I did a front shoulder on my OTP last month. Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, italian seasoning, cooked indirect using grape wood. Outstanding results, no leftovers.