Dining on deer

[JohnWester]

The author of three books on venison says that deer meat represents some of the best-tasting meat around -- so long as it is properly prepared and stored.

As a kid, Steve Loder worked in his father's restaurant, learning to cook. He also hunted constantly. Loder, of suburban Pittsburgh, has since joined his two passions -- hunting and cooking -- and published three books on venison. The books offer a wide variety of recipes, from traditional to Mexican and Cajun. Loder and his wife, Gale, argue that venison can be every bit as tasty as beef or other meats if properly cared for and prepared.

Q What style of cooking did you learn from your father?

A When I was 15, my dad bought a small restaurant and pub and refashioned it as an Italian-style restaurant. Throughout my teen and college years, in fall I hunted in the morning and cooked in the afternoon with Dad. I learned to cook many different ways, and we cooked a lot of game.

Q You've said people who don't appreciate venison often are too straightforward in their approach to cooking it.

A Many hunters only know how to prepare venison a couple of different ways. So they get tired of it. I've always taken a menu approach to cooking my venison.

Q Your books are unique in that they contain hunting stories as well as recipes and cooking advice.

A I receive a lot of comments about the stories. I think they add quite a bit to the books. Everyone likes a hunting story, and they speak to the fact that I've been there, in the field, and I know about harvesting a deer, as well as cooking one once it's been processed.

Q Your first book, "Quality Venison," talks a lot about the importance of caring for a deer in the field. How the animal is butchered is critical as well, you say.

A The deer carcass should be cared for as if it represents some of the best meat available anywhere, because it does. It should be field-dressed carefully, with the meat kept clean. I suggest a hunter also butcher his own deer so that all -- and I mean all -- fat can be trimmed from the meat. It's the fat that often ruins venison. Also, if you process your deer yourself, you don't have to worry about fat and blood from someone else's deer being ground up with your deer.

Q What about meat near a wound, such as that made by a bullet or arrow?

A It can be saved, about 85 percent of it, if you want. Separate it from the undamaged meat and soak it in salt water two or three times over 12 hours. Usually the meat can be saved.

Q Freezer burn is another problem.

A Venison should be double-wrapped or vacuum sealed. Single wrapping is good for only six months, at most. Too often people try to cook venison that is freezer burned. Then they wonder why it doesn't taste good.

Q Is it deer fat that gives venison its "gamey" taste?

A Yes. I'm not sure why, but I believe the fat detracts from the taste of venison because of the natural food sources deer are attracted to.

Q Venison steaks and chops often end up too dry and tough.

A Keep in mind, venison is a different red meat to prepare. It's so lean it dries out faster than beef. So you're cooking preparation needs to be moist, whether you're baking, frying or grilling. People tend to overcook venison. It's not in the pork family, remember. It's best done medium rare.

As for steaks and chops specifically, they should be cooked over a consistent temperature and finished to medium rare, which is pink in the middle. It's important to keep these moist, as I mentioned -- both while you cook them and when they're served. For instance, I often use a baking sauce while I bake my tenderloins for about 40 minutes. And when grilling, I'll often prepare a sauce in a small pan and serve the sauce piping hot over the steaks as we sit down to eat. This also helps compensate for venison's tendency to cool quickly.

Q You offer a lot of Mexican and Cajun recipes, particularly in "Venison II."

A Gale and I lived in the South for about 10 years and I developed many new ways to cook venison, based often on Southern-style cooking. I've really learned to work with marinades and sauces in preparation of venison, because in the South venison is grilled a lot. One thing I like to do in winter is smoke three, four or five venison roasts. Then I'll freeze them, and when I want to have one for dinner, I'll make one of the sauces I talk about in "Venison II" and simmer the roast in a Dutch oven with the sauce. You would never know it's not fresh off the grill.

Q How do you prepare your venison burger?

A Again, it's important your deer is boned correctly. You need to keep the fat out of the grindings. I recommend you mix your venison burger 50-50 with ground chuck, which has enough fat to hold the burger together to make meat balls and so forth. I call this steak burger and I use it a lot in my chilis and pasta sauces.

Steve and Gale Loder's "Quality Venison" books are available at select sporting goods and bookstores. They can be ordered from Loders' Game Publications, P.O. Box 1615, Cranberry Township, Pa. 16066. For more information, visit www.qualityvenisoncookbooks.com or call (724) 779-8320.