But how does it taste?

[baxterb]

Our pallets must be different! I would have to say game meat (other than bear and pork) HAS to be cooked rare to medium rare OR braised and cooked slowly.
I will always cook bear and wild pig slowly and cooked completely through to erase any chance of trichinosis.

We are saying the same thing. When I say “very little meat is good medium rare” I mean the quantity cut from the animal. A medium rare piece of tenderloin is a thing of beauty, a medium rare shoulder is…not. But give that shoulder 3-4 hours and it’s a whole different thing.

 

[HookMeUpII]

Our pallets must be different! I would have to say game meat (other than bear and pork) HAS to be cooked rare to medium rare OR braised and cooked slowly.
I will always cook bear and wild pig slowly and cooked completely through to erase any chance of trichinosis.

I agree. I do not like overly rare red meat at all. However a perfect med-rare does wild game (pork and pig aside) the most justice. The worst is overcooked waterfowl.

Most of what we had in Africa was cooked perfectly med-rare to medium.

 

[bashaw]

I’ve searched the forums. If I missed this subject, I do apologize.

Hunters I’ve spent a lot time of time with that have hunted Africa are unanimous. Waterbuck is not tasty meat, gorgeous trophy, but unpleasant fare at the table. Unanimous to a man. I could never get an accurate description of the flavor. Just revulsion.

Ok, I’m not soon hunting waterbuck. As an owner of an abattoir and custom processing plant (VERY SMALL) I’m thinking “ok, how is that possible?” I have some experience in both controlled confined kill and game killed meat. Mule deer tastes nothing like whitetail deer. Elk always seems somewhat uniform. Moose seems to differ in tase by shot placement (high shoulder vs. boiler room) to me but always still good. Bear.. I won’t eat a bear killed in Pa, but one of the best roasts I’ve ever had was a black bear from the Brooks Range.

I’m new here. Is this true, or just common lore? What, as a new African hunter, if successful should I prepare my tastebuds for? I hope to enjoy Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, whatever the bush provides. I’m not picky (I have dreams, but I’m a realistic hunter, not a shopper) but do Impala taste so wildly different from a Duiker that I should prepare my palate for disappointment? A master guide I worked for told me one that “Cape Buffalo ain’t beef. It ain’t even buffalo. The only way to eat it is well-done. Tried to eat it medium-rare. Huge mistake”

What did you all enjoy? What would you sooner run from than put one piece in your mouth again?

Gemsbok very good, Zebra is excellent but tough chewing, Elephant Heart best meat EVER!!!!

 

[bashaw]

As said repeatedly here. Great care must be taken to keep animal hair and especially the hair on glands. Off of the meat.
A rutted up bull moose, elk, smells like piss. And if you touch that hair then the meat. Or get that hair on the meat. That entire portion will taste like a pissy rutted up animal.

The best game meat I’ve had in Africa was from a leftover carcass from a previous hunt to ours. Usually, you are fed your animal a day or two after it was killed. Game needs much longer to relax the fibers. If it’s only been hanging a day or two.

It’s got to be cooked rare. Or for hours. Similar to leg shanks and Oso Bucco. Cooked all day in a Dutch oven.

I think that was the problem with the Zebra I ate it only hung one day

 

[bashaw]

Worst was my Water Buffalo Bull, one backstrap we corned it was ok but tough but the cold sandwiches with corned Buffalo we chewed got the flavor out and spit the meat ate the bread, the other Backstrap we tried to grind it to mix with wild pig for sausage we burned the grinder up too TOUGH

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

What I always enjoy is when the PHs grill up an assortment and they know which each is but let you decide what you think is best.
This was Zebra, Blue Wildebeast and Buffalo cow. I found I like Zebra and Blue wildebeest more than many others.

 

[KuduKiller]

I have had waterbuck once and it was pretty good. I had always heard the stories of proper preparation and care while skinning. I love zebra and the best meal I had was 2 trips ago,, chicken fried giraffe tail with white gravy! I felt like I was at Cracker Barrel!

Steenbok was very, very good as well but obviously not much to it.

 

[bakerb]

Best thing was hot off the braai interior filets from an eland. Medium rare and perfect. Dang that was good.