Venison Brisket Poached in Oil

[mtnlakeman]

I've tried a lot of different methods to make venison brisket and all end up in the dog dish as the end up dry, tough and taste like flavored silver skin. Just like most I have given up trying to win the bbq pitmasters competition and have resorted to grinding it into burger.

I've been searching for a cooking method on Google where instead of deep frying a lean cut of meat what about poaching it in oil say at 200 degrees and cook it slow until it comes up to 190? The idea being to not boil the water out of the meat, but get the fats and connective tissues to break down and keep as much moisture in there as possible? I'm wondering if anyone has heard of this, tried this or has any input? I saw an article for fish, but they didn't do it low and slow as fish is already tender.

I've got a small brisket in the smokehouse right now cold smoking at 136 and have 45 mins to go for a 2 hour smoke. I suspect I'll lose the smoke and seasonings I started with if I drop it into a pot of oil and throw it back in, but now I'm looking for texture and can reseason or add smoke on the back end if needed. Initial thought is to cut it in half and try one in a pot of oil, and the other in a water brine with an inch of oil on top of the brine thinking maybe water is better than oil to keep things moist?

Anyone have a good or bad experiences I could learn from? Maybe different thoughts on how to try it? Didn't take any pictures yet because I was thinking I was going to cold smoke and do something different.

 

[gkas]

I don't cook venison, but I have a suggestion. Have you tried cooking Sous Vide? You vac seal it in a pouch, then cook it in a temp controlled water bath. Tough meats can be cooked @ 135° no problem. Lots of folks pre-smoke, then sous vide.

 

[mtnlakeman]

Thanks gkas, I haven't done this, but that is how I started the thought process. I was wanting to get it to the 190 temperature for the fat and collagen breakdown so thought since oil has such a high boiling point I could cook it for a long time and not have to worry about running out of water?

 

[gkas]

190 is pretty high for a souse vide. The meat would also get cooked to that temp. Isn't venison to be cooked med-rare? You can easily cook the whole piece to 135°, then sear it off in hot cast iron. I've heard of folks even cooling the meat after sous vide, then searing. This will keep the sear to the outermost layers. You don't want to over cook the meat, only apply a finish. Douglas E. Baldwin "Souse Vide for the home cook" is the bible on Sous Vide to food safe, pasteurized cooking levels. He calls for venison loin to be cooked @ 130° med-rare for a minimum of 3.5 hours. It will still be med-rare. ;) Then a few minutes in screaming hot cast iron or finish with a torch and you should be good. I understand most fancy restaurants now sous vide their veinson, then finish and sauce.

 

[smokinbarrles]

never heard of a venison brisket? are you referring to a cut or just style of cooking?