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My brother got a young mule deer buck (muzzleloader) and we saved the ribs. Yesterday I seasoned them, put on the grill for a few minutes, then put in crockpot. They were very tender and meat fell off of the bone, tasty. How many others ever save and cook up the ribs? This is the first time, I've tried it, the deer seemed to have a lot more meat in the rib area than any other deer I've butchered.
Most of the time. Love them!
Always amazes me how many hunters won't take the ribs. I've grabbed as many as six rib cages left by others in camp. Their loss!
I braise then smoke the ribs. Very good.
I tried once, but I must have done something wrong. Very nasty pasty aftertaste left in my mouth after every bite. This was a WT, don't know if that makes a difference? Pointers?
Ive smoked antelope and WT ribs. Dont bother with the antelope..... :(
The WT ribs were tasty - doing the 3-2-1 method
I smoked some last year doing 3-2-1, and mine were still tallowy. Not doing it again.
Hope Matt does not mind be sharing this but after seeing him post this a while back I always wanted to try.
I prefer to start them in the crockpot and then pull them out before they begin to fall apart (about 2 hours) and finish them on the grill with your favorite bbq sauce. Best way to make bbq deer ribs I've found believe I got that recipe out of my meateater cookbook. As for the meat quality argument I agree it's a waste to leave them but it's probably my least favorite cut on a deer usually just cut the meat out and grind it.
I have a few more in the freezer. I will boil/instapot them first next time.
I like them, I crockpot first then on the grill.
FrigidArrows, THIS >>>------> Looks great esp. if you can skim off the hardened white fat from the crock pot by cooling it first, and reheat before eating it. The grease that sticks to your tongue otherwise, is not that healthy to consume. I bet they taste great! I'll have to try that.
Always tallowy here as well. Going to give it another shot with the 3-2-1 this year.
@Diggler - Give them antelope ribs a shot. You may like them
Tried Elk ribs once. Gawd awful, like chewing on a block of bees wax.
Anyone have any luck getting rid of the pasty chalky take from the fat? Elk can be ok by deer and antelope have the pasty chalky taste real bad. Any ideas? Maybe cook them off in a crock pot and remove to smoke where the fat has liquified and come off the meat in the crock?
Paste with beef fat prior to smoking? Looking for ideas because we’re going to be doing some young bull elk ribs soon.
Pat: Bowsite needs a "Drool Thread" warning!!!
My favorite deer ribs recipe involves throwing the ribs out and eating something else.
I’ve tried them enough ways that I leave the ribs on the carcass now.
This is how my Mom (and Dad) did them from the farm. It's a bit time consuming, but well worth it!
I never actually watched her but this is how she said she did them. Mom used to cut them into 6 to 8 inch pieces then boil them in a big pot. Hold the ribs down and pour out the water, fat came to the top, pour that out as well. NEVER, NEVER let the ribs come up through the fat/tallow - that's where you get the disgusting flavor.
Same thing again - boil and dump. The boiling removes the tallowy flavor as well as tenderizes.
Then dad would do them on the grill - he always made his own BBQ sauce (sure wish I had his recipe). They were absolutely the best, fall of the bone, ribs ever.
Just by a bucket of lard at costco and smear it on toast.
All my rib meat goes into the burger pile.
Matt
I like to hang them on tree limbs in the yard. The birds enjoy picking them all winter. By March they're just shiny bones.
I clean them considerably leaving mostly the meat between the ribs and just a small amount of the outer layer. The one thing I do is boil them first... I put a gallon of Orange Juice and water into a large pot It sweeten and breaks down the meat . I then cook them on the grill with BBQ sauce... really really good that way
Ok this thread has pretty much confirmed I’ll leave the ribs for the coyotes and magpies.
I've tried whitetail ribs twice probably 40 years ago and I am still trying to get the tallow off the roof of my mouth. I'd rather kiss a Wookie! LOL
Quinn, I have in the past put them up in the woods behind my house, with a trail cam on them. Excited to get some great trail cam pix, I get a million pictures of magpies.
I love the tallow/fat. The Inuit prize caribou ribs more than the rest of the animal. They make a soup that is so fatty and the tallow on your palate is the gift that keeps on giving.
My kids love game ribs. The only meal they like more from game is slow-cooked shanks. I use cnelk's 3-2-1 method. They're delicious.
Animals that are covered in a layer of fat are not as good a choice as a slender animal.
Moose ribs are amazing. I've enjoyed a couple elk and lots of white tails ribs. I saved a few mountain goat ribs and I wish I'd carried them all out. The only problem with them is that they're really long like moose ribs and you have to cut them in 1/2.
Do yourself a favor and if you kill a fawn, pull the ribs. They're really good. There's not much meat, but if you slow cook them, you can just pull the bones right out and eat it like a candy bar.
It's like anything else in game meat. If you're hung up on your meat being as close to beef, pork, and chicken as game can be, then you'll be disappointed. Let go of that and enjoy it like it's all you've ever eaten and you'll love them. It goes the same for organ meats, slow cooked tendon, marrow, tongue, etc. Most people wouldn't like whale blubber either. But if you grew up with it, it's a delicacy. And it's delicious.
I was a picky kid and my grandpa told me that if I learned to like everything, then I'd enjoy my food and my life more because I'd like more things. He was always right.
Then look delicious .. I’ve tried WT ribs several times smoking them crock pot both I can’t get them right I don’t bother with them anymore ...
Here’s the thread I did a couple years ago when I did some 3-2-1 ribs. See link
