Smoking deer and elk roasts

[7mmfan]

I've been perfecting this over the last couple of weeks here at home. Started with small pieces of elk top round, 1.5 or so. Rubbed, wrapped and let rest in the fridge for a few days before smoking. Moved up to a whole mule deer sirloin roast on Sunday, 3#. Smoked at 170 for 3ish hours. to an IT of 125, pulled and put in 550 degree convection oven for just enough time to sear. Let rest for about 15 minutes and let er rip. Man talk about delicious. Best french dip I've ever eaten the next day.

Considering doing a full elk sirloin roast next, probably a 5# piece of meat I would guess. Any tips other than low and slow to the same IT?

[cougforester]

Well I'm hungry now.

What rub did you do? Smoked on a Traeger?

[lastmk8]

By God, that looks like some amazing stuff right there, hell, I think I just spot welded my skivvies!!  Oh yea, back to your post.  I haven't smoked any but I do a slow roast on my Webber Q.  I elevate the roast and place double foil directly underneath so it doesn't received direct heat.  Picture wise I end up right where yours is.  Here is what I do different.  If I'm making sam-ich meat, which I usually do with these, after I've roasted to temp, I let the roast sit and cool for a couple hours.  After that I wrap it and put it in the refer for overnight.  Next day I break out the slicer and make some beautiful sliced venison, package into portions and vac-suck and freeze.  Only difference then is I don't end up with that big puddle of slurppin' juice on the cutting board.  My guess is as it rested and sat in the refer over night those wonderful juices are back in the meat and contributing to those wonder French dips and backpack sam-iches!!!  Damn, I may have to do another one soon.     

[Dan-o]

That looks awesome!!

[fowl smacker]

🤤

[Stein]

I have been tempted to take a game roast and cold smoke it for 2 hours followed by a long sous vide and then a torch sear but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

I have cooked them pretty much like you showed and they are great.

[7mmfan]

@cougforester I'm basically following Hank Shaw's smoked venison leg recipe. Salt/sugar and then rinse and let dry before smoking. However, I found that to lack flavor and appropriate saltiness so I'm adding some Johnny's and a small amount of chipotle powder before it goes in the smoker. That seemed to be just right.

@lastmk8 you are right, if doing just sandwich meat, letting it rest for 24 hours prior to cutting is the way to go. We were eating these for dinner and then making sandwiches with leftovers.

I'm using a Masterbuilt Sportsman's Elite smoker and pecan chips. I'm one of the few guys left on my block without a Traeger. Someday I'll probably own one, but it's a ways out.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

  Thanks for the tips. Will give this a try.

[jrebel]

Looks really good....I will have to try it with some moose roast.   

[OutHouse]

Would a big chief smoker work for this? It's the only smoker I have and works really well for fish at least.

[Badhabit]

Have you tried brining the roasts for a few days? I've started brining most big chunks of meat before I smoke them. For me the salt penetration really allows the smoke to penetrate as well. I've been brining baby back ribs for 12 hours or so, rinsing well, pat dry. Add lots of dry rub, wrap in seran wrap an into the frig overnight. Even if I miss my temp mark and over cook them they are still very juicy. Family won't touch turkey anymore without it being brined. It doesn't hurt to have a pinch of curing salt in the brine either. Something about food safety.

[h20hunter]

 

PASTRAMI. Mmmmmm

[Alchase]

Would a big chief smoker work for this? It's the only smoker I have and works really well for fish at least.

I used a Big Chief for years (30 years ago) To smoke Venison  and especially elk.
Venison ensure you remove all silver skin ans fat. Elk some fat adds taste.
I use to cut into thin strips 1/2"w, (not flat like a meat slicer) the pieces will twist a little.
Brine in either a salt/teriyaki/brown sugar marinade or salt/Maple syrup/brown sugar. There are tons of great over the counter brines available as well, those are two my family loves. Let dry completely on a rack.
Smoke for 3-4 hours with you choice of chip flavor. You kind of have to taste test how long on smoke you like.
Elk jerky comes out amazing. Venison can be dry, so pull when you think it is getting close.

