# Is Venison supposed so, um... smell?



## SilverBeat

I nabbed ~40 lbs of venison off of Craigslist the other day, and today I began thawing and breaking it down. It kind of smells. It was vacuum-sealed in FoodSaver bags, and it was still mostly frozen when I was hacking it into bits. It had a faint but distinct odor. It looked fine, it was dark but that's what wild game looks like, right? 

...Right?


----------



## CavePaws

I'm guessing it has a very distinct odor...Actually, I was just about to start a thread about wild game meat. The wild boar meat I have does have a very distinct odor...I can't stand it actually. It' really strong, much much different than store bought pork. My boar meat is also pretty dark...

I ordered some venison trim from Texas Tripe, and I know Ashley (pandaparade) has some venison. She may chime in.


----------



## MissusMac

It's fine, venison does have a smell to it, especially if it wasn't bled out properly before being processed.


----------



## SilverBeat

Thanks guys! I had a feeling the darkness was okay because I have seen hare meat and it was very dark. So I figured most game meat was that way.

But the smell had me worried. Honestly the first thing that came to mind was sweat. When I first smelled it I went "whew! is that me?!" Upon further investigation, it was the meat.


----------



## whiteleo

I don't find that my venison has an odor, but mine came from a farm that strictly raises it for meat, grass fed and all that.


----------



## Ania's Mommy

Yes. venison has a weird smell. And unfortunately, the only way I can think to describe it is "gamey". But I guess your sweat comparison isn't too far off either.... It's sort of sour smelling...


----------



## RaisingWolves

Ania's Mommy said:


> It's sort of sour smelling...


Yes, this how I would describe it too! It almost smells like a vinegar to me. :twitch:The meat is very rich looking too.


----------



## hcdoxies

I fed wild venison for about 4 months and it does have a slight odor, but nothing "too" bad.


----------



## whiteleo

Richelle,
Is my smeller off. You have some venison from the database and I can't smell a thing, especially when I defrost it and give it to the dogs.


----------



## RachelsaurusRexU

The venison I had this past gun season had an odor to it. The goat that I purchase smells the same way for some reason. I don't know how it was raised, only that it's from Australia... I bought it from my wholesaler. It's also very dark. 

I could be totally wrong, but I'm guessing the odor and color are from being free, wild animals with natural diets. Does anybody know if pasture raised beef, etc is darker and has a more pungent odor? Maybe that's why my goat meat looks and smells the way it does.


----------



## monkeys23

Yeah it depends on how it was butchered out.

I was so grossed out the first time I had deer meat at a friend's house. It was NOTHING like the deer/elk we butchered out ourselves.

Mmmm I'm having deer burgers tonight.


----------



## magicre

whiteleo said:


> Richelle,
> Is my smeller off. You have some venison from the database and I can't smell a thing, especially when I defrost it and give it to the dogs.


the venison we have is from new zealand and i didn't notice any smell.....


----------



## SilverBeat

Judging by the person/area that I got it from, and the way it was packed, I'd say it was all home-butchered. Or done by neighbors. I don't think it was taken to a facility.


----------



## Ania's Mommy

whiteleo said:


> Richelle,
> Is my smeller off. You have some venison from the database and I can't smell a thing, especially when I defrost it and give it to the dogs.


I was talking about venison in general. The stuff we got from our co-op doesn't really have a smell. And I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing....


----------



## Northwoods10

Yep, I've always noticed a slightly different smell with venison. Not bad, just different. 

We got about 30# of venison from my parents last winter....I'd have to say that was one of our dogs ultimate favorites!!

ETA: I notice it more with a cut that has more blood in it. Like if we just feed ground venison it doesn't seem to smell *as* much as a big slab of venison that hasn't been cut into.


----------



## Tobi

the 25-30lbs we've gotten when i broke it down i gagged a few times, on both occasions actually... One of them was done at a processor, and one was done at home, and they both wreaked the same to me...


----------



## MissusMac

Tobi said:


> the 25-30lbs we've gotten when i broke it down i gagged a few times, on both occasions actually... One of them was done at a processor, and one was done at home, and they both wreaked the same to me...


From my experience hunting for the better part of my life, whether or not the deer is processed at home or at a processor has little to do with the smell. I've always noticed a more pungent smell from meat that was not hung to bleed out properly, which is why we always try to make a point to hang our deer (if it is cool enough) after skinning and before cutting it up... it makes a HUGE difference in the smell and taste of the meat- much less gamey.


