Sambar Deer in Texas - good to eat?

crs · Jan 17, 2020

I recently became aware that here in Texas, Sambar deer can be hunted on exotic ranches and free range.
https://www.huntsintexas.com/s...deer-hunts-in-texas/
Just one of many outfitters offering such hunts.

Also by drawing on state managed properties:
https://texashuntingtimes.com/...orn-wma-sambar-deer/

SO the $64 question - are Sambar good to eat?
If they are good table fare, how do they compare to elk and red deer?

Major Khan and Kawshik, I need to hear from you too!

Aussies may also answer.

NRA Life Benefactor Member,
DRSS, DWWC, Whittington
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mark-hunter · Jan 18, 2020

Sometimes I wonder what is not there to hunt in Texas...?!
Great place, lone star state!

Dirtdart · Jan 18, 2020

I have only killed one Sambar so my experience is limited to say the least. I killed a Sambar on St. Vincent Island which is a National Wildlife Refuge located off the coast of the Florida panhandle. I remember the NWR biologist telling me that the hogs we had killed a couple of days before were much better table fare then the Sambar. The aquatic vegetation they eat on that island must have something to do with it. If I had it to do over I would have given more of that thing away and ground the rest for sausage.

Major Khan · Jan 18, 2020

You absolutely must try sambhur deer , Crs ! Kawshik is a little preoccupied at the moment because ( as you know ) he is a tea planter and so he is at the Bangladesh Export Fair 2020 for the next 2 weeks where his tea plants are being show cased . However , l am certain that he will agree with me . Sambhur deer is similar in taste to your American native elk. I have a recipe for grilled sirloin of sambhur deer if you are interested. However , sambhur deer venison should not be cooked to a doneness higher than medium , because it is quite lean and tends to dry out if cooked past medium doneness. I happen to like mine rare , with cold Dijon mustard on the side , with twice cooked rosemary seasoned chips. Do give it a try ! I will shoot my next sambhur deer in October.

Tra3 · Jan 18, 2020

@Major Khan now I am hungry for venison! And it is the breakfast hour. Time to open the freezer.

@crs if you are considering hunting one... the answer is always “yes, go hunting!” Worst case scenario you can make sausage.
+1 with Major Khan to never cook past medium.

Major Khan · Jan 18, 2020

Tra3 said:
@Major Khan now I am hungry for venison! And it is the breakfast hour. Time to open the freezer.

@crs if you are considering hunting one... the answer is always “yes, go hunting!” Worst case scenario you can make sausage.
+1 with Major Khan to never cook past medium.

Good man , Tra3 ! Nothing surpasses venison in my view. I have a cheetal deer shikar planned this March . I actually like cheetal deer venison slightly more than sambhur deer venison . However , both taste excellent.
When l make sausages from sambhur deer venison , l always add duck or goose fat into the grind if l am making sausage for myself or my Muslim friends . If l am making venison sausage for my non Muslim friends or customers ( l own a restaurant ) , then l will use pork fat or lard in the grind .
I will also use salt , pepper and fennel in the grind .

Jeffro · Jan 18, 2020

Major Khan and Kawshik, you are the best.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Jan 18, 2020

crs said:
I recently became aware that here in Texas, Sambar deer can be hunted on exotic ranches and free range.
https://www.huntsintexas.com/s...deer-hunts-in-texas/
Just one of many outfitters offering such hunts.

Also by drawing on state managed properties:
https://texashuntingtimes.com/...orn-wma-sambar-deer/

SO the $64 question - are Sambar good to eat?
If they are good table fare, how do they compare to elk and red deer?

Major Khan and Kawshik, I need to hear from you too!

Aussies may also answer.

NRA Life Benefactor Member,
DRSS, DWWC, Whittington
Center,Android Reloading
Ballistics App at
http://www.xplat.net/

CRS
Having eaten quite a few 100 pounds of Sambar I concur with the major. Beautiful eating. I use the whole animal , what I can't steak I mince. The back strap with a Diane sauce is beautiful.
The large neck can be cut into rounds and slow cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, juniper berries and a,splash of red wine. Cook for about 8-10 hours on low. Drain the juice into a saucepan and boil until REDUCED by at least half. Pull the meat off the bones add REDUCED sauce and refrigerate overnight. The next day make the best meat pie you will ever eat. Shoot it process it and enjoy your spoils. I guarantee you want stop at 1 sambar.
Cheers mate
Bob

cperso · Jan 18, 2020

I've taken hundreds of Sambar deer over the years and we have eaten plenty,the meat is a bit coarser than the other deer species but is still good table fare.
In my opinion they are not eating as good as any of the other species we have here in Australia ,that being Red Deer, FallowDeer, Hog Deer, Chital Deer and Rusa Deer.

Major Khan · Jan 18, 2020

Jeffro said:
Major Khan and Kawshik, you are the best.

Why thank you , Jeffro.

Major Khan · Jan 18, 2020

Bob Nelson 35Whelan said:
CRS
Having eaten quite a few 100 pounds of Sambar I concur with the major. Beautiful eating. I use the whole animal , what I can't steak I mince. The back strap with a Diane sauce is beautiful.
The large neck can be cut into rounds and slow cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, juniper berries and a,splash of red wine. Cook for about 8-10 hours on low. Drain the juice into a saucepan and boil until REDUCED by at least half. Pull the meat off the bones add REDUCED sauce and refