The Health Benefits of Venison
One meat you often don’t see in abundance in your average grocery store is deer and elk meat, better known as venison. However, as a hunter, you probably know that the great outdoors teems with these four-legged, antlered creatures, and you’ve probably even harvested a few of them as trophies in your time. Hopefully, you’ve also made good use of their venison, too, because by doing so, you may be doing your nutrition a big favor.
Wild venison comes packed with benefits, both from its nutritional value and because it is wild and unprocessed fare. Take a deeper dive into how these factors can benefit the consumer, and then check out some of Stone Creek Ranch’s own recipes for venison that you can make right at home.
The Nutritional Benefits of Venison
If you don’t eat venison after harvesting a whitetail deer, red stag or elk, you may be doing yourself a disservice. First, you certainly don’t want to let this freshly harvested meat to go to waste. Second, venison is considered superior to many other types of meat, even those found in the average grocery store (i.e., chicken, beef and pork).
For example, venison is very high in essential amino acids and is also high in B vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. Plus it is also rich in iron and zinc, both of which are essential to balanced health. Plus, it contains less saturated fat and more high-quality protein than many other types of meat. This makes it a great meat option for people who want a heart-friendly diet. All the same, venison’s rich flavor means you won’t sacrifice taste just because you’re consuming a leaner cut of meat.
The Added Benefits of Eating Wild Venison
Most meat eaters would agree that they can taste the difference between fresh and processed meat. That’s just one reason why eating fresh whitetail deer, red stag or elk venison is often a tender, juicy and flavorful experience.
But there’s a hidden benefit to eating fresh, wild venison, too. Wild deer are free-range animals that enjoy natural (and organic) diets. This means their venison is usually leaner than the meat of commercially raised animals, which are often heavily grain-fed. Still, because it is fresh, you don’t have to lose flavor just because the meat is lean.
Plus, unlike beef, chicken, fish or pork that has been commercially farmed, wild venison is free of antibiotics, chemicals or other potentially harmful additives. So, when you’re eating it, you’re not running the risk of consuming anything artificial that you don’t want to be there.
Incorporating Venison Into Your Diet
Wild venison is some of the best meat you can put in your mouth in more ways than one. Stone Creek Ranch has a few suggestions if you’re wondering about some of the most delicious ways to incorporate it into your diet. In our blog, you can find multiple trail-inspired, venison-based recipes, such as Smoked Red Stag Meatloaf, Venison Breakfast Casserole and Smoked Venison Backstrap Filet with Chimichurri, and trust us, they’re all delicious.
If you’re ready to go out and harvest the perfect venison yourself, Stone Creek Ranch is the place to come. Our sprawling property in the heart of the Texas Hill Country is home to trophy whitetail deer, elk, red stag and other amazing exotic species that can make great additions to your collection, not to mention your deep freezer.