----------



## Tobi

MissusMac said:


> From my experience hunting for the better part of my life, whether or not the deer is processed at home or at a processor has little to do with the smell. I've always noticed a more pungent smell from meat that was not hung to bleed out properly, which is why we always try to make a point to hang our deer (if it is cool enough) after skinning and before cutting it up... it makes a HUGE difference in the smell and taste of the meat- much less gamey.


ooohhh... I see, how long do you normally hang it and is it usualy just 30-40 degreeish? what do you do if it is too warm?


----------



## MissusMac

We try to hang it at least 3 hours, but we've left it up for as long as two days. Ideal temps are between 35 and 40 degrees but when left overnight it normally freezes, which is fine. If it's too warm, we quarter it up and put the meat on ice in a cooler with the drain plug open, and it can still bleed out a little that way. 

For hogs, we soak the meat in a mixture of lemon juice and vinegar to help with the gamey taste and to tenderize it. It helps, but not much.


----------



## pandaparade

My venison smelled weird when I thawed it. Then when I thawed it out again it smelled gross! It was also very dark as well. 

First day thawed, 









Then thawed out to eat










Oh and Kelly, did you get whole ungrounded venison? Cause I think I want that, but do not know how it is cut.


----------



## Ania's Mommy

I don't know why, but I WANNA say that if the meat is meant for dogs at the time of butchering, I think that very few places will hang the meat to bleed out. Why take up valuable real estate for dog food? Which would account for the extra smell and darker color (thanks for that info, MissusMac!). Which I like because blood = gooooood!!! :hungry:


----------



## CavePaws

Ashley, I put an order in for the venison trim.  We'll see how it goes, I'm so excited for it to come but it'll be at the end of the month. :[


----------



## Northwoods10

Just curious, how much do you guys pay for your venison from the supplier?

The venison to buy here is close to $5/lb. :\


----------



## magicre

Ania's Mommy said:


> I was talking about venison in general. The stuff we got from our co-op doesn't really have a smell. And I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing....


true...and i guess if we put it side by side with the beef we bought....there would be a different smell to it....but nothing off ....

i should have said it smells different than the beef we got.....but that's because it is a different meat.....: )

i just fed my dogs a mix of beef and venison...and i should remember to drink my coffee before posting. there are distinctive differences
between the smell of beef and venison....and gamey is a good word, i think....but i didn't smell sour...it just smells stronger than beef..and our beef is from local farms and grass fed....not sure if they are always grass finished, but they taste different than commercial beef from a grocery store.

but, richelle, why wouldn't deer be bled out for commercial use....aren't they supposed to be? because, i believe, that's what we bought....human grade new zealand venison....


----------



## pandaparade

Northwoods, it is like 62 dollars for 50lbs. of Venison trim I believe. I am debating on getting it. I am not sure if I can fit it in my freezer.


----------



## CavePaws

It's 62.50 for a 50 lb case so $1.25...Get it Ashley! I wish I could have gotten the ground venison last time but he was out of all venison by the time I ordered. :[


----------



## RaisingWolves

That's a great price for venison! I pay $15.25 for a 5lb bag of ground muscle meat. No organs or bones, but the meat is very bloody. I feed it several times a week and toss in organ meat from beef.


----------



## magicre

pandaparade said:


> Northwoods, it is like 62 dollars for 50lbs. of Venison trim I believe. I am debating on getting it. I am not sure if I can fit it in my freezer.


Find a way.....that IS A DEAL. : )


----------



## CavePaws

Definitely, Ashley, do find a way.  Put some in the fridge, freezer, and feed Jasper a gorge meal of it.  I'm probably going to order more!


----------



## pandaparade

STOP TEMPTING ME 


ugghghgghghghgh


----------



## CavePaws

DO IT! DO IT! Consider, what if he runs out of the trim? You've gotta put your order in!


----------



## pandaparade

I did it

:whoo:


----------



## CavePaws

:cheer2::dance::clap2::bounce:

I bet Jasper would be beside himself right now if he knew there's 50 lbs of venison coming his way. ;D


----------



## Northwoods10

Wow that is an awesome price!! You guys are LUCKY! 

Thats it, I'm BEGGING DH to get us a couple deer this season....my dogs LOVE venison and a couple deer would give them plenty to eat over the winter in combination with the other stuff they get!


----------

