What to do w/TOUGH backstraps??

[PolarBear]

Folks think I'm nuts til they have em, but cube everything, even the backstraps, from big bulls, to yearlings. Chicken fry em. Thank me later.......

I cube just about everything as well.

[bloodhound]

ive never had tough backstrap. the deer i shot last year i saved the back straps till this year and cooked them opening day and they were still tender as could be yum yum. all i did was pan fry them also. but crock pot, cubing is great. you can cut them into pork chop size piece's also pan fry them till they brown a little bit with some seasoning, then put them in the oven in a casa role dish/roast pot with cream of mushroom soup with extra water or milk to thin it down some and let them cook for a few hours on low. should soften them up and add some good flavor since old elk and deer seem to have a stronger game taste to them.

[Bigshooter]

My dad and buddy both have shot big old bulls in the past that where unbelievably tough even the backstraps.  Every steak was cubed and still was tough.  I thought I could make the already cubed backstraps more tender if i took a mallet to them.  I pounded them so thin you could see through them.  Still the most tough piece of meat I have ever eaten.  Both my dad and buddy tried to give me steaks off of each of them and I said no thanks.

[ICEMAN]

My dad and buddy both have shot big old bulls in the past that where unbelievably tough even the backstraps.  Every steak was cubed and still was tough.  I thought I could make the already cubed backstraps more tender if i took a mallet to them.  I pounded them so thin you could see through them.  Still the most tough piece of meat I have ever eaten.  Both my dad and buddy tried to give me steaks off of each of them and I said no thanks.

Pressure canner heaven.

[magnanimous_j]

I have always let my elk hang for no less than 21 days, and never had a problem with any of the meat being tough. The longer you hang the meat, within reason, the more tender it will become. It's a chemistry thing..... 

Doesn't that make the meat take on a gammy flavor?

I read on some wild game butcher's site that they don't recommend aging the meat at all.

[deerslyr]

Ive always aged deer for around a week and never noticed much gamey taste.

[remington300mag]

I have always let my elk hang for no less than 21 days, and never had a problem with any of the meat being tough. The longer you hang the meat, within reason, the more tender it will become. It's a chemistry thing..... 

Doesn't that make the meat take on a gammy flavor?

I read on some wild game butcher's site that they don't recommend aging the meat at all.

Mag, When you age beef it gives it a stronger Beef flavor and also makes it more tender......It does that by removing the water which then allows the natural enzymes in the meat to start to break down....all of the little connective tissue breaks down which tenderizes the meat..... I guess if you really wanted to call it a gamie taste, you could. But I like flavor of WILD game....so maybe that is what I am going for.....The only way I can really describe how it tastes to me is.....It is more of a MEAT flavor. I bet if you try it you wont go back!

[magnanimous_j]

I have always let my elk hang for no less than 21 days, and never had a problem with any of the meat being tough. The longer you hang the meat, within reason, the more tender it will become. It's a chemistry thing..... 

Doesn't that make the meat take on a gammy flavor?

I read on some wild game butcher's site that they don't recommend aging the meat at all.

Mag, When you age beef it gives it a stronger Beef flavor and also makes it more tender......It does that by removing the water which then allows the natural enzymes in the meat to start to break down....all of the little connective tissue breaks down which tenderizes the meat..... I guess if you really wanted to call it a gamie taste, you could. But I like flavor of WILD game....so maybe that is what I am going for.....The only way I can really describe how it tastes to me is.....It is more of a MEAT flavor. I bet if you try it you wont go back!

I have eaten Deer and Elk several times with different levels of flavor and liked it almost every time (I absolutely ruined some elk burger my cousin gave me, my fault). I like a stronger flavor, but I know that many other people object to "gaminess" and do things like soak it buttermilk or marinate the hell out of it.

Here is a link to the site I was talking about

http://www.delfoxmeats.com/gamecare.htm