If luck befell you by harvesting a deer this hunting season, don’t spoil the game, we dare you to smoke it. Not only is the process simple, but also the best flavorful route to enjoy your bounty. Deer meat is tender and lean hence great for smoking. You will need some little extra flavor and the correct cooking method to make it tastier. Therefore, this article shall give an elaborate step-by-step on how to smoke your deer meat using an electronic smoker. Let’s explore!
Table of Contents
Smoke Deer Meat in an Electric Smoker – Step by Step
Step 1: Remove the excess fat
Deer fat tastes odd. Thus, it is good to remove the excess fat to avoid the meat being too chewy. Trim off as much connective tissue and fat as possible. If there is a band of silver skin, you should not cut into the meat but instead, score them carefully with a knife.
Step 2: Brine or Marinate the Meat
Brining and marinating are great methods of smoking deer meat. If you elect to marinate your meat, you can choose sauces or seasonings. Marinating takes a whole day before smoking the meat. On the other hand, you should soak the meat in the brine solution for approximately eighteen hours in brining. Use a large food storage container or stainless steel pot to brine the meat. The advantage of brining meat is to enhance the juiciness and flavor of your meat. Also, the brine solution breaks down some proteins in the meat giving it a delicate nature.
Step 3: Soaking the Wood Chips
Various wood chips exist. However, hickory wood chips are the best for smoking deer meat. These chips bring the most incredible aroma and heighten the original taste of your meat. Equally, before placing the wood chips into the electric smoker, soak at least one pound of the chips for one and a half to two hours, depending on how fast they soak.
Step 4: Remove and rinse the meat.
Once your meat has soaked in the brine solution, consider removing and rinsing it well using a paper towel and cover it with your favorite spice paste.
Step 5: Prepare the Electric Smoker
Add the wood chips and preheat the electric smoker to about two hundred and fifty degrees. Adjust the vents properly to keep the smoke levels light until white smoke emerges. The white color in the smoke signifies that your smoker has attained the desired temperature and is ready to use.
Step 6: Put the Meat on the Grill Grates
Use a mitten to open the smoker’s lid and put the meat on the grill gates. Close the lid and supervise the doneness until the internal temperature reaches one hundred and forty degrees. Use the chicken thermometer to check the temperature. Equally, mopping sauce can aid the meat to conserve its moisture and keep up with the tenderness. Preferably, apply the mopping sauce to your meat after every two hours. In approximately five to six hours, your meat will be ready.
Step 7: Remove the Deer Meat
After the meat has attained the ultimate level of doneness, carefully remove it from the smoker. Cover the meat with aluminum foil for at most ten minutes to retain the tenderness of your meat. And finally, you can cut and slice the deer meat and serve it accordingly.
Frequently Asked Question about Smoking Deer Meat
How do I control the amount of smoky flavor?
Cover the meat with aluminum foil during the smoking process; after that, uncover it at the end.
What is the easiest method of keeping the spices from slopping off when smoking?
Slather your deer meat with mustard. It acts as a binding agent. Thus you will not taste it at all.
Am I supposed to turn the deer meat over while it is smoking?
No need to turn your meat over. Smoking is a slow process, and you should ensure to use indirect heat to envelope the meat in the smoke and heat.
Conclusion
Smoked deer meat is one of the best roasts you should desire to taste. To make it tastier, you can either marinate or brine it. Brining is the option for those individuals who are not fans of seasoning. To get the best results, follow the above tips to enjoy the best-smoked deer meat.
