I have brined turkeys but not venison. Therefore, I was curios and experimented in the kitchen and brined venison. It was definitely a successful endeavor. Brining infused flavor into the meat, tenderized it, and made it juicy. I fried the venison in three batches: Medium rare, medium, and well done. The well done steak was still tender, kind of like cutting into a sirloin. I can't sing the praises of brining venison enough.
To make the brine:
To make the brine:
- 1 large elk top round or 2 deer top rounds (approximately 6 pounds)
- 1 gal. water
- 1/3 cup table salt
- 4 cubes beef bullion
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 8 garlic cloves, smashed to release oils
- 6 sprigs fresh oregano
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 onion coarsely chopped
I used dry herbs. Bring the brine to a boil and let it simmer for half an hour and let it come to room temperature. You can put all the ingredients in a Ziplock bag, or I used a large pot with a lid and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. The results were amazing.