Whether you are a veteran seasonal hunter, or just a person who loves deer meat, one of the most delicious ways to enjoy venison is right out of the smoker. But in order to get the best results, you must incorporate brining into the smoking process.
Continue reading to learn an easy and full-proof brine recipe for smoked venison
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What You Need to Know
The main reason for brining deer meat is to prevent that undesirable “gamey” flavor. Another important reason to brine venison is because it is a lean meat, which makes it more challenging to retain its natural juices during the cooking process. Not only does the salty water break down proteins in meat to tenderize it, it soaks into the fibers that have a lower salt concentration, thus hydrating the meat. Basically, meat brining both amps up the flavor and renders a juicy result.
Before you get started on your brine, you will need to prepare the meat by trimming off as much fat and connective tissue as possible. Score any silverskin, but be careful not to cut into the meat. Not sure what silverskin looks like? Read our blog, “The Types of Connective Tissues in Meat”, for help.
Now that your meat is prepped, you can concoct your venison brine! You can look up thousands of quality brine recipes online and in cookbooks, but a basic brine works just fine, and can be all you need as a beginner.
Will You Need:
🌿 Water – 1 Gallon
🌿 Worcestershire Sauce – 1/4 Cup
🌿 Soy Sauce* – 1/2 Cup
🌿 Molasses – 1/2 Cup
🌿 Kosher Salt – 3/4 Cup
🌿 Brown Sugar – 1/2 Cup
🌿 Pepper – 2 Tablespoons
🌿 Rosemary – 1 Tablespoons
*Do not use a reduced sodium soy sauce.
Getting Started:
This brine recipe is meant for a whole back-strap of venison. If you are using smaller cuts, reduce the portions of the brine as needed.
To get started, transfer all of the ingredients into a large stainless steel pot or plastic container that comes with a fitted lid.
Submerge your meat into the brine so that the entire portion is covered. Close the lid and be sure it is fully secured.
Transfer the container into the refrigerator, and let it sit for at least 12 hours. Just be sure to not allow it to sit longer than 24 hours; after that amount of time, bacteria can begin to grow.
After 12-plus hours of brining, take your meat out and rinse it with clean water. Pat it dry with paper towel and then season it any way you like!
✨ Check back with our next blog for tips on smoking venison!
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