Crock-Pot Venison Roast Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you know when venison roast is done? ›

It's lean, don't over cook it

Venison is very low in fat and is best served medium-rare. This equates to an internal temperature of 57°C/135°F if you're using a meat thermometer.

The tough fibers and connective tissue break down into collagen, which then dissolves into gelatin. Over time, these fibers expel moisture, leaving the meat dry. Once the meat is dry, upon continued cooking, the fibers will relax and begin to absorb the fat and gelatin, creating tender, flavorful meat.

Areas for working muscles include the shoulder and leg muscles. Working cuts of venison must be cooked for a relatively long time at a low temperature (220° to 325° F) to allow the connective tissue to breakdown. Once this happens you will get a fork-tender, flavor packed piece of meat.

Venison has a naturally deep red color that is much darker than beef, so you cannot rely on the color of the meat to judge its doneness. Venison will look incredibly rare when it is actually medium and if it looks a pink "medium" color, it is actually well done.

Here's how to determine doneness without a thermometer. Gingerly poke a lean surface of the roast with your index finger. If the flesh yields easily, the meat is rare; more resistance means the meat is medium rare, and firm meat is well done.

Why does my venison always come out tough? If you find that your roasts always come out sort of rubbery, dry or hard, it's likely because you're not cooking long enough and at a low enough temperature.

Place Roast in a shallow pan and cover with the milk. Soak over night at least 8 hours. This process removes the blood which causes the roast to have that wild unwanted flavor. Rinse off the milk and rinse out the pan, next place the roast back in the clean shallow pan and add the Italian dressing.

What is the best method for cooking venison? ›

You can cook tender cuts on the stovetop, in a cast iron skillet (my favorite) with a few tablespoons of oil (such as duck fat, avocado oil or clarified butter, just NOT olive oil), we always enjoy grilling venison (or you can use a cast iron pan ON the grill, even better), or in the oven.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water. Use enough solution to cover the game completely.

Roasts. The roast is the upper portion of the rump, although a roast can be cut into steaks or even ground, if you wish. Discreet tissue lines separate bands of muscles on the hind quarters, and any sizeable chunk of red meat you harvest from the hind quarters will make an excellent roast.

While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful. If you would like to try soaking your meat, instructions for a buttermilk soak can be found at The Backyard Pioneer.

The number one mistake people make when preparing venison is that they overcook it, rendering the meat rubbery and gamey. Tender cuts of venison should be served rare or medium rare unless you are braising it or mixing it with pork to add more fat.

Cooking Tips

Take great care not to overcook venison. As with all game, venison can become tough when overdone.

Medium well: For a little pink in the middle of venison burgers, 145 degrees is the target temperature. The patty is mostly cooked through, but still juicy in the middle. Medium rare to medium: For the burger connoisseur, 130 to 145 degrees is the optimum temperature range for the most juicy, flavorful venison patties.

Properly handling and cooking meat will prevent trichinellosis. Whole cuts and ground meat from wild game animals should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. A meat thermometer should be used because color is not a good indicator of doneness for game meat.