# Suggest an exotic meat to smoke



## terry hesticles (Aug 18, 2013)

I have acquired a gift card to The Meat House butcher shop and I'm wanting to pick up something different to throw on the smoker. I don't doubt that their pork, beef and poultry has the potential to be better than what I get at my local grocery store, so I'm not against picking up a higher quality meat of the same type and cut I'm familiar with, but I'd like to try something different.They mention that they have bison, venison, alligator, ostrich and boar as some of their exotic meats available, but you can have them order even more, apparently. I've had gator a few times and it was hit or miss, but some gator ribs might be okay. I'm really looking for something that was once inside a fluffy brown buffalo, as it's my favorite red meat. Elk would be a consideration, but I've never had any sort of smoked venison. I'm curious how much of a difference there is between a smoked [pulled] shoulder from a farm pig and a boar. Has anyone smoked a boar shoulder?  I would love to try moose, but I'm not sure which cuts  would be best for smoking.

 I've looked at the wild game thread,  the bison  ribs look amazing.

Whichever meat and cuts I get, they must be able to fit on a 22.5" grate and go well smoked over the typical available woods for my area  (apple, cherry, hickory, etc)


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## terry hesticles (Aug 18, 2013)

When they list venison,  they're implying deer and not the technical definition of any hunted wild  game.


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## backwoods bbq (Aug 18, 2013)

I will say this one time only "Wild boar is the best meat God Ever put on this green earth!" When you try wild boar you will just shake your head when you go to a grocery store. All the other meats are very lean so any of those would be ok as long as you watch it carefully and not dry it out, bison brisket is pretty tasty! I have smoked an alligator before and I can tell you the best way to do it is to stuff it with crab meat, rice, stuffing, place some grilled fish in the alligators mouth after its done! Will be some good stuff!


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## terry hesticles (Aug 18, 2013)

I'm really curious how pulled boar  sandwiches would turn out.

 I'm used to cooking bison and understand that lean meats need to be watched.   However,  I'm used to grilling bison burgers,  sausages and ribeyes.   I've never smoked it.


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## raastros2 (Aug 18, 2013)

Backwoods BBQ said:


> I will say this one time only "Wild boar is the best meat God Ever put on this green earth!" When you try wild boar you will just shake your head when you go to a grocery store.


agreed


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## raastros2 (Aug 18, 2013)

deer ribs have to be boiled a little bit first...they have a wax on them that will not rinse out your mouth if you eat it 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






also if you smoke alligator its best to treat it like whole hog and get you a cajun microwave or something of that nature to do it on


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## terry hesticles (Aug 18, 2013)

I've got a UDS  only.


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## raastros2 (Aug 18, 2013)

yeah...you can make a temp one if you really wanted to....dig ya a hole in the ground and line it with tin then put your pig or gator or goat or whatever in the hole, put a thin piece of shit metal over the hole and put your charcoal or logs on top...it cooks like a champ

another way is to make you a open pit with some cinder blocks and just leave a opening to put your fuel in and just move your fresh hot coals around evenly


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## foamheart (Aug 18, 2013)

I had a freind in New Mexico got sucked into the Emu craze. Bought all those expensive eggs then couldn't give 'em away when he build up his flock. We had a huge BBQ, everyone got all the Emu's they wanted but had to bring 'em back cooked. Didn't have a single taste I would want to have again. Even low and slow, they were tuff and dry meat. There maybe a way to cook 'em, but I think none of us thought of it.

'Course Emu might be completely different than ostrich. Bunch of those ostrich farms between Weatherford Texas and Stephensville Texas. Figured they were for boot hides or fancy feathers.

Only way I ever liked alligator was in a Sauce Piquante, alligator has not always been so popular.


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## moikel (Aug 18, 2013)

Emu was something that we would shoot to feed to working dogs if they were doing poorly. Say a bitch that had pups.Just knock the legs off,singe the feathers chop it up rough. I never met a person who had eaten it until the whole farmed emu fiasco. People tried curing it or making jerky,couldnt get excited. about the taste myself. The eggs were good & bush cooks would make omelettes or even deserts.


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## mbogo (Aug 19, 2013)

He he he .....  Perhaps some Rocky Mountain Oysters would be in order.......


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## raastros2 (Aug 19, 2013)

Very true foam!


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## charcoal junkie (Aug 19, 2013)

raastros2 said:


> deer ribs have to be boiled a little bit first...they have a wax on them that will not rinse out your mouth if you eat it
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raastros2 said:


> deer ribs have to be boiled a little bit first...they have a wax on them that will not rinse out your mouth if you eat it
> 
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> 
> ...


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## raastros2 (Aug 19, 2013)

oh ok junkie.....i thought it was funny to me that he didnt run when i shot at him...i was just gonna shoo him away but your wif.....


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## raastros2 (Aug 19, 2013)

but since you have better advice go ahead and give it....


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## charcoal junkie (Aug 19, 2013)

Fat on Venison tends to coat the inside of your mouth and tongue when eaten. The fat on a mature Venison is that way younger ones are much better. I usually try to get as much fat off my deer when I butcher it. We use the rib meat for sausage or dog treats.


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## flash (Aug 20, 2013)

Rattlesnake


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## raastros2 (Aug 20, 2013)

verygood story charcoal


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## bobdog46 (Sep 8, 2013)

I have made summer sausage w/ alligator that came out great.  70% GATOR  30% PORK BUTT.

