Need Some Brethren Help; Venison Leg

[WilliamD]

So I'm cooking a couple of Ribeye Steaks for dinner and one of my neighbors followed the smell and came on over. He asked me if I could smoke a Venison Leg for him and it would be butchered for me.

I have never done one before so I'll take all the help I can get. I am guessing since it's lean Hot 'N fast would be a better option than Low 'N Slow? Any particular Rub or Flavor profile I should be leaning towards? What would be the recommended Wood for smoking? What is the suggested Internal Temp for pulling off the smoker. Anything I should be majorly concerned with or watch out for..and anything else I might have missed.

Thanks in Advance for the help!!!!!!

[MisterChrister]

I butcher my own deer, but I've never smoked a whole leg, due to venison being lean and worrying about drying it out. I usually take the sirloin apart into steaks (delicious marinated and grilled medium rare), and either cure the round for venison pastrami, or slice it up for chicken fried steaks.

I believe a few here have smoked a whole veni leg, and will come along shortly, hopefully like Cowgirl! I would guess that barding it with some bacon for fat, and/or smoking it first, then finishing it in a gentle braise could do wonders. If straight up smoking it, I'd say a brine and don't take it past medium rare, but I'd be guessing.

[mrbill]

when cooking venison, the general rule of thumb is to treat it like beef, but don't let it go as long since it is much more lean than beef. i've not done a whole leg of venison before. but if i were to do one, i'd most likely braise it until it falls off the bone or smoke it low and slow til done and give it a decent rest period so it doesn't dry out.

[USMC]

Here is the last one that I have pictures of. I have since ditched using water in the pan and the last venison leg I did similar without water turned out fine. Bacon is key! I take the bacon off a little while before it is done to get a better firmer bark now though.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178027

[Pstores]

Don't use something with a lot salt. Santa Maria or Tuscan seasoning would do very well. If non of that...
Cover with olive oil
Garlic Powder
Onion powder
Mix of pepper or course ground black pepper
Mix some beef base with a tad of Horseradish heat, strain and inject.
Venison can dry out. So good idea to put a pan of water in the cooker.

[cowgirl]

My two favorite ways are to either slow smoke and pull off the heat while still pink in the center OR smoke and braise til fall apart tender.

Braised...
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=238072

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg74/cowgirls-photos_album/venison%20braised%20and%20open%20fire/venison%20shoulders%20034res_zpsf6ojcpox.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg74/cowgirls-photos_album/venison%20braised%20and%20open%20fire/venison%20shoulders%20044res_zpsrtejb1th.jpg


slow smoked...

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=194855

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg74/cowgirls-photos_album/venison%20braised%20and%20open%20fire/c4605ab0-fb08-495b-93c8-127dbddddf70_zpsv7mfchdm.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg74/cowgirls-photos_album/venison%20braised%20and%20open%20fire/ac1e66cc-70a0-4949-8ad3-f40f7944e46e_zpsmnpzj4av.jpg

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg74/cowgirls-photos_album/venison%20braised%20and%20open%20fire/1cbb7dde-47d4-4df7-b0c0-16d0c6f50a52_zpswlaetzsm.jpg



Just a couple of options. Good luck with your cook!

[WilliamD]

Thanks everyone for the replies!!!! I'm leaning towards the Braising Technique. I appreciate all the help. All the Best....Bill

[gcs]

I've cooked a lot of venison front shoulders. Hit it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoke it to 140, any wood is fine. should come out med /med rare, still red in the center.
slice off the bone, hot or cold. It doesn't take a long time to get to temp.

[BillN]

After seeing Jeanie's braised venison tacos its a no brainer.

[Norm]

I did a front shoulder off a pretty good size buck using jeanie's braising method. Put it in the oven at 9am still frozen. Cooked at 250° until 6pm and it turned out really good. Usually I don't even mess with the front shoulders but I sure will from now on.

[mchar69]

Good Luck

[gengle]

Cowgirl's on it! Nothing to see here, move along!:wink:

Braise up front, party in the back!:grin:

[mchar69]

good luck -
here are some beautiful venison open faced sandwiches...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y263/mchar/DSC_0177_zpsegqahhmw.jpg (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/mchar/media/DSC_0177_zpsegqahhmw.jpg.html)

Here is a perfectly grilled venison loin -

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y263/mchar/DSC_0171_zpsx7qndvbs.jpg (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/mchar/media/DSC_0171_zpsx7qndvbs.jpg.html)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y263/mchar/DSC_0174_zps1l6xlrzi.jpg (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/mchar/media/DSC_0174_zps1l6xlrzi.jpg.html)


Any Questions????

[mchar69]

Gonna Be tasty...

[TheHojo]

You could always cure and make pastrami - I have one in the freezer that I need to do this month - did a venison shoulder last month - turned out great

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/ag125/stoinoff/Mobile%20Uploads/630F5733-E124-4D8E-89D6-E219B3641833_zpsgldwdcwp.jpg (http://s1302.photobucket.com/user/stoinoff/media/Mobile%20Uploads/630F5733-E124-4D8E-89D6-E219B3641833_zpsgldwdcwp.jpg.html)