Are blacktails tasty?

[HvyHorn338]

Just finished blacktail backstrap and eggs for breakfast,  seemed awfully tasty  .  Marinated in Yoshida's for couple hours this morning.  Mmmmmm.

[go4itlab]

yes

[257wbymagkiller]

Blacktail is so tasty. It definitely has its own taste. And my girls love it!

[Humptulips]

I've always loved the flavor of Blacktail. A lot of it has to do with field care and cooking skills, too.  I like to have four roasts made from the quarters and normally marinate those with a good quality olive oil red wine and lots of seasonings. Then, don't overcook it. Internal temperature should only come to 125°.

Generally agree but I'll differ on the overcook part at least pertaining to tough cuts.
I use to view cuts like the front shoulder as suitable only for burger. I like burger but you can get too much.
In more recent years I have been making shoulder roasts and cooking them in a dutch oven or covered  pan in the oven with something like a swiss steak sauce or barbecue, even something like your thansksgiving stuffing only with a lot more liquid in it. Cook it a long time 'till the meat is falling apart and the sauce is cooked down to a gravy.
Maybe that is overcooked but it is good!

[blackveltbowhunter]

I guess I will offer the differing opinion. While I agree that proper in field care and preparation of the meat are the most important elements to quality venison. I have had very different experiences when it comes to "quality" of venison from deer from different areas and season timing. Blacktail being the least favored, especially from mature bucks in rut.

[Bantams]

I think the diet of the deer makes a much greater difference than species.  Here, our island Blacktail deer eat pasture, lots of apples, rose bushes, and anything else that's tasty and can be found in a garden  . Plus wild browse, of course.
The meat is extremely mild in flavor, even on the big rutting bucks.  Actually, there is little difference between the does and bucks, flavor-wise.  Young animals are certainly more tender, though.  I would say it tastes like young beef - but sweeter. 
It is very important to gut quickly and cleanly, and to do a neat job skinning (don't touch the scent glands).  Debone or handsaw only - no mechanical sawing through bones!  (That makes for a "gamey" flavor in any meat, even beef, because the paste from the sawed bones taints the meat).

I have found the loins/tenderloins, top round, eye of round, and sirloin (and sometimes bottom round) to all be tender enough for quick cooking (medium rare, seared whole or in strips) while the remainder is best ground or used as stew meat or other slow cooked dishes (curry is a favorite here as venison given the Indian curry treatment tastes just like lamb).  I prefer to grind the shoulders and save the shanks for stew, since it has a lot of tendons.  The neck can go either way.  In fact, one of my favorites is a whole boned out neck, seasoned, smoked, then slow cooked as BBQ! 

[lokidog]

I guess I will offer the differing opinion. While I agree that proper in field care and preparation of the meat are the most important elements to quality venison. I have had very different experiences when it comes to "quality" of venison from deer from different areas and season timing. Blacktail being the least favored, especially from mature bucks in rut.

I agree.  Our island is not as food friendly as Bantam's, apparently.  While we do have some apples and lawns, the bulk of the food, especially later in the season is Salal which does not offer much for enhancing the epicurian experience, especially in an old rutty buck. However, it's still good but a September buck usually tastes better than a late October one.

It is hard to beat a corn-fed Whitetail though.

[Skyvalhunter]

No they taste like old shoe leather best to stick with whitetails.

[craigapphunt]

If you like the taste of game meat then you should love it I know I do.

[pianoman9701]

I've always loved the flavor of Blacktail. A lot of it has to do with field care and cooking skills, too.  I like to have four roasts made from the quarters and normally marinate those with a good quality olive oil red wine and lots of seasonings. Then, don't overcook it. Internal temperature should only come to 125°.

Generally agree but I'll differ on the overcook part at least pertaining to tough cuts.
I use to view cuts like the front shoulder as suitable only for burger. I like burger but you can get too much.
In more recent years I have been making shoulder roasts and cooking them in a dutch oven or covered  pan in the oven with something like a swiss steak sauce or barbecue, even something like your thansksgiving stuffing only with a lot more liquid in it. Cook it a long time 'till the meat is falling apart and the sauce is cooked down to a gravy.
Maybe that is overcooked but it is good!

I like to braise it, too. That's very good.

[SeatoSummit88]

I think B.T tastes great! A buck I harvested a couple seasons ago, had been feeding on Cranberries on the local bogs; so it had a really sweet flavor. 

It's also definitely about how you trim and then then wrap the meat for storage.  (like mentioned above ^)

[Jpmiller]

Proper field care above all else. I have had alfalfa fed whitetail, high country mule deer, and tree farm black tail. I would prefer black tail but I have never had a bad deer. Removing fat and silver skin and get it cool and frozen after harvest and you should be great.

I do as many steaks as I can and cook them up with flour salt and pepper. I love black tail but they are smaller bodied which was a factor in switching to the Eastside (and having private land access lol).

[7mmfan]

Blacktail I killed last year was the best eating deer I've ever shot. It was an instant death shot, and he was boned out in the field and in the meat fridge within a couple hours.

[Shooting Stix]

I love Blacktail meat but you have to try it for yourself so hopefully come over to the wet side and hunt for one they are my favorite trophies especially if you get a mature buck with the white patches on the front of the neck

[Crazy8]

Thanks for all the replies and tips. Guess we'll have to give em a try!