Temperature is always KEY

[TXBBQman]

Many times meat items are not prepared properly from field to kitchen. Venison, Hog, Turkey and more requires the same due diligence in field dressing and protecting meat. It must stay cold! If air temp in camp starts rising above 38 f then quarter the venison or hog and put it in ice chest. When preparing the meat take great care not to murder it. By that I mean to not cook it hot or fast. Take your time with it. Season the meat to your desire and don't let it get above 41 f before it is placed in oven, on grill, in a smoker or what have you. The internal temperature of larger cuts should be guaged by 145-160 for well done. Fowl at 180, hog at 150-175 internal. You must take care with wild hog to assure it being done but it does not have to be offered up as a cremated burnt offering. While the meat is on a grill, use the cool side of the grill - only turning the fire on one side, not both. Let the meat cook by convection. It is okay after a while to use a knife and check the internal color of the meat. But stick a meat thermometer into the thicker uncut portion to measure the temp. If it (venison) is at about 150 then you can take it off, lay it on a cutting board, cover it with a damp cotton towel and let the heat finish the cooking process about 10-15 minutes. Hog should be hotter when it is taken off at about 160 and then follow the same procedure. You'll find that properly caring for the kill in the field and getting it cooled down as quickly as possible, and keeping it cool, will make for better table fare. If oyu don't know the basic of field butchering, then check with your meat market clerk or the local butcher and let him show you the basics.

TXBBQman

[EdLagniappe]

Good comments. Makes me wanna coordinate the hunting on my land w/ firing of the smoker ... go straight from butchering into the smoker or onto the grill (maybe freeze some). But it only makes sense to cook it pronto. Now ... how big do I gotta build that adobe oven! :-)