First, when trimming the meat up, is it as important to trim all fat & silverskin as it is on a whitetail?
Any recommendations on % of fat to mix with it for burgers & pork or beef or both?
I've heard that the fat can get a little rancid in burger if not used after 6 months or so. Would it be better to just package & freeze the trim & have it ground into burger every so often or is that not necessary?
Thanks for your help!
Shot an elk on Sept. 14. First time I've never mixed in other meat with burger. Tastes great. Lesson learned.
I find it interesting that everyone wants the animal fat removed then the first thing they do is add beef fat! Or if the animal they shoot has a good cover of fat on it they are excited because it will be tender and taste so good. I don't recommend keeping all the animals fat in the Hb just because it will stick to the roof of your mouth and leave a film in your mouth. Beef fat will do the same thing. I would cut the steaks, roasts, stew, etc you want and then grind what you want. Any trim left then you can freeze for later Hb, sausage, jerky, etc. Just make sure it doesn't freezer burn.
Anymore suggestions?
When I shot mine in 2009, the first thing I did was buy another freezer. I had all of the cuts, and LOTS of burger
The best moose burgers were made by frying bacon, then fry the burger in that grease, add cheese and the cooked bacon when done. OMG that was the best.
Dont add anything to the meat. Ever. You can buy that chit at the store
The reason we want the animal's fat (on most forms of venison) removed is because it tastes like crap! Not so with domestic beef and pork.
Two of the biggest mistakes anyone can make with wild game is cutting through the bones and not removing as much of the fat as possible.
Lots of ways to use up the moose meat, t-roy. Any roast can be cut down into fajita or stir-fry meat. Ditto for some great kabobs. (Soak kabob cubes in teriyaki, and grill them with chunks of pineapple. We use wooden skewers, and cut the skewers so you get a piece of meat and pineapple on the same small stick after they've been cooked. We call them one-bites.)
You can also slice the roasts into 1" steaks, marinade them in mesquite, fresh lime and liquid smoke, sear them on the grill and then cube the meat up for chili.
Congrats on your moose, and the year of great eating you have coming!
I've been a professional butcher for 23 years now. LOL Just making a statement to get people to think. I've cut up a lot of beef that would probably taste like crap and they didn't have an ounce of fat on them. Taste of the meat has everything to do with diet. That's why cornfed deer taste as well as they do. Same thing goes for any type of split hoofed animal. I've cut up thousands of animals over the years and my observation is that the lack of fat makes any animal tough and is evidence of a poor diet.
That said, we all know fat should be used in moderation and I don't grind my burger with anything and add right before cooking.
OLIVE OIL. OLIVE OIL.
I wrote that twice because you need to add it to your burger before cooking. It will make it more flavorful and juicy - it's also much healthier than regular fat. You don't have to but it makes a HUGE difference and would do it for guests.
If you want to splurge take your venison and grind it with some Foie Gras or sear it and top it with it. Heaven.
I would HIGHLY recommend ordering some Black Truffle Salt from this vendor - will take your steaks and burgers from the minor leagues to Peter Luger level. It's a little spendy BUT it's amazing.
http://solunagardenfarm.com/
I'm talking "all moose; all the time!"
I always add 10% - 12% fatty pork cuts to my burger.
There just isn't any sense in not making your burger as good as it can be.
Pete
Ummmm.
My wife might like some.
My kids? They're pretty cute.
I could bring some good beer over.
One of the things we do is to package and freeze the shanks etc in chunks for stew, chili, fajitas or to grind in smaller batches.
We make caseless sausage that the wife uses for home made pizza. She adds no fats, just spices. And she puts the sausage under the cheese with the shrooms on top. Delicious and less greasy pizza.
We also spice up the sausage and pre cook it to make breakfast burritos with eggs, cooked bacon, onion and green pepper and cheese. They can be frozen, wrapped in wax paper and foil and reheated later.
Never underestimate the value of salt and pepper for meat. My 2 cents! Mike
Keep it coming guys!
Thanks
What's the story on the moose meat? Is it being shipped to you from a hunt that I missed? You may need a reserve freezer.
It makes a BIG difference in quality and tenderness. The meat community has done a ton of research on age and pressure to chew a piece of meat. As you would think the older the animal the tougher it is. Matter a fact once you get past 3 1/2 years old it's significant.
If you have killed a 3 1/2+ year old animal focus on making roasts, burger with only select choice cuts as steaks. Do NOT use fringe cuts as steaks as they will be tough.
If you have killed something younger, especially in the 2 1/2 or younger range you are in for some choice eats. Almost any cut can be steaked.
Jealous as my moose from last year is all gone....
My original crack aside, I would never actually put the squeeze on someone for their game meat. Let alone repeatedly. We all know and appreciate those demands and that sense of entitlement.
I missed your Bucket List Bull thread til now. I will happily read that tonight when I'm not interrupted every 13 seconds by this annoying work stuff.
I would NEVER pack the bones from the field in the first place! Too much weight on my back, and quite often, too much weight in the bush plane.
It all depends on how much you like to eat and cook.
To me, leaving moose bones in the bush is blasphemy. Moose have such wonderful, large bones that you can make dishes like Oso Bucco or roast leg bones for marrow to spread as an appetizer.
Enjoy those tender vittles all winter!
