Got a Deer This Season? Here’s How to Get It From Field to Table Safely

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It’s deer season in much of the country, and for a lot of families that means a freezer full of meat for the winter. Venison is one of the leanest, most affordable proteins a self-reliant household can put on the table, if you handle it right.

Here’s what university Extension experts recommend for getting a deer from the field to your dinner plate safely, and making it taste good once it gets there.

Why venison is worth the effort

The numbers speak for themselves. According to the University of Missouri Extension, a 3-ounce serving of venison has about 134 calories and 3 grams of fat. The same serving of beef has 259 calories and 18 grams of fat, and pork has about 214 calories and 13 grams of fat.

That leanness is a big plus for your health. It is also the reason venison can dry out fast in the pan, which we’ll get to below.

In the field: speed and cleanliness

Penn State Extension food safety specialist Catherine Cutter’s guide puts it simply: “To reduce the risk of food-borne illness, hunters need to handle, process, and prepare deer properly.”

Her key points:

  • Pack the right gear: a sharp knife, disposable gloves, rope or cord, paper towels, sealable bags, clean water and a cooler with ice.
  • Field dress the deer as soon as possible, wearing gloves and cleaning your knife often.
  • Watch for warning signs. Discard the carcass if the organs smell bad or you see greenish discharge, black blood or blood clots in the muscle.
  • Cool it fast. Get the carcass down to 35°F to 40°F. Bags of ice sealed in plastic can go inside the body cavity.
  • Keep it out of the sun. Don’t tie a deer on the hood or roof, and don’t put a warm deer in the trunk. Leave the hide on during transport.

If you process at home, Penn State says to hold the carcass at 40°F or below for no more than two to three days.

About chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, is a fatal disease in deer, elk and moose. Montana’s health department says there are no reported cases of CWD infection in humans from eating infected meat. Still, the CDC strongly recommends that hunters in areas where CWD has been found have their animal tested before eating it, according to Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources.

A few common-sense steps, from Montana health officials and the CDC:

  • Don’t shoot, handle or eat a deer that looks sick, acts strangely or is found dead.
  • Wear gloves and minimize handling of the brain and spinal cord.
  • Use your own field-dressing knife, not your kitchen knives.
  • Ask a processor to handle your deer individually, and label each deer’s packages so meat can be pulled if a test comes back positive.

One important note: normal cooking does not destroy the prions that cause CWD, so testing, not the stove, is your safeguard. Check your state wildlife agency’s rules for your area.

In the kitchen: storage and thawing

  • Refrigerate fresh meat and use it within two to three days.
  • Freeze in meal-size packages of about a pound, wrapped tightly with as much air removed as possible. Label each one with the contents and date.
  • Properly wrapped venison keeps 9 to 12 months in the freezer, according to Penn State.
  • Thaw in the refrigerator, under cold running water or in the microwave, and cook right away. Don’t refreeze thawed meat.

Missouri Extension nutrition specialist Tammy Roberts recommends freezing venison for at least 24 to 48 hours before eating it or making sausage or jerky, with 48 hours being better, because parasites can be a concern in fresh venison.

Cooking it right

Use a food thermometer. Penn State lists these safe internal temperatures:

  • Steaks, chops and roasts: 145°F (medium rare). Missouri Extension recommends 160°F for these cuts, so choose the more cautious number if you prefer.
  • Ground venison and sausage: 160°F.
  • Soups, stews, casseroles and leftovers: 165°F.
  • Jerky: heat to 160°F before drying.

To keep lean meat from turning tough, Roberts suggests a few tricks:

  • Marinate it. French or Italian dressing, tomato sauce or fruit juice all work. “Marinades are a great way to add flavor and tenderize the meat,” she said. Always marinate in the refrigerator, throw out used marinade and don’t go past 24 hours, or the meat can turn mushy.
  • Tame the gamey taste by soaking the meat for an hour in 2 tablespoons of vinegar per quart of water before cooking.
  • Rub roasts with oil before they go in the oven to keep them from drying out.

Want to put venison on the shelf instead of in the freezer? Penn State says meat must be canned only in a pressure canner, following USDA or National Center for Home Food Preservation directions.

The bottom line

A single deer can feed a family for months with lean, healthy meat that never saw a grocery store. That is about as self-reliant as eating gets.

The work is in the handling. Field dress fast, cool it quickly, test where CWD is present, freeze it well and cook it with a thermometer. Do those things, and your venison will be safe, tender and something to be proud of.

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