smoking wild game

[Northwoods]

Forgive me if this has been discussed, I have never perused the cooking forum. For some reason I have lost interest in ice fishing, just wasn't feeling it this year. For my new winter hobby I want to spend more time cooking and enjoying my kills. I tend to grind and can a lot of meat. I am thinking about getting a smoker but want some honest input. How does deer, elk, and bear fair in the smoker? Is it dry and chewy or is the finished product pretty dang good? What are some tricks to smoking wild game?

 

[Goatshoes]

I put an elk shoulder (about 3.75 lbs. of bone in meat) on my Traeger last week and it turned out better than i could have dreamed. I screwed up a couple other pieces of domestic meat learning things before I trusted myself with an elk roast (which was a SUPER simple preparation) but it sure turned out amazing and probably the most tender hunk of meat I have ever prepared. Maybe I just got lucky though.

Good luck. I suspect that something like a Big Green Egg grill may be a better and more versatile tool, but the pellet grill is simple.

 

[chuckchili]

One "trick" I did last year was to wrap really lean game meat with bacon and then smoke it. It adds moisture, doesn't allow the meat to dry out and tastes great. That was with antelope roast and an elk heart.

 

[RafterH]

I smoke wild game regularly on my offset smoker. I use wood. Main thing is keep the temp low, usually around 200-225. I have good luck with deer roasts, shoulders, Rio Grande Turkey, wild hog. Some venison (whitetails) is so lean that it may need some humidity to keep from drying out or wrap it after about half the cooking time. Others I know will wrap a deer roast in bacon or place a brisket on top of it. I have never tried that.

 

[HSi-ESi]

I do like brining wild game ahead of time - plus low and slow like the others have mentioned. Hank Shaw is always the goal-post - and this recipe is awesome. https://honest-food.net/corned-venison-recipe/

I'll usually do 4 cups water to 1/4 cup Kosher salt as a standard quick brine. A couple of weeks ago I was testing out a new grill / smoker. My BIL had a tri-tip from a local butcher and I grabbed a 2 lb moose roast out of the freezer. Brined the moose overnight. Smoked them both (200-250) until internal temps were 125 (moose) and 135 (Beef). Wrapped them in foil and stacked them in a small cooler until all of the side dishes were ready.

I like just a salt/water brine - it seasons the meat and keeps it moist. Plus the meat tastes like meat and not bacon (not that I have anything against bacon).

 

[Brandon270]

Like others have said brining to add moisture always helps, you can also add a water pan near the heat source to keep the cooking chamber moist as well.

 

[Sask hunter]

Smoker just for the fact of jerky and smokies. I have smoked roast and steaks before too they turn out good

 

[Dave N]

When I do a deer roast I use my water pan and inject apple juice and my spice mix into the roast until full. More rub on the outside. Smoke until done, then eat it then or put it in the fridge for the next day and slice really thin for roast beef style sandwiches, provolone melted on top.

 

[JoltnJoe]

Brining (dry or wet) is a game changer for moist,flavorful, lean meat like game. Lots of resources out there, but you can’t go wrong with Hank Shaw’s formulations. Enjoy!

 

[shannerdrake]

I have had a lot of luck wet brining wild game roasts. I will then smoke them with plenty of smoke for a couple of hours then pull the roast, drop in bag and finish in a sous vide. Best of both worlds, moist like a braise and smoky like off the pit.

 

[BearFoot]

One "trick" I did last year was to wrap really lean game meat with bacon and then smoke it. It adds moisture, doesn't allow the meat to dry out and tastes great. That was with antelope roast and an elk heart.

Works great on moose brisket too

 

[ccc23454]

Like joltonjoe i started brineing some roasts and largerer chunks...amazing how well they turned out. Apple cider Vinegar, water, salt, sugar and garlic/seasoning, try it!

 

[6mm Remington]

I have an electric 40" Masterbuilt smoker and I sure like it a lot. One thing to remember so that wild game comes out juicy and not dry is to not overdo it! Medium rare is about perfect for wild game. Reverse searing is fun and really tastes good. I'll take some steaks and smoke them in the smoker for 15-30 minutes depending on how thick they are. Then put them on the Propane grill and sear quickly to a medium rare inside. Making jerky in the smoker is also incredible. You can have a lot of fun not only in changing up what you use on the meat before smoking, but the type of wood you use when you smoke it also.

A friend of mine does not or did not really care for wild turkey's he had harvested. I showed him how to smoke them and they are incredible. Nice and juicy and tender. A wild bird will never be as tender as a domestic bird. Just the facts of things. Just like a pheasant or a grouse will note be quite as tender as a domestic chicken.

Elk roasts in the smoker have always turned out pretty darn good for me. Have fun and try it out.