You can also do roasts, but Big Chiefs do not retain a high enough temp with the small burner, So you smoke for a first, then put in Oven, BBQ, or Grill to finish.
I also bought a single burner electric stove burner I used inplace of the Big Chief burner that can maintain the temps needed for a large piece of meat. Then you can also use the chunks of wood instead of chips.

[7mmfan]

I don't know what temp a Big Chief smokes at so I can't really answer that question. For roasts I think temp control is important. Keeping it fairly low, 170-180 for most of the process is pretty important for overall quality I think.

I haven't brined them, but I've considered it. I figure 5+ days heavily salted and saran wrapped in the fridge does a pretty good job of salt penetration. I should try it though to find out. Have a good brine to suggest?

[Alchase]

I don't know what temp a Big Chief smokes at so I can't really answer that question. For roasts I think temp control is important. Keeping it fairly low, 170-180 for most of the process is pretty important for overall quality I think.

I haven't brined them, but I've considered it. I figure 5+ days heavily salted and saran wrapped in the fridge does a pretty good job of salt penetration. I should try it though to find out. Have a good brine to suggest?

Big Chiefs are great for fish, but have some deficiencies for meat. They get up to around 160-165 degrees on a good day, no wind, and average outside temps. Drop the outside temp down into the 40, and you now have a "cold Smoker". And the chip pan is really small, and it uses ground chips, that have to be changed too often to be useful for hours of smoke. Though it can be done. If you change the burner out it becomes like any other smoker.

5+ days heavily salted and saran wrapped in the fridge does a pretty good job of salt penetration

That is basically cooking the meat, and seasoning.
My family likes the "sweeter" flavors for Jerky. For a large piece of meat, brine or even injections adds the flavor inside. Almost anything sugar, salt, acid based brine will work. The Acid and Salt do the work, the sugar (Maple syrup, Brown sugar, etc...) are for flavor.
I also prefer to add a rub before smoking. This is optional for taste.

7mmfan, that looks mouth watering delicious!
Unless you want a different flavor profile, I would not change how you Smoke/cooked it.

[7mmfan]

Sounds like I'm the right track. A 50/50 blend of brown sugar and salt is what it is seasoned with in the fridge. Rinsed and then rubbed with a blend of Johnny's and chipotle before going in the smoker.

[Alchase]

Sounds like I'm the right track. A 50/50 blend of brown sugar and salt is what it is seasoned with in the fridge. Rinsed and then rubbed with a blend of Johnny's and chipotle before going in the smoker.

Sound incredible, I love Johnny's basically put it on all meats. Johnny Garlic Spread (green container) is really good so is Garlic Gourmay's Mesquite Garlic Rub.
I use a generic Rib Rub on backstraps sometimes as well:

Rib Rub
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Smoked Paprika
1 tbls salt
1 tbls Black Pepper
1 tbls White Pepper
2 tbls Cayenne Pepper
1 tbls Garlic Powder
1 tbls Onion Powder

Family won't touch turkey anymore without it being brined. It doesn't hurt to have a pinch of curing salt in the brine either. Something about food safety.

 

I am with you, Turkey to me is very bland tasting (except the skin,  ) brining makes it pop!

[7mmfan]

So I still have a question about bigger roasts. The elk sirloin roast has to be 5 pounds. Would a long brine be adequate for salt to penetrate or should I plan on injecting? I've never done that before but could certainly pick up the stuff to do it.

[Alchase]

So I still have a question about bigger roasts. The elk sirloin roast has to be 5 pounds. Would a long brine be adequate for salt to penetrate or should I plan on injecting? I've never done that before but could certainly pick up the stuff to do it.

You can do both.
I have heard some people say "brining does not enter very far in large pieces of meat". That may be true, but I believe it makes a world of difference in the flavor. Injecting also adds lots of flavor. I also add garlic cloves by making a slit and press them into the roast as well.

Oops forgot, brine in the fridge (if you can) for 24-48 hours. Usually 24 hours was good, I never had the patience to see if 48 hour made much of difference,