LOL. Hineline, you amuse me! [:)]
Venison is one of the most succulent tasting of the red meats. Very lean, also.
I hunt horns and dinner. I DAMN sure won't pass up a good buck if he stupidly walks in front of me. If you get a good heart/lung shot (broadside is best) you only ruin some rib meat. There's not much on those ribs, so loss is minimal. I also agree to butcher it yourself. I've had some ham-steaks that are okay, but most processors just cut the ham with the bone IN. Makes for some funky tasting meat. I pull out the backstraps, the tenders from inside, and then quarter it myself. Make my own jerky too. The ONLY thing I have my processor do is make me sausage, because he makes it good, and I'm pretty damn lazy. I really need to get a good venison sausage recipe. Best way I've prepared venison so far:
Take the backstrap, cut into medallions (about 1.5 inches thick) Slap some spicy mustard on them, not too much, and then bread them in a breading of crushed pecans and bread crumbs to form a little crust (The mustard adds a little flavor, but it's mostly to get the breading to stick) Pan fry, about 1 or 2 minutes per side in some olive oil. Makes them more rare than medium-rare. Then serve them up. Be prepared to fight for your portion, though. They're DAMN tasty.
Just for fun, here's a good reason to hunt a trophy. This poor sap was dumb enough to be in the same area as my wife, so she took him. Sure he's pretty. But he tastes damn fine too.
[img]http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/gloftoe/DSCN0364.jpg[/img]
-Gloftoe