Yes! With the exception of having a large group of people over (family or friends for a holiday) Sara & I don't buy meat anymore. It's either venison or fish from the lake. Mostly for healthy eating and partially for ethical reasons (feed lots etc.). I've lost almost 30#s since we made the switch. My love affair w/ Veni followed a similar path as my evolution in my taste for beer & coffee. At first I had it for ulterior motives (Need to wake up, I shot it & don't want to waste it, let's get drunk). But as time passes, you develop a refined taste for it. I never minded venison that much, but now I truly do love it, along with beer and coffee. I usually only season venison now with salt and pepper. If it's real gamy, I'll make jerky with it. I cannot wait to have some butter fried tenderloin that is only hours old.... MMMMMMMM:D
What's funny about the whole 'healthy' thing is that, actually, there's nothing unhealthy about beef fat. Or lard for that matter. People have been so brain washed about fat. Anyhow, the tastiest wild game I've eaten is castor canadensis. (Can't make me type the common name :D ) But I've never had bear or moose or elk.
Agree with a few things on the list, but Sushi?:D:p I only had bear once, and it was GREASY. However, it's probably a lot like venison...it's all about how you cook it.
For me it's not the fat, it's what they're fed. Give me grass fed (not finished, but fed) beef, and I'll eat it all day. But a cow that is fed grains (which is not a natural food source for them) so that they can become so obese that they can make market weight in record time, is not for me. Add the fact that the "corn" that they are fed, has been altered so much in the past century, that it can hardly be considered "food." Sorry, this the one weird, left-wing, hippie, PETA type belief that I adhere to... :D
I've heard beaver is good. Never tried it, but I had muskrat a few times. Not bad. I love venison. Just had some canned venison last night along with wild Hen Of The Woods mushroom ... unbeleivable.
The question was "Do you really like eating it that much?"........the fact that it is a healthy food is certainly a benefit IMO anyways. I love eating pizza and wings too but I'm not about to make them a daily part of my diet. Did you misunderstand my post and think venison is all I eat?? I enjoy all the things you listed as well (never had bear)..........point is I really enjoy good food........Venison being VERY High on my list of favorites if not the top. Going through college I waited tables at Red Lobster to make ends meet........50% off food was the best part of the job. My buddy worked at Outback and got the same deal. Never ate so much lamb and king crab in my life
Atlas, my post wasn't directed at you, a few posted about how healthy it is. I was just curious if all the guys who are "filling the freezer" do it because the think its the best meat out there......that's all. I also said earlier that I like venison as well, but there are a lot of other foods I would rather eat. I should have put the disclaimer in at the beginning of this thread that my family owns grocery stores and because I travel a lot in the winter and have to eat out a lot I've had many other foods that blow venison out of the water. But, that's JMHO.
The "I could go on and on too" reference seemed to be directed at me. I would certainly think being a healthy option would appeal to anyone. I would certainly say it's one of the best........with all meat having it's own flavor I don't see how anyone could say one is the "best" other then personal tastes. I have never had it but I would say out of every big game meat I have heard more first hand claims of "horrible" when it comes to bear then all other meats combined. You seem to love it. To each his own I guess. I used to eat pickled pigs feet with my great grandfather when I was a kid and they were DE-LI-CIOUS!!!
Gotcha, but it wasn't....more just a statement. Healthy would appeal to anyone, but wasn't what I was looking for. I've heard the same, but most had it cooked all wrong....the same reason most people don't like wild game.
Wow I just relized you are a mod damn now I have to behave. Heck all the staff guys are mods does this mean you will own bhc soon? lol
If healthy had nothing to do with it I would eat bacon by the handful What's the deal (secret) to bear........because I haven't heard "I didn't like it"......I've heard "It's disgusting.....rancid, horrible, gross etc". VERY strong opposition, not just preference or seasoning stuff. It can't be that bad if you like it more then venison.
I do like eating it, but its not THAT great compared to a lot of other things I like to eat. Fish, chicken & pork are some of my staple foods that I enjoy better than deer. And compared to a nice beef steak, I'll take the beef anyday. That said, I've never had to buy beef my entire adult life AND my parents rarely if ever bought beef from the time I started hunting. Roasts, ground meat, & cubed up steak meat go into meals that have so many other flavors added, it doesn't matter what meat is in there.
Most people leave too much fat on it, which can be very greasy. I generally cut all the fat off and then cook loins, rounds or whatever whole on low heat. Rub garlic butter on one side, then when its flipped, on the other side as well. It must be cooked medium-medium rare....not past medium....like any wild game. Do you know anyone that likes dry overcooked pork? Cooked a little less and its great. I'll never forget when my father in law said "You gotta cook the **** outta wild game to make it safe to eat." Funny, he didn't like it either.
