Hidden tenderloin/eye of round

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Great little cut of meat that surprisingly seems to be underutilised. This is off a hog deer which is the best eating deer second only to chital/axis in my experience. Great with mash, veg a d a glass of pinot!

 

[375H&H]

That looks amazing. As good as a scotch fillet?

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

That looks amazing. As good as a scotch fillet?

Better I say! It really is just like another tenderloin which is my favourite quick hot cook cut. Is it better than shanks with mash or slow cooked shoulder tacos? ...now you're testing me!

 

[375H&H]

Better I say! It really is just like another tenderloin which is my favourite quick hot cook cut. Is it better than shanks with mash or slow cooked shoulder tacos? ...now you're testing me!

Tenderloin or eye fillet?

 

[devon deer]

I wonder if that is the same cut as we call the Salmon fillet?
Its a kind of paler looking piece of meat.
Sounds like it, and I agree, very tender.
Cheers
Richard

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

Tenderloin or eye fillet?

Haha i adapt for my american friends!

I had to train myself to to say eye fillet in Australia, my old man was a butcher in his earlier days and back then it was still called undercut.

 

[Aussie_hunter_JD]

I wonder if that is the same cut as we call the Salmon fillet?
Its a kind of paler looking piece of meat.
Sounds like it, and I agree, very tender.
Cheers
Richard

Never heard that term but probably is the same cut. Hog deer is a very pale meat compared to say a red deer at the best of times though. Even off this stag that was probably in his prime.

 

[devon deer]

Never heard that term but probably is the same cut. Hog deer is a very pale meat compared to say a red deer at the best of times though. Even off this stag that was probably in his prime.

Yep that's it, small but tasty!
Cheers
Richard

 

[WyoDoug]

Shanks are good too, slow cooked with taters and carrots, with whole garlic cloves, lemon slices, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt and pepper. I leave the shanks whole with bone in.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I've personally found them a little on the tough side in deer and elk, but it is a nice tidy cut. I also like that it's distinctive looking enough that I can actually tell it apart; I'm no master butcher. Good looking plate!

 

[rideold]

One of my favorite cuts. I like to roast it whole on a low temp even though you can cook it hot and fast as a steak. Either way it has great flavor. One of my go to cuts when I can get it. I'm partial to sirloin tip as well either as a roast or steaks. Same general area of the hind if I remember correctly.

 

[WyoDoug]

I've personally found them a little on the tough side in deer and elk, but it is a nice tidy cut. I also like that it's distinctive looking enough that I can actually tell it apart; I'm no master butcher. Good looking plate!

Usually when the eye of round is tough, it's cooked too fast and/or too long. It is a piece that needs cooked at lower heat or in a slow cooker. There is little marbeling in that cut so to get tenderness, like the tenderloin and back strap, cook it at lower heat for a bit longer until it reaches internal temp of about 150 degrees for medium rare. This cut simply is not good cooked well done.

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I’ve always called it the eye of round like you would with beef. I always cook it like a tenderloin too, it’s too good not to.
I turn most of the rear quarters into steaks these days, it’s all good if you don’t over cook.

 

[375H&H]

Usually when the eye of round is tough, it's cooked too fast and/or too long. It is a piece that needs cooked at lower heat or in a slow cooker. There is little marbeling in that cut so to get tenderness, like the tenderloin and back strap, cook it at lower heat for a bit longer until it reaches internal temp of about 150 degrees for medium rare. This cut simply is not good cooked well done.

Do your deer, elk, and antelope backstraps have marbling?

 

[WyoDoug]

Do your deer, elk, and antelope backstraps have marbling?

Nope, that's why they are referred to as lean. There is fat between the muscle layers but my recommendation is remove most fat you see. Some guys don't, but I remove all fat and most of the silver skin except the little tiny stuff.

 

[TakeABreakAndTouchGrass]

Usually when the eye of round is tough, it's cooked too fast and/or too long. It is a piece that needs cooked at lower heat or in a slow cooker. There is little marbeling in that cut so to get tenderness, like the tenderloin and back strap, cook it at lower heat for a bit longer until it reaches internal temp of about 150 degrees for medium rare. This cut simply is not good cooked well done.

I might be mistaken, but isn't medium rare 135 degrees like beef? Or is it different with venison?

 

[WyoDoug]

I might be mistaken, but isn't medium rare 135 degrees like beef? Or is it different with venison?

Umm, you are correct. That is a typo. Tender cuts of venison should be prepared using quick cooking methods to a rare or medium-rare level of doneness(internal temperature of 130° to 140° F). If it is prepared past medium-rare too much moisture will be cooked out causing the meat to become dry and tough. Exception to this is if you use a slow cooker and some kind of liquid to cook it in.

Now on the other hand, working cuts of meat come from muscles that were vigorously used by the animal and, therefore, contain a lot of connective tissue. These cuts also contain more flavor than tender cuts such as the tenderloin or backstraps. Areas for working muscles include the shoulder and leg muscles. Working cuts of venison must be cooked for a relatively long time at a low temperature(220-280° F) to allow the connective tissue to breakdown. Most people cook venison at 350 or higher which dries the meat out before it has a chance to break down.

 

[WyoDoug]

Exception to what I typed, is the eye of round, treat that the same as a tender cut and cook it using a fast cooking method to medium rare, no more. Eye of round, tenderloin, and backstraps are used for posture only, so they are not cooked the same as the working muscles and should not be or they toughen up and dry out.

 

[RobG]

I’ve been saving them for jerky.

 

[WyoDoug]

I would not use eye of round for jerky because it's like another tenderloin. Your best cuts for jerky is the top round or the bottom round.