Crock-Pot Venison Roast Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What do you soak a deer roast in before cooking? ›

Place Roast in a shallow pan and cover with the milk. Soak over night at least 8 hours. This process removes the blood which causes the roast to have that wild unwanted flavor. Rinse off the milk and rinse out the pan, next place the roast back in the clean shallow pan and add the Italian dressing.

The tough fibers and connective tissue break down into collagen, which then dissolves into gelatin. Over time, these fibers expel moisture, leaving the meat dry. Once the meat is dry, upon continued cooking, the fibers will relax and begin to absorb the fat and gelatin, creating tender, flavorful meat.

Traditionally, this means the meat is partially covered in liquid and cooked for hours until it becomes juicy and tender. In this case, the steam from the slow cooker creates moisture for the meat to braise in.

When you have a roast, especially if it's from the shoulder or neck, it has lots of connective tissue. If cooked improperly, the connective tissue remains rubbery and unpleasant. In comparison, if cooked appropriately, venison roast can be fall-apart tender. The way to achieve this result is by cooking it low and slow.

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

Soaking: The most common soaking liquids are buttermilk, saltwater, white milk, vinegar, lemon juice and lime juice. While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful.

For steaks, chops, and other thinner cuts, mechanical tenderizers are generally the best option. This includes crank or push-style cubers that use fine blades to sever the muscles into smaller lengths.

Marinades tenderize (soften muscle fibers) and enhance the flavor of venison. Marinades can add fat and calories to this lean cut of meat. Always be marinate meats in the refrigerator. Always include a high-acid liquid like lemon or tomato juice, vinegar or wine to soften the muscle fibers.

Cooking venison steak, venison backstrap/loin and tenderloin

The best way to treat this meat is to pat it dry with a paper towel, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and use high heat and cook it to medium-rare or even rare plus.

Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top. Set the heat level: A general rule of thumb is that cooking on the low setting (170 degrees F for most models) takes about twice as long as cooking on high (280 degrees F on most models).

Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the crockpot? ›

Slow cooker recipes don't always instruct you to brown meat before adding it to the pot, but there are some advantages to doing so. If you sear meat to a crusty brown with a little oil in a hot skillet, the meat develops more complex flavors and improves the dish.

I also try to make sure the potatoes are on the sides around the roast and top the roast with the carrots and onions. Pour the beef broth/seasoning mixture over the roast and veggies in the crockpot. Add the lid to the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is fall apart tender!

Place the meat in a plastic container and keep the deer meat in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. This allows natural enzymes to break down and tenderize the meat. Keep the temperature between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the meat out of the fridge and remove it from the plastic container.

Washing deer meat

Rinsing deer meat or venison before cooking is not recommended by food safety agencies.

Freshly harvested venison can oftentimes have a stronger flavor, so if desired, you can soak tender cuts of meat, such as venison steak or backstrap, in buttermilk for a couple of hours, or overnight, to help tone down the flavor of the venison and draw out the blood.

Soak roast on marinade for 1-5 days.

This is one of the worst things to do to any animal carcass after its slaughter. Putting the meat in water allows bacteria (primarily E. coli) to grow and spread over the entire carcass. It also removes all of the flavor from the meat.

#2 – Place the steak and seasoned milk in a resealable plastic bag or covered container, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours. #3 – Rinse the meat in cool running water, pat it dry, and discard the milk.