eG Foodblog: Shelby (2011) - From the field to the table. (warning, pi

[Shelby]

Tenderloin

You want to get all of the "silver skin" off. I don't know what the real name for it is, but that's what I call it.

[onrushpam]

Didn't he call her "Lil Bit"?

I don't really know -- just watched the TV series.

Rhonda

"Half Pint"

[Shelby]

Didn't he call her "Lil Bit"?

I don't really know -- just watched the TV series.

Rhonda

Well, it's close....

[Shelby]

Didn't he call her "Lil Bit"?

I don't really know -- just watched the TV series.

Rhonda

"Half Pint"

[Shelby]

One must drink this while cutting. It's in a handbook somewhere.

You want to butterfly both the tenderloins and the backstrap. It makes it pretty.

[Shelby]

Backstrap:

Again, get all of that silver stuff off

Quite frequently part of the backstrap is damaged from the shot. Cut anything off that looks like this:

The first deer I ever shot actually had the broadhead from an arrow stuck in his leg. I'm not a bow hunting fan and I'll leave it at that.

[Shelby]

The round roasts are the most fun to cut. They come from the hind quarters of the deer.

BTW, please ask any questions that pop into your head. I'm not the greatest at explaining things at times

After you do this a few times, it becomes very easy to pick out the different cuts.

The strip down the middle is the eye of round. The piece on the left is a roast--forgive me, that's what I call it. The piece on the right is what I call a "football ham".

You could also leave this all together to make one big roast.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Shelby (log)

[lancastermike]

Greetings Ms. Shelby. Like others I love this blog. it harkens back to what made them so popular. Enjoy your cookery and your harvesting of game

[Shelby]

Greetings Ms. Shelby. Like others I love this blog. it harkens back to what made them so popular. Enjoy your cookery and your harvesting of game

Thank you, Mike! I'm glad you're reading!

[Shelby]

So, you have a big bowl of butterfly steaks and roasts after your all said and done.

With the front quarters, we saw off the leg from the "knee" down and have bone in roasts.

I can't locate my pictures of that..but you get my drift.

More pics of venison backstrap and venison tenderloin:

[Shelby]

Now, there are numerous parts such as the neck and the leg beneath the knee that we deem as too tough to do anything with except for hamburger.

Here they are!! Here's the bone in roast.

Burger bucket:

Scrap: The scrap is all of the tendony, shot up etc. parts that no one will eat.

Except for the cats.

Please say hello to Newman (as in the Friends Newman, not Paul)

[Shelby]

In the end, all you're left with is this which is dumped down by the river. The coyotes enjoy that.

[andiesenji]

Shelby, do you ever brine the venison roasts?

I began using brine, instead of marinade quite a few years ago as it didn't change the texture of the meat as much but did make it more tender and lessened the gamy flavor.

I used the formula described here.

I also have used it on elk, especially the neck and back strap, which tend to be pretty tough.

The elk I have worked with were not near as gamy as venison - I think it is because they feed mostly on grass.

[ScottyBoy]

Awesome, what about the pelt? Make a cape!

[Shelby]

Shelby, do you ever brine the venison roasts?

I began using brine, instead of marinade quite a few years ago as it didn't change the texture of the meat as much but did make it more tender and lessened the gamy flavor.

I used the formula described here.

I also have used it on elk, especially the neck and back strap, which tend to be pretty tough.

The elk I have worked with were not near as gamy as venison - I think it is because they feed mostly on grass.

Yes, we brine a lot of them. I'm looking forward to reading your link, though, for more ideas. We do Morton's Quick and Tender.

I LOVE elk meat...even more than venison. It's so mild.

[Shelby]

Awesome, what about the pelt? Make a cape!

Super Shelby!

My husband began the project of salt curing a hide once...I think one of our dogs ended up eating it......

[Shelby]

We go through a lot of knives during all of this.

[Shelby]

After all of that, we package it all up.

One must drink this while packaging. Don't judge..it's the house wine.

I always wrap each piece in film and then package.

We've tried many different methods, including vacuum packing, but this way seems to keep the meat better. It's just too moist to get a good seal with the food saver. Please excuse the two cat feet on the left side. I had on-lookers.

The prep of the tape is something I always do. Makes it easier to package without stopping. I always use three strips...my husband uses two. I am an extravagant tape user.

[cookingofjoy]

I love your stories! Your home is beautiful. My dad is an avid waterfowl hunter, so much of this feels very familiar. And, of course, I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I thought I'd share I was never able to get a pie crust right, til I tried RLB's flaky pie crust. It's kind of involved with cutting and freezing the butter, but it was the first time I got the sense of what the texture was supposed to be like. Just thought I'd share

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Basic-Flaky-Pie-Crust-101858

[andiesenji]

Wow, quite a production.

Have you considered vacuum packaging?

I can't tell the size of your cutting board.

I have one of these 24 x 48 which gives me lots of room and I don't have to scrub and disinfect my butcher block counter.

I put a thick towel under it to catch any drips and to keep it from sliding.

Edited January 4, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[cookingofjoy]

Your sink of knives reminded me of my first real knife, a rapala fillet knife. I got it from my dad when I was nine or ten, and he really tried to build it up as a reward - now I was old enough to help clean (ha!).

[suzilightning]

Shelby, you are doing an amazing job. I check your thread first thing in the morning even before my caffeine

On the pie crust, Cooks Country has an easy pat-in-the-pan pie dough that is wonderful. It's flaky and has incredible flavor. It has butter and a little cream cheese. It's easy-peasy.

Here is the recipe. You do have to register for the site, but it's free.

http://www.cookscountrytv.com/recipes/login.asp?docid=7706

Blog on!

Rhonda

somewhere else on cook's country they have moved to replacing some of the water in the dough with vodka that seems to provide some flakiness without the breaking.

as far as the fried mush ... make some toast dope with the dried maple syrup instead of the demerara sugar.

[Chris Amirault]

That butchering set-up was awesome.

[kayb]

Re: The smoked venison. Can I come live with you?

Sure! On one condition....we can live in Hot Springs during race season

They start a week from Friday! You have to let me know when you're coming down!

[gfweb]

Love it all except the beer and tomato juice.

Never did get that.