Whole Muscle vs Pre-cut Freezing with Jeff Benda

Show Notes

On this episode of Huntavore, Jeff Benda joins us from North Dakota for a great conversation on Butchering animals for the freezer. We dive into two schools of thought, whole muscle vs pre-cut freezing. Nick and Jeff also go off on a few tangents about freezing cuts in a marinade for quicker meat to meal transition. The guys finish up on some soup ideas for warming you up in the dead of winter. Trying to shorten the time between deep freeze and delicious on this episode of Huntavore.

Jeff is a returning guest on the podcast. Hailing from North Dakota, wildgame is a passion of his. Versed in a whole number of species, Jeff has compiled a whole range of recipes, taking full advantage of the wild harvest. Nick asks how his past year has gone, and Jeff doesn’t disappoint. He was given a 24 hour window in Montana, and ends up putting down two deer, and is able to get them gutted and back home. A real testament to meat-hunters. The guys turn to two schools of thought; whole muscle vs pre-cut. Cutting whole cuts into steaks, or pre portioned packages is a great way to get to the meal quickly. However, you are locked into whatever pre-determined dish you were thinking of. Whole muscle is quicker at the butcher block and offers a variety of directions to prepare the cut, the flip side is that more work needs to happen coming out of the freezer. A balance of the two can offer the best of both worlds.

Jeff and Nick also discuss the idea, or packaging a pre-cut muscle or even a whole muscle in a marinade and then freezing it. Jeff says it should work, but maybe avoid citrus or anything very acidic. To finish out the episode, Nick asks Jeff about some soup ideas and again, Jeff doesn’t leave us wanting. A Venison Ravioli soup sounds tops a cold winter night.

Link for Venison Ravioli Soup: https://wildgameandfish.com/venison-ravioli-soup/

Link to Recipes: www.wildgameandfish.com

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Tappecue Meat Probes

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Show Transcript