How to Soak Venison in Water

Many people state that they do not like venison because of the “gamey” taste of the meat. However, you can prepare venison, or deer meat, in such a way that the gamey flavor is removed by soaking it in water before cooking. Making venison palatable can provide individuals needing to limit the amount of fat in their diets with a viable meat alternative. Venison does not contain fat, as deer store their fat underneath their skins, making venison a very lean cut of meat.

A plate of venison pot roast sits on a dish cloth. (Image: Warren Price/iStock/Getty Images)

Step 1

Fill a large bowl or bucket halfway full with ice. Use large cubes versus small slivers to keep the ice from melting for as long as possible.

Step 2

Pour between ¼ cup and ½ cup kosher salt into a pitcher and add 1 quart water. Stir until the salt dissolves into the water.

Step 3

Place cuts of venison onto the ice. Smaller cuts are better because the saltwater will draw blood from smaller cuts of venison easier than large cuts.

Step 4

Pour the saltwater mixture over the venison. Make another batch of saltwater if your first batch does not completely cover the venison.

Step 5

Allow the venison to soak for 24 hours. After eight hours, remove the venison and set it into a new batch of brine.

Step 6

Soak the venison in white vinegar for one hour after you have finished soaking it in the saltwater. This will help tenderize the deer meat and remove any leftover “gamey” flavor.

Things You'll Need

• Large bowl or bucket

• Ice

• Pitcher

• Kosher salt

• White vinegar

Tip

Consider soaking the meat in buttermilk instead of vinegar for a heightened level of tenderness.

Warning

Never reuse brine as it is full of deer blood.