Meat prep: soak? If so in what?

[kschadel]

I've heard many people say that they soak their meat, doesn't matter the type of animal, in some sort of milk or buttermilk in order to remove the gamey/musty taste. I've also heard people say that they soak it in cold water before they cook it. What do you do to prep your game for cooking that brings the musty game taste out?


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[Eric M]

The only meat I have ever soaked was wild rabbit. I soak it for 2-3 days in water with some salt to get rid of some of the toughness. I've never noticed a musty game taste in wild meat though. I've heard of people soaking shark meat in milk.

[Bullkllr]

Prior to cooking, I get much better results keeping the meat as dry as possible. If I was concerned about a gamey taste I would look to earlier stages of the process as a likely cause.

I have washed the body cavity prior to hanging. And I have soaked blood out of sections of bloodshot meat to save it for grinding. You still want to get the moisture out before finial processing/storage.

About the only thing I typically soak is liver. Buttermilk is what I prefer. And I will soak birds, esp. if they're shot up a bit.

[Eric M]

Prior to cooking, I get much better results keeping the meat as dry as possible. If I was concerned about a gamey taste I would look to earlier stages of the process as a likely cause.

I have washed the body cavity prior to hanging. And I have soaked blood out of sections of bloodshot meat to save it for grinding. You still want to get the moisture out before finial processing/storage.

About the only thing I soak is liver. Buttermilk is what I prefer. And I will soak birds, esp. if they're shot up a bit.

I have a friend that ptarmigan hunts quite a bit and he soaks that meat also. He soaks his in salted water also. I also try to keep deer meat as dry as possible, although I have seen people washing the body cavity out with a garden hose.

[Kittman]

I use Morton Tender Quick and do a quick cure on the less desirable meat cuts prior to cooking.  Something about adding salt with iodine in it is not good for enhancing wild game taste.  I would suppose any good pickling salt may work in a pinch.

No brine, just coat the entire cut of meat evenly for at least 6-8 hours and wash completely off prior to cooking.   

[Bean Counter]

I get gamey taste from eating Arizona cottontail rabbits. I've never had it from venison. Its all in how its field processed and butchered 

[JimmyHoffa]

I've heard of using milk to help clear out the blood.  Guess something in the milk binds with blood and the two wash out together.   
Also heard of people using some apple cider vinegar, especially if it is a tough cut.

[gilroym]

Agree with others haven't had a problem with venison deer or elk The gamier flavor I believe is from cutting through the bone during processing and it gives the meat the gamier taste. I do dry age my steaks for three days pat them dry with paper towels the wrap them in a paper towel and set them on a rack in the fridge for three days checking them each day and changing the paper towel as needed on the third day pull them out an hour before your ready to cook sprinkle them with salt/pepper and let them warm to room temp put them on a hot grill and cook to desired tenderness.

 Waterfowl I soak in milk / buttermilk and rabbit in a brine of water, salt, and honey both over night.

[Buckewe]

I do it to waterfowl. I use salt water most of the time but milk works well.I usually change it daily for 2-3days

[WAPatriot]

The only thing that can fix a sage brush Muley during the rut is a lot of whiskey before you eat it coupled with a lot of A1. Sage brush Muley s during the rut are about as gamie as meat comes imho. You can't get rid of a true gamie taste.

[C-Money]

Cooking venison burger in milk is effective...since we stopped taking deer to the butcher, we have never had an issue with gamey flavor.

[KDB]

I have put sliced goose strips in milk overnight and fry in olive oil-(finger steaks). It's great!! The milk acts as a marinade.

[Bigshooter]

I like to soak my meat in beans.  Human beings. 

[MtnMuley]

I always soak all wild game birds and white meated fish in water overnight with a pinch of salt. Same with tenderloins. Always pat the meat dry before freezing or eating. Works perfect for me.

[lokidog]

I get gamey taste from eating Arizona cottontail rabbits. I've never had it from venison. Its all in how its field processed and butchered 

I disagree completely, there are some bucks shot during the rut, that no matter how carefully they have been taken care of, have a "rutty" taste to them.  The only way I have seen to remove this "rutty" taste is to spice it up.  I have, however, not really tried soaking it out.

One I can attest to was shot during the modern season using a bow. The hit was a double lung shot, the deer ran about 85 yards and piled up. It was recovered and gutted in less than 45 minutes, hung and skinned, processed by the end of the next day in reasonably cool weather and definitely had a taste reminiscent of what he smelled like when we found him, rut....