Have done the same with Nilgai. (better than venison)


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 8, 2013)

[h1]OMG!!!  I spent the entire summer of '98 working for an Emu and Ostrich Farm where the only Red Meat I had in the refer and freezer was used for Cooking, Demonstrating and Eating Emu and Ostrich! I made every cut from Burgers to Steaks and Roasts. I cooked it, Grilled, Roasted, Pan Fried, Deep Fried, Sauteed, Braised, Stewed and Smoked. Like any red meat there are cuts like the Fan Filet, a Super tender muscle on the Leg, that can't be cooked beyond Med/Rare to Shanks from the lower leg that were amazing Braised. Made fabulous Burgers. and the taste of both are Great, similar to Grass Fed Beef. They produce VERY Lean meat and anything you want well done needs to be cooked using Moist Heat like Braising and Stewing. If it wasn't 3-4X the price of Beef in PA  I would still be eating Emu and Ostrich to this day. I can't believe so many of you guys had bad experiences with such a awesome meat!...JJ[/h1]


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## foamheart (Sep 8, 2013)

Chef JJ, you are truly a master chef because you are the only person I ever heard, from New Mexico to Louisiana, that had anything good to say about them. I knew three different people who bought into the Emu craze, they would have paid dearly for someone to make them palatable enough for anyone to buy the meat. The neat was supposedly good for you, better than bison, but you had to choke it down, like Bison....ROFLMAO.

I am laughing while typing this thinking about all those Emu's turned lose in SE New Mexico thinking they would go feral in New Mexico....... Of course they didn't, but it was a damn funny story. Like dropping the turkeys from the helicopter....LOL Course Dan did not have to feed and water 'em anymore either. My eyes are watering I am laughing so hard....

Chef you sure you're not yankin our chains?


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 9, 2013)

Foamheart said:


> Chef JJ, you are truly a master chef because you are the only person I ever heard, from New Mexico to Louisiana, that had anything good to say about them. I knew three different people who bought into the Emu craze, they would have paid dearly for someone to make them palatable enough for anyone to buy the meat. The neat was supposedly good for you, better than bison, but you had to choke it down, like Bison....ROFLMAO.
> 
> I am laughing while typing this thinking about all those Emu's turned lose in SE New Mexico thinking they would go feral in New Mexico....... Of course they didn't, but it was a damn funny story. Like dropping the turkeys from the helicopter....LOL Course Dan did not have to feed and water 'em anymore either. My eyes are watering I am laughing so hard....
> 
> Chef you sure you're not yankin our chains?


I would not lie to you guys. My Dad was a long time Butcher and refused to eat ANY kind of Game or Exotic meat, not even Duck. House meats were Beef, Pork, Lamb, Chicken, Seafood and once a year Turkey. That summer during a visit I was preparing Dinner as was common. I knew Dad would be a good Test Subject. Among the other items I cut a large Emu Fan Fillet into two pieces to look identical to the two Certified Angus Flank Steaks I picked up. All four were seasoned just with Montreal Steak Seasoning and grilled side by side to a perfect Med/Rare with the thinner ends being more well done. I sliced thinly on the bias and placed them separated but on the same platters, placed one platter at each end of the table and said nothing about the meat. Dad commented about my generosity purchasing so much meat. He and other dinner guests took some slices from each based on their favorite degree of doneness. As everyone was taking Seconds, I asked how the meal was especially the meat. I received rave reviews but Dad commented that the meat on the right side of the platter was so much more tender and had a great flavor. It was at that point that I explained that the meat on the right was EMU and that I had a freezer full given to me by my boss to play with and develop recipes that could be given to new customers with their first purchase. Dad too thought I was Yankin' his chain, more specifically he said," You're Full of S#!T, that just Grass fed Beef!...I told him No I was serious and explained the health benefits and so on. He was blown away and totally impressed by the the tenderness and Emu's similarity in taste to quality Beef. By the end of the meal ALL the Emu was gone and nearly an entire sliced Flank Steak went into the refer for sandwiches throughout the week. On subsequent visits that summer Dad requested I bring more Emu and wanted to try the Ostrich. I made a Chunky Chili, a Pot Roast from a tougher cut of Emu and Roasted a 6 Pound Ostrich Fan Filet, sliced and served Au Jus. Dad happily consumed the leftovers as a Hot French Dip Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Swiss Cheese and cold Ostrich Sandwiches the rest of the week. It truly is one of the most delicious meats I have eaten and I even did a Live Demo of Emu Fajitas on the local NBC affiliate's 12:30 Live News Program and prepared and served a tasting of 3 three Emu dishes and 3 Ostrich dishes for the Executives and Sales Staff of Harrisburg's division of SYSCO, the largest Restaurant Supplier in Central PA. They started carrying some cuts of Fan Filet cut to resemble 8oz portions of Filet Mignon, 12oz NY Strips and packs of the Fan Filet trim to be prepared and marketed like Tenderloin Tips. Unfortunately demand was low and the price was high compared to the similar cuts of Beef and few found the Health Benefits worth the extra cost. So just as other investors and Farmers in the area SYSCO dropped the line, the animals were put down and my Boss and her Hubby lost their A$$ES. As of a few years ago there was still one local farm raising and selling the meat at a couple of Food Stands at County Fairs and assorted events around the state and would sell carved Emu Eggs and the Emu Oil Beauty Products at Craft Fairs. I don't know if they are still around...JJ


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## sqwib (Sep 9, 2013)

raastros2 said:


> verygood story charcoal


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## sqwib (Sep 9, 2013)

Flash said:


> Rattlesnake


he he hit the wrong quote button above.

Been there wit the rattlesnake, I'm sure we did not cook it right but had a flavor like cardboard.(yes I've eaten cardboard)


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