Comments on: Irish pubs and venison

By: Electric Smoker Shop.com

Electric Smoker Shop.com — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:10:06 +0000

lindseynair - Well, deer that have been chased by dogs all season, yes, I can see that. I mean, ideally you want to kill a deer that is in good shape, and not just sitting around all day (like in a pen!), but you don't want one that all he does is run around. One reason why bucks that are killed during, or shortly after the rut taste so bad.

By: lindseynair

lindseynair — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:34:37 +0000

Hey ESS, thanks for reading and commenting. Hadn't heard about #1. Does that count out driving deer? The others I believe I've heard before and they're very good points. All hunters are interested in a trophy buck, but the good ones value a doe for providing food. I've also heard that venison should be aged about 2 weeks in refrigerated conditions.

By: Electric Smoker Shop.com

Electric Smoker Shop.com — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:35:36 +0000

Venison is very good, but it has to be cooked right. Here are some facts that you may or may not know about venison. 1. Deer that have been chased before before being harvested have very tough meat. I've had venison before that was impossible to chew up. 2. Younger deer (and females) have more tender meat. 3. If a buck deer is not properly cleaned and dressed, fluid from different glands can get on the meat, making it not taste right. 4. The very best scenario: 1-shot kill, not being run, young deer, cleaned properly. Then, keeping the meat on ice for 48 hours will cause excess blood to leach out and cause a better tasting venison. It helps to butcher/slice it properly also. The rest is up to the preparer. There are several ways to season/cook venison, but if you start with the better meat (as above) your chances of great-tasting venison is very good.

By: White Gold Winger

White Gold Winger — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:52:28 +0000

FRIED DEER LIVER. Liver coated with flour, meal, salt, pepper and a smidgen of Essence of Emeril then fried in bacon drippings. Sweet onions fried separately in bacon drippings and kept warm separately from liver till time to eat so onions would not moisten crispness of liver. After the liver is sliced I marinated it in beer 3-4 hours before frying. Folks who enjoy liver of any kind really go for the deer liver. I have a couple of friends who look forward to their annual "deer liver treat". Many hunters throw the liver away when field dressing the animal. I carry a zip lock bag with me and retrieve the liver as quick as possible, clean it make ready to freeze it or have a meal with it fresh. I enjoy the fried liver without the onions. Might add I like to use Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

By: Mike D

Mike D — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:51:02 +0000

Right now I have my chili I make cooking in the crock pot that I used deer instead of hamburger. First time trying this so I hope it turns out well. It's always good the normal way. One pound of beef, one can of kidney beans, one can of diced tomatoes and a pack of seasoning. Mmmmm mmm good. Will have to try some of these recipes here as I have another pack of deer to cook up. Rich I think I'm going to try yours first. Bob yous sounds good but I shouldn't have all that salt. I have never soaked my deer and most I talk to don't. I just rinse it off with water. Is it better to and what is the best method. Also how do you make gravy out of what left behind in the pan?

By: Amy Hanek

Amy Hanek — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 16:04:26 +0000

I used to work at the British Pub and Restaurant in Epcot at Disney World (over a decade ago) and I have to agree with an earlier comment about ambience.

So many little pubs, chains and independently owned, have this clean, cookie-cutter feel. The draw for many Americans is that they've wandered into a hole in the wall for an authentic vacation from the norm - and even America.

Homemade steak and kidney pies, scotch eggs, shepard's pie, fish and chips, and bangers and mash are all great menu items. Warm Guiness and Bass are necessities. Worn wooden floors, tables and bar are a plus. And don't forget to bring the lights down a little. Small paned glass windows really add to that ambience too.

And for anyone interested in opening this style restaurant and bar, remember that you should decide what part of U.K. you are representing. England, N. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Each country has it's own food, drink and traditions. If you're representing them all, include them all.

Even at Disney, the Rose and Crown pub kept a tradtitional feel inside its restaurant. And the bar made more money than any other food and beverage establishment at Disney World, per square foot. Back when I worked there anyway.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:39:40 +0000

Position the loin as though your were slicing up a
cucumber. You want to slice the loin in slices about
the thickness of thick bologna.

black pepper
onion salt
garlic salt
Worcestershire sauce (optional)
stick of butter
a beer approximate 42 degrees

Heat a med. size frying pan or skillet to med/high. The next set of event are going to happen sorta quickly, you have to
be ready to cook until the all the meat is cooked. No running around doing other stuff.
Drop a Tbsp of butter in the pan and coat the pan (make sure it is sizzling before you place the thin slices of meat in)
now layer the pan with slices of tender loin. Take the time to lay each peace out flat.
Now apply, (pepper ,generously), onion salt, garlic salt, and a couple splashes of worcestershire. done? flip the meat
apply the above spices to this side. You want to really brown the meat like a grilled cheese sand.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:30:19 +0000

My dad was the deer hunter and deer chef in our family, but one time he trusted me to cook a roast. I mixed together a package of onion soup mix, a can of beef broth, a cup of red wine and added a little flour to it. I poured that over the roast and cooked it in the oven, 350 for an hour maybe two. It was a few years ago, so I can't remember exactly how long. I do remember it was delicious. The flour thickened it up like gravy and it was wonderful.

The way he usually fixed it was to put sliced up green peppers and onions in a baking dish along with mushrooms. Then he would put strips of bacon on the roast and cooked it low and slow. I loved the tenderloin cut into chunks and dredged in seasoned flour and fried. Yummm!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:29:40 +0000

Sue, Hubby took his deer to Overstreet's Foods on Eastern Ave here in Roanoke, they cut and wrapped it according to what we wanted (steaks, roasts, burger, left the tenderloin whole). They keep different hours during the hunting season to accomodate the hunters. He took it there early on a Sunday morning and they called us back 2 1/2 hours later to come get it! It was well worth the $60 charge for them to do it.
Lindsey, I've made BBQ the same way in the crockpot. I have also used the canned deer meat when I wanted quick BBQ, just heated it, added sauce, heated a little more and it was ready to eat. Might have to do this soon.

By: ShutEyeThinkin

ShutEyeThinkin — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:54:46 +0000

I agree with the others regarding Cornerstone. Just go into the mens restroom (the standard tell-tell for how a place is managed) and it's nasty. The bartenders remind me of the ones you run into in tourist traps.

Several things that Irish Pubs here in Roanoke should not do, IMO, is have Irish bands, bagpipers, and non-stop soccer on TV. Other than those, Irish music on the sound system is ok, authentic Irish food is good, properly-handled beer is good. ESPN is more appropriate fine for an Irish pub in America. There is a limit to how authentic a place can get before it's becomes a turn-off. When at Annie Moore's, they always have the soccer on, and almost without exception, no one is paying attention. Being Americans, we like close-to-authentic, but not 100%. That's just how we are, folks.