Tiffany Haney
Deer meat, or venison, is a lean and healthy alternative to traditional meats such as beef, pork, and lamb. Venison steaks from the hind quarter are a tender cut of meat, but proper preparation is essential to ensure a juicy result. One popular method for cooking deer is to use a crock pot or slow cooker, which can produce tender and juicy results. There are a variety of recipes available for cooking deer hind quarter in a crock pot, including those that use red wine, chicken stock, and herbs, or creamy mushroom soup and onion soup.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooking method | Slow cooking, grilling, braising, roasting |
| Cooking temperature | Low heat, 285-300°F |
| Cooking time | 3-5 hours, 6 hours, 8 hours, 8-9 hours, 12 hours |
| Ingredients | Deer hind quarter, wine, stock, beer, broth, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, duck fat, avocado oil, clarified butter/ghee, potatoes, carrots, mushroom soup, soy sauce, garlic salt, bay leaves, diced tomatoes |
| Equipment | Crock pot, slow cooker, skillet, Dutch oven, larding needle |
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What You'll Learn
Searing the meat beforehand
Prepare the Meat
Start by trimming any excess fat from the deer hind quarter with a sharp knife. This step is important as venison is a very lean meat, and removing excess fat will ensure that your dish is not greasy. Then, slice the hind quarter into roasts or 1/2-inch steaks, depending on your preferred size.
Season the Meat
Coat the meat pieces with a thin layer of olive oil or avocado oil, ensuring that all surfaces are lightly coated. This oil layer will help the seasonings stick to the meat and promote even browning during the searing process. Next, season the meat generously with kosher salt and black pepper. You can also add other seasonings like rosemary, garlic powder, or Italian seasoning to enhance the flavour.
Sear the Meat
Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add a fat with a high smoke point, such as duck fat, avocado oil, or clarified butter/ghee. Once the fat is hot, carefully place the meat pieces in the skillet, leaving some space between them to ensure even cooking. Sear the meat for approximately 15 minutes on each side, or until a nice brown crust forms. If your meat is thick, you may need to reduce the heat to medium to ensure that the inside cooks without burning the outside.
Prepare for Slow Cooking
Once the meat is seared, transfer it to your crock pot or slow cooker. If desired, you can deglaze the skillet by adding a small amount of liquid, such as red wine or beef/chicken broth, and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. These browned bits are packed with flavour and can be added to your crock pot for extra taste.
Slow Cook the Meat
After searing and transferring the meat to the crock pot, you can now follow your chosen slow cooker recipe for deer hind quarter. This typically involves adding vegetables, liquids, and seasonings to the crock pot and cooking on low heat for an extended period, usually around 6 to 8 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls apart easily.
Remember, searing the deer hind quarter beforehand is an important step to enhance the flavour and texture of your final dish. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to creating a delicious and tender crockpot meal.
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Marinating the deer overnight
Marinating deer meat overnight is a great way to impart flavour and keep the meat moist. There are several ways to do this. Firstly, you can use a marinade of equal parts red wine and beef broth, with a touch of garlic and black pepper. This combination works well with deer meat and will add a lot of flavours to your crockpot meal. You can also add a splash of cherry, cranberry or blueberry juice to this marinade for extra flavour. Alternatively, you could try a marinade of red wine and chicken stock, with a few bay leaves, thyme, crushed garlic and black peppercorns. This will create a more subtle flavour, as chicken stock is less overpowering than beef.
Another option is to stud the hind quarter with slices of garlic and rosemary, then coat it liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper. This method will result in a very juicy roast, but it may be cooked on a grill rather than in a crockpot. If you choose to grill the meat, it is important to sear each side for around 15 minutes and then cook it in a Dutch oven for around 12 hours. This will ensure the meat is tender.
Before marinating, you may want to pound the deer meat with a meat tenderizer to break up the muscle fibres and improve its texture. You can also trim any fat from the meat with a knife and slice the hind quarter into 1/2-inch steaks or roasts. This will help the meat absorb the flavours of the marinade more effectively.
If you are looking for a quicker option, you can try searing the meat on all sides in a large skillet before placing it in the crockpot. This will add flavour and texture to your dish. You can then add in simple ingredients like onions, garlic cloves, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
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Using a bone-in roast
To cook a deer hind quarter in a crock pot, you'll first want to prepare the meat. Pound the venison with a meat tenderizer to break up the muscle fibres and improve its tenderness. Then, trim any fat with a knife and slice the hind quarter into 1/2-inch steaks or roast cuts.
Next, you'll want to season the meat. You can coat the pieces with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Alternatively, you can stud the meat with slices of garlic and rosemary, and then coat with oil and seasonings. If you want to add more fat to your meat, you can use a larding needle to put veins of fat throughout the roast that will slowly melt while cooking.
Before putting the meat in the crock pot, you can sear it in a large skillet to add flavour and texture. Use a fat with a high smoke point like duck fat, avocado oil, or clarified butter/ghee to fry with. You can also add onions, garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste for added flavour.
Now, you're ready to put the meat in the crock pot. Place the hind quarter roast in the slow cooker with sliced onions, and sprinkle with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, and pepper. You can also add in potatoes and carrots to make the meal more complete. Pour in 1 cup of water or a mixture of creamy mushroom soup and onion soup.
Finally, turn on your slow cooker to low and let it cook for 6-8 hours. For more tender results, it is recommended to cook on low heat for 8-9 hours. You can taste the cooking liquid an hour or so before serving to see if you need to add more salt or pepper.
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Adding vegetables
When cooking deer hindquarters in a crockpot, you can add vegetables to make a complete meal. The key to getting this right is to ensure the vegetables are cooked through without overcooking them or making the meat dry.
Firstly, prepare the meat by slicing the hind quarter into roasts or steaks, coating the pieces with olive oil, and seasoning with salt and black pepper. You can also try studding the meat with slices of garlic and rosemary before coating with oil and seasoning.
Now, prepare your vegetables. You can use potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic cloves. Layer the potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crockpot, and place the seasoned meat on top. Cover the meat with onion slices, and add garlic cloves to the crockpot. You can also add a cup of water to the crockpot to help the vegetables cook through.
Pour your choice of cooking liquid over the meat and vegetables. You can use a combination of red wine and beef or chicken broth, or get creative with wine and stock or beer and stock. You can also add some tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce for extra flavour.
Cook on a low setting for 6-8 hours. Check the vegetables after 6 hours to ensure they don't overcook. If they are tender, remove them from the crockpot and set them aside, continuing to cook the meat until it is falling apart.
Finally, serve the meat and vegetables with the cooking juices as a delicious gravy.
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Spicing it heavily
If you're looking to heavily spice your deer hind quarter crockpot meal, there are a few things you can do to ensure a flavoursome and juicy result. Firstly, searing the meat on all sides in a large skillet is a great way to add flavour and texture. Use a fat with a high smoke point, such as duck fat, avocado oil or clarified butter, for this step. Next, you can stud the hind quarter with slices of garlic and rosemary, then coat it liberally with extra virgin olive oil and spices like kosher salt and black pepper. You could also try injecting the meat with a larding needle, which will allow you to add veins of fat throughout the roast that will slowly melt during cooking, keeping the meat moist and juicy.
When it comes to the crockpot, layering is key. Place the roast in the slow cooker and add a cup of liquid—this could be water, red wine, chicken or beef stock, or a combination of these with a touch of fruit juice. Then, layer on the spices and herbs. Bay leaves, thyme, and crushed garlic cloves will add depth of flavour. You can also add in some Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste for an extra kick. Cover and cook on low for around 8 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
If you're looking for a truly spicy dish, consider serving your deer hind quarter with heavily spiced sides or incorporating it into a chilli con carne. Deer meat is versatile and can take on a variety of flavours, so don't be afraid to experiment with different spices and ingredients to find your perfect combination. Remember to taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning as needed before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
It is recommended to cook deer hindquarters in a crockpot for around 8 hours on low heat. If you are short on time, you can cook it on high heat for 4-6 hours, but the meat will not be as tender.
First, sear the meat on all sides in a large skillet with duck fat, avocado oil or clarified butter. Then, add ingredients such as onions, garlic cloves, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste for flavour.
You can add vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and celery. You can also add liquids such as red wine, chicken or beef stock, and a can of cream of mushroom soup.
The deer hindquarters are cooked when the meat is falling off the bone and is tender. This can take up to 12 hours, depending on your cooking method.
