# Front Leg of Venison Whole



## woodcutter (Nov 25, 2012)

My nephew dropped off a front leg of his deer to see what it would be like if we smoked it. I seasoned it yesterday with SPOG, Chilli Powder and Thyme.













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In the smoker for 1 hour @ 220 with oak hunks.













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Then added bacon.













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Brought to 158 and pulled.













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Now I'm waiting for him to have his dinner and tell me how it turned out.

Thanks for looking!


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## thoseguys26 (Nov 25, 2012)

Ah man! Looks great. Can't wait to see some sliced pics!  I'll be doing my own mule deer leg post here soon.

Tell us about the flavor, etc etc and if you'd change anything next time around.


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## so ms smoker (Nov 25, 2012)

Looks great! Did it pull easily?

  Mike


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## paulkucz (Nov 26, 2012)

Tried making Venison summer sausage for the first time ever today at my buddy's house, and although those didn't come out how I'd like, we also threw in a front leg from the deer. Sorry, I don't know what the rub was, but man was it good. 







Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2


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## woodcutter (Nov 26, 2012)

Unfortunately when I took the last picture I wrapped it up in foil for my nephew to pick up. He told me on Facebook it was amazing. I asked him how it came off the bone but haven't heard. He said it was juicy and tender (which in my opinion is the toughest part of the deer) and he loved the rub.

Paulkucz that leg picture looks extremely edible to me!


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## smoking b (Nov 26, 2012)

Juicy & tender - sounds like you did a fine job.  I may borrow your bacon blanket to try out on a leg of my own - hadn't thought of that before. Thanks


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## mike johnson (Nov 26, 2012)

Sounds like a job well done to me.


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## woodcutter (Nov 26, 2012)

Thanks!


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## gersus (Nov 26, 2012)

Looks great, and I'm glad it turned out well. I've thought about doing that but read that bone in doesn't do well?


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## woodcutter (Nov 26, 2012)

gersus said:


> Looks great, and I'm glad it turned out well. I've thought about doing that but read that bone in doesn't do well?


I wish I could have tried it myself. I didn't think of doing this with my own deer. In the past I trim these pieces up for sausage. What is your thinking with the bones? Just curious.....


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## gersus (Nov 26, 2012)

Idk. I was going to do the same thing, and still have a front shoulder in the freezer. When I read about others doin it here I decided not to. Hopefully someone who knows will post.


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## 1beezer (Dec 1, 2012)

Looks great!!!


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## olddaddy (Dec 3, 2012)

Hey, I just signed up today on the forum. I am a long time smoker fan, but not very knowledgeable. I have one of those little Brinkmann electrics with a water pan. I usually fill the water pan, soak chips and place them in the bottom and let it rip for a few hours. So far so good, but it's time to step up and learn more effective ways of doing this. The main reason is that I shot a deer yesterday and want to make good use of the meat. I want to do one of the front legs like you did yours. Any advice based on my little smoker and new guy status?


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## woodcutter (Dec 3, 2012)

olddaddy said:


> Hey, I just signed up today on the forum. I am a long time smoker fan, but not very knowledgeable. I have one of those little Brinkmann electrics with a water pan. I usually fill the water pan, soak chips and place them in the bottom and let it rip for a few hours. So far so good, but it's time to step up and learn more effective ways of doing this. The main reason is that I shot a deer yesterday and want to make good use of the meat. I want to do one of the front legs like you did yours. Any advice based on my little smoker and new guy status?


It was pretty simple to do. I sprinkled salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, some chilli powder and a little thyme the day before it went on. I smoked it the whole time at 225 degrees. After the first hour the meat looked like the outer layer was drying out and having dry venison before, I laid a few pieces of bacon on top. After that I just watched my internal temperature and pulled at 158. I told my nephew that it would come off the bone better at 195 but we were both thinking it may start to dry out by that time. He loved it at 158.

Next deer I'm doing this again the same way only I would like to try for a higher temp to see if it would pull of the bones. It really is a lot of different thicknesses and it might not work.


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## woodcutter (Dec 3, 2012)

Please post some pictures and how and what you did. This was the first time I did a leg and didn't even get to taste it but it smelled really good.

Thanks


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## cowgirl (Dec 3, 2012)

Looks great from here too!


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## pike2 (Dec 4, 2012)

after de boning the shoulders on my deer there's allot of silver back and tendons in them.


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## woodcutter (Dec 4, 2012)

pike2 said:


> after de boning the shoulders on my deer there's allot of silver back and tendons in them.


I agree, that is why I'm interested in cooking this in the smoker. I hate trimming the leg especially the shank. I would think if you could get it to pulling temp without drying it out it should fall apart. I really wish I would have been around to sample this leg.


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## pike2 (Dec 4, 2012)

finished up on the hind end today and the shank meat on them were pretty dried out,      you might consider injecting with a brine,   ive had a few roasts left in alittle to long but well under 200deg and the centers turned into mush   (without tenderizers)  never smoked a shoulder before but id keep checking the tenderness after the meat hits 160,


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## woodcutter (Dec 4, 2012)

pike2 said:


> finished up on the hind end today and the shank meat on them were pretty dried out,      you might consider injecting with a brine,   ive had a few roasts left in alittle to long but well under 200deg and the centers turned into mush   (without tenderizers)  never smoked a shoulder before but id keep checking the tenderness after the meat hits 160,


Thanks!  How did it taste?


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## JckDanls 07 (Dec 4, 2012)

I don't really know much about venison so I'm just thinking out loud here..  just wondering if it would benefit any from a brine so you could take it to a higher temp without drying out...


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## pike2 (Dec 5, 2012)

Woodcutter said:


> Thanks!  How did it taste?


the 2 roast were a complete flop,   they didn't taste good at all being turned to mush like that


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## pike2 (Dec 5, 2012)

JckDanls 07 said:


> I don't really know much about venison so I'm just thinking out loud here.. just wondering if it would benefit any from a brine so you could take it to a higher temp without drying out...


thats what i suggested a few post ago and to keep checking the tenderness of it often after the well done temp,   i dont know where that line is between tender and mush is,   the 2 roast i did one was a neck and the other was a rump roast,   i had a pork butt at the top of the smoker and the roast were under it and i wasnt watching there temps as well as i should have and removed them when they got to  150 to 160


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## diggingdogfarm (Dec 5, 2012)

Looks good!
We grow'd up on bbq deer!


~Martin


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## woodcutter (Dec 5, 2012)

pike2 said:


> JckDanls 07 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't really know much about venison so I'm just thinking out loud here.. just wondering if it would benefit any from a brine so you could take it to a higher temp without drying out...
> ...


Sorry to hear the roast didn't turn out. Maybe your on the right track with the brine. I have 1 hind quarter in Pop's brine that I'm smoking tomorrow. I'll see what I end up with and let you know.

I read in some thread along the way that some parts of venison is better smoked at higher heat. I'm going to keep trying and keeping notes.


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## woodcutter (Dec 5, 2012)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> Looks good!
> We grow'd up on bbq deer!
> 
> 
> ~Martin


Thanks Martin!

You would probably know what went wrong with Pike's roast turning to mush. Any suggestions?


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## diggingdogfarm (Dec 5, 2012)

pike2 said:


> the 2 roast were a complete flop,   they didn't taste good at all being turned to mush like that




Did you use a marinade of any kind?


~Martin


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## pike2 (Dec 5, 2012)

i didn't use a brine, i put bacon inside of each and put string around them to close them up,   that's been a few years ago when i had extra meat to experiment with,


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