How to choose the right venison?

Venison is most often reindeer meat. The classification of varieties of this product is traditional. Different parts of the animal’s body differ in the quality, structure of the meat and its taste characteristics. The best venison is considered to be meat from the shoulder blades, sirloin and breast parts, and the areas from the thighs and groin are less appreciated.

Deer meat up to 6 months of age has the best taste. The older the animal becomes, the more coarse and fatty its meat becomes. The age of the venison can be determined visually. In addition, not only individual evaluation criteria are applied to the selection process for this type of meat product, but also general rules for the selection of high-quality and fresh meat.

Venison can be sold:

• fresh;
• chilled;
• frozen;
• undergone various types of treatments.

It is recommended to buy chilled meat, but if this is not possible, you can purchase any venison. A prerequisite in this case is a full inspection of the product and the purchase of only the freshest and highest quality meat.

How to choose venison

The distinctive features of venison are the dark red color of the meat and its special delicate structure. Its consistency is difficult to recognize if the meat is purchased frozen. Depending on the type of venison, it should be judged according to important rules.

What venison is worth buying:

• chilled venison is always elastic (when pressed with a finger, the meat quickly returns to its shape and does not deform);
• the meat of young deer has a delicate consistency (the older the animal, the harder and tougher its meat will be);
• fresh and young venison always has a dark red hue (the color resembles beets);
• the surface of the venison should be moist, but not wet or sticky (you can check this not only by touch, but also with a paper napkin);
• venison should not have bruises, bruises or traces of mechanical damage;
• different parts of venison are used to prepare various categories of dishes (loin and tenderloin are purchased for baking, frying, cooking and stewing, and other parts of the animal’s body are purchased for dishes with broth);
• there should be no ice accumulation in the package with frozen venison (a sign of re-freezing);
• the color of venison of different ages does not differ much, therefore, it can be determined only by the structure of the meat and its consistency (the softer the better);
• venison must be clean (no contamination is allowed).

What kind of venison is not recommended to buy:

• if the meat is hard and tough, then the venison is old (it is rather difficult to cook it, but you should not expect a tender consistency);
• if, after pressing with a finger, a dent remains on the venison, then the meat is either stale or improperly stored;
• if the meat has a too heterogeneous structure and color, then it is not recommended to buy it (the first sign of improper storage);
• if there is a sticky coating or film on the surface of venison, then you should not buy it (the meat is spoiled);
• if the aroma of venison contains extraneous odors, then you should not buy it (venison has a specific smell, but it smells like meat);
• Reindeer meat is practically fat-free, so fatty layers should raise suspicion when choosing venison.

The taste of venison does not change under the influence of low temperatures, so frozen and chilled meat will not differ in taste. The main nuance is the exclusion of the fact of re-freezing. Venison spoils quickly, and under no circumstances should it be frozen after defrosting.