Been offered some muntjac

[Richierich]

As the title suggests, I have been offered some cuts of a recently shot muntjac. I have found a couple of references to venison in Keith Erlandsons book and A D Livingstones cold smoking and salt curing. I imagine I can use the same brine but for a shorter period.

I have been offered some loin and shoulder cuts, not sure what they will come out like, apparently the animal was large dog size so not a massive quantity of meat I would imagine.

In my mind I was going to smoke it using the new smoker for a day, perhaps 3 firings of the smoker and then gently roast the joints, do I risk the meat drying too much over such a period, I am basing these times on the above 2 authors suggesting 7 days for roe deer.

Any thoughts welcome, I am taking delivery tomorrow.

Richard

[Zulululu]

apparently the animal was large dog size

Make Chinese sausage,

[Paul Kribs]

They are not exactly massive...



Regards, Paul Kribs

[jenny_haddow]

Fantastic for sausages. Especially with Christmas on the horizon, sausages and game pie.

Jen

[Richierich]

Thanks, but I realise they are not the biggest thing, do you think they will smoke well?

Or should I just sausage or roast??

[Richierich]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but just noticed how similar my avatar is to jennys, only with different outcomes!!

[Paul Kribs]

The haunches make good pastrami, Most of the rest went into sausages.. (superb with added redcurrant jelly)

Regards, Paul Kribs

[Richierich]

Thanks for that Paul! Have some silverside in the fridge at the moment was thinking of pastrami-ing, found decent suggestions for spices etc. post curing, struggling to find tips for the cure, can you offer any suggestions?

[jenny_haddow]

I made venison sausages last week with dried cranberries and chopped dried pears, and red wine for the liquid. Super Christmas sausage.

BTW if you tried to put the subject of my avatar in a bun he would have had your hand off!


Jen

[Paul Kribs]

Len Poli's pastrami recipe can be found HERE

Regards, Paul Kribs

[Richierich]

Thanks for the pointer Paul, although I think I will follow a dry cure method posted elsewhere.

An update on the muntjac, don't think I will be doing anything but sausage, the chap who jointed it should stick to pest control, a butcher he ain't, but can't say I could have done a better job.

Going to put shoulders, loin and some pork belly through the mincer add some redcurrant and red wine and of course spices, stuff in to small casings and go from there, only got collagen though, real ones are hog, might be too big.

[Richierich]

Got the little fella - the guy who had it turned up at the pub with it in a carrier bag - butchered, blood dripping everywhere from the bottom of the bag.

Here are a few photographs. That funny looking thing laying on the legs is the liver.

Made 30 sausages using mostly shoulder and belly pork (50-50), bit of loin went in for good measure. Used Vagreys recipe suggestion - although used port in place of merlot.

The rest went in to pies, 24 of them, small pies. Roasted the legs first having rubbed them in black pepper, oregano and rosemary (with port) then cooked up everything with more port, juniper berries and a few carrots and onions. Put the chopped heart and liver in at the last minute before they went in to the pie casings.

Before -



Sawsedges -



Pie Filling -



Mmmm, pies!

[Deer Man]

They are not exactly massive...



Regards, Paul Kribs

Was that one I gave you paul?

[Paul Kribs]

Hiya Deer Man.. long time eh!

Yep, that's one of them.. devoured long ago thanks.. I kept the photo's as I became attached to them..

Regards, Paul Kribs

[Deer Man]

Hiya Deer Man.. long time eh!

Yep, that's one of them.. devoured long ago thanks.. I kept the photo's as I became attached to them..

Regards, Paul Kribs

Hi Paul, unfortunately I don't get the time to come on here very often! Good to see more people trying the venison!