Which wild game meat tastes the best?

[Big Iron]

Gamble Quail trumps everything.

 

[honkerslayer]

Wild sheep
antelope
moose
elk
deer
partridge

in that order for me

 

[Meelosh]

Seems most are either in the love it or hate it boats for waterfowl. For those drinking the haterade, do you still waterfowl hunt? If so, why? What do you do with it?

 

[Duckslayer100]

I always get a kick out of lists like this. Mostly because it really piques my interest as far as wild game flavors I've yet to experience (but hope to one day). But also because of the vastly different opinions on what constitutes "good" flavor.

For me, I don't like chicken. I mean, I'll eat it. It's palatable. But without something added to it, it's largely flavorless. It's more vanilla than vanilla.

I like meat with flavor. That's why a really good steak should be able to stand up on its own without a lot of extra (unless you like that kind of thing, which I do). But for wild game, I like meat with flavor. In fact, I'm not a big fan of pheasants for that very reason. I like to hunt them and my dogs enjoy chasing and retrieving them, but they're only slightly above chicken as far as flavor goes.

So my litmus test for best-tasting wild game involves utilizing three ingredients (butter, salt, and pepper) and judging that way against something as bland and tasteless as grocery store chicken.

1 tie) ruffed grouse
1 tie) Hungarian partridge
-- Tasting notes: with nothing but the aforementioned three ingredients, you get the best "lemon" chicken flavor you've ever had out of either bird. Delicate, buttery, delicious. I prefer seared in a pan.
3 tie) Puddle ducks
-- Note: once I learned how to cook ducks properly, they quickly became a Top 3 favorite in our household
3 tie) Sharp-tailed grouse
-- Note: Treated like duck, it's equally tasty
5) Venison
-- Note: Our family literally eats venison twice a week, and that's because I limit our intake so it lasts longer.
6) Cold-water white-flesh fish a-la crappie, walleyes, perch, etc.
7) Cackling/lesser Canada geese
-- Note: Even the smallest Canada's require quick cooking over a hot pan, or else they are tough and livery. But young birds are closer to duck. I reserve greater Canada geese for jerky only.
8) Pheasants
-- Note: As mentioned, wild-game chicken. Great for almost anything and much better than store-bought chicken. But as a stand-alone meat, it's meh. I'll still shoot as many as I can because breaded and fried, the kiddos can't eat it fast enough!

 

[Meelosh]

My kids love wild game too. Made these for the family with fresh birds in September:


...and I could barely get a bite in myself they were devouring them so fast.

And as Jiffy would say, this was definitely not yucky:

 

[fly2cast]

Had a neighbor years ago who would invite me over at least once a year for a wild game feast. His wife and daughter could cook just about anything and make it taste good and over the years he gave them some tough challenges so I've had quite a few different things at his table. They were proof that a great cook can make ALMOST anything taste good.

1 Smoked Raccoon-tasted like the best smoked ham I've ever had
2 Creamed Pheasant-at the Strasburg annual wildlife supper
3 Roasted Jack Rabbit-a buddy's mother made this for us when we were in high school and it was awesome
4 Elk
5 Bison-at the Streeter annual buffalo supper

Worst thing I ever had was roasted raccoon. The only thing the neighbor's wife couldn't make taste good. So greasy I still gag when I think about it. Close runners-up were camel and kangaroo at a super fancy restaurant in Australia. Was about as tender as a 15 year old holstein cow that died of starvation. Over the years I've had snapping turtle, bear, moose, muley and white tail, grouse, huns, crane, goose, duck and antelope. All were OK but nothing outstanding.

That's interesting that you put moose and deer below those others. I'm actually surprised by a lot of peoples answers.

 

[Kurtr]

for those of you who rank duck high, I sure would like to taste how you make it. I think I've made it quite a few different ways and have eaten it pretty raw (like people say to do) and I haven't eaten one that I think tastes good. However, to each their own.

Pluck duck breast . Score fat and coat with olive oil salt both sides. Medium heat cast iron cook fat side first and off of memory I think it is 8 minutes then 5 on bare meat. Make a black berry reduction slice and drizzle the reduction on it. If properly cooked that crispy duck fat will be fought over. My kid would fight some one for the last piece

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I forgot dove that is right at the top also.

 

[Flatrock]

I'd put elk and partridge at the top. I also like antelope and ducks. ND moose is also delicious the few times I've had it.

I honestly don't think whitetail is all that great. Sure, the tenderloins are good but even backstrap steaks aren't that great in my opinion. I think the vast majority of people make sausage which just about always tastes good. I mean, you can make pretty much any meat taste good in sausage.

 

[guywhofishes]

It's so bizarre that everyone is so different.

 

[Captain Ahab]

It's so bizarre that everyone is so different.

Not really. I don't understand how people can eat many things that I despise and vice versa. Our palates seem to vary a lot.

 

[Jigaman]

wild beef

 

[buckhunter24_7]

Morning dove is #1
Young antelope buck early in the season
Partridge
Corn feed doe
Pike

 

[Whisky]

Deer/elk heart.......the end!

 

[Bullsnake]

Great tasting wild game is COMPLETELY dependent on several factors:

1. The circumstances surrounding how the game was taken.
2. How the game was taken care of after being killed.
3. How was the game processed, packaged, and stored.
4. The abilities of whomever cooks the game.

Assuming quality events to the preceding factors, ALL wild game is superior to store bought IMO.

This and where the critter is from, I've had elk from New Mexico VS a ND Elk and it was night and day, guessing could be the same for almost any grazing animal

 

[guywhofishes]

Not really. I don't understand how people can eat many things that I despise and vice versa. Our palates seem to vary a lot.

are double sarcasming me?

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also - everybody’s list is wrong

 

[Captain Ahab]

are double sarcasming me?

- - - Updated - - -

also - everybody’s list is wrong

 

[Paddledogger]

Bear!

Back in my younger days, I ran out to Lewistown, MT with my uncle to pick up a load of wood shakes for his log house. We drove our and stayed at the loggers house who built the house for him and so his wife made a bear roast. Now that was the BEST tasting roast I have ever had.

1. Bear
2. Elk
3. Deer--Whitetail tenderloins/steaks
4. Pheasant
5. Duck
6. Partridge
7. Goose (but if made into slim jims, I'd move it up to #4.)

 

[guywhofishes]

come on - you know I am old and easily disoriented

 

[Fly Carpin]

To people who say their one favorite in these types of threads and then something like, "next topic", or "end of story", or something along those lines, you sound like a real dink.

 

[scrotcaster]

chicken hawk, end of story