Tough Backstrap - help...

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

hmmm I wonder if fejoa has something similar??? wont be long before the wee green wonders will be falling off tree again,happy times but I cant eat them as fast as they drop.

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Yeap anything with acid in will tenderize meat

I'd say it was a combo of a little long on the age, and time of year. The hinds have been raising babies so can be a bit skinny and in less great condition. Just part of the game, I don't mind a bit chewy as long as the flavour is good.

Try some of the leg and if that is to tough for your likings mince and sausies are always a good time.

Don't be tempted to slow cook anything other than the front wheels, neck or shanks. A slow cooked back strap will be dryer than raw wheetbix

I've had 2 bad experiences eating venison and they have both been sika.

Sika stag with good layer of fat in March, aged for 1 week. Tough and chewy. Really had me scratching my head on that one. The other a skinny sika hind. Should have turned it into sausages/mince.

To be fair, I have not had a bad red or fallow for eating. Even a red stag in middle of roar was good eating.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I have shot 3 animals from same spot..when skinning the membrane between hide and flesh was pinkish,not the normal white/gray...all three were in good nick and all three were tough...nothing else from same area has been tough,most are awesome.
worst case...you got lots to mince up...or caserole. try beating it up with steak hammer before cooking,it helps no end having it sort of prechewed LOL.

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you can now make that 4 animals..... the only thing I can put it down to is animal doing it harder than normal and in decline rather than putting on condition.... also strangely this one had yellowish membrane between muscle groups...maybe been scoffing lotus major flowers and the rapidly growing fern shoots????
I still havent had anyone else tell me they have seen the same thing.

I don't do the " leave it hanging for a week type thing". Mainly because I don't have a chiller.
I let it hang overnight usually in my garage then do the butchering job the next day and into the freezer. But yeah, the age and condition of the animal may be a factor in this case.

Balsamic - really -give that a miss try this -cut into steaks and gently massage with a bottle or tenderizing hammer - dont bash you simply want to break up the muscle fibers a bit - marinate with kiwi fruit 4-5 hrs - that should do it - but man give the balsamic a miss

Can depend on where the steak was cut from too. Ie to far down towards the neck and your in chuck or stewing territory. Could be high ph or old animal. As for aging it can be done after freezing. Pull it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge all meat should be defrosted this way leave for a few extra days before use. Soak it in ginger ale or coca cola works so does a sprinkling of baking soda

I can tell from when the animal is first on the ground if it will be tough. If it cuts easily and seems tender it will be tender. Tough is tough - mince

turning them to mince is the only thing Iv found that makes tough animals edible.
Iv had a few tough as nails pigs that were like this and I put it down to stress and having had babies recently

both had good fat amounts on them and were female and had given birth in previous months

so yea feed it to the dog or mince it

sausages it is LOL.
just as well we love venison sausages.

Tough meat cut into steaks,hammer with steak hammer,lay steaks on a tray and coat steaks with kiwi fruit slices.Over a few days the juices soak thru the meat,soffin it and and flavour to it.

I have already posted this but here it is again - based on a technique used in Asian cooking to make the most of cheap cuts, etc

Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda in litre of water in Pyrex jug. Immerse backstrap in liquid, whole one if younger animal. Soak for minimum 4 hours.
Wash baking soda mix off, then slice into thin strips and marinate.

Marinade - mix together
4 tablespoons of dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
4-6 crushed garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon of cornflour

Marinate for 30mins

Crank BBQ hotplate on high (keeps smells outside)

Oil the hotplate then tip & spread meat quickly. Lower BBQ lid and cook for 2-3 mins, turn quickly and another 2-3mins

Serve. Goes well with stir fry veges and garlic saffron rice in rice cooker.

You can also leave backstrap whole and cook both side to desired level then I cut into serving portions and give 30-45 seconds each side to sear and not look so bloody.

Best venison ever!

I got a particularly tough one late april last year. By accident, I found a solution that works well for me. I pulled a chunk out for a casserole one weekend ( I work nights during the week so only have cooked meals on weekends) . I had something come up and it got pushed to the back of the fridge. I spotted it when I went to get another piece out on Friday and thought Oh crap- theres already one in the fridge....

That week sitting in the fridge made a huge difference(had been frozen for close to 6 months at that point then thawed) To the extent I have now done the same successfully with steaks which I had already thought were destined for stirfry....or curries.