Nilgai (Indian Antelope)

[bbqgoddess]

Hi all!
I have some friends who have some Nilgai (Indian Antelope)
I was just searching around (guickly) for someone who has smoked an antelope before...
It is frozen, I am not sure how big or what piece o' lope it is.... Is this something you would brine? Smoke with what kind of wood??? they are not looking to make jerkey...
Its from Texas....(not sure if that matters??)
Any help would be so appreciated!
Thanks all
BBQG

 

[bhille42]

If it were me, I would treat it like venison. There's a lot of good threads on that.

 

[pineywoods]

I agree you could probably treat it as venison and be very close. Personally I like to marinade my venison and even inject it to keep it from drying out.

 

[waysideranch]

Make chili with it. Antelope has a ********* taste to it. I don't know how to cook it. Be cool to shoot.

 

[ronp]

You might want to PM Erain, seems to be into that stuff. Maybe he'll be in here to answer your question.

 

[mossymo]

BBQGODDESS
I have never prepared and "cooked" antelope myself, but I will say the same as WaysideRanch; everything I have heard and tasted in antelope has a more pronounced "gamey taste" to it.
I do know if I prepared it I would definetly marinade it in milk or buttermilk before "cooking" it and if I still wasn't happy at that point, next time I would also add spices and/or use it for jerky or in sausage mix.

 

[erain]

hi kelly, i am not familiar with that type of antelope, i am familiar with proghorn which really is not an antelope but belongs to another family. the pronghorn is a much more delicate meat than venisons. if properly cared for imediatly after harvest yields some very fine table fare. This nilgai antelope, probably from a game farm in texas i would imagine be closer to venison. when you say they dont want to make jerky out of it brings me to beleive they are having you smoke this for them. i would find out there preference as how they want prepared, could do a full blown cure and smoke, there are brine recipies which would give it good flavor, or rub and smoke. kind of depends what your looking for...

 

[ronp]

Erain I knew you would come to the rescue, you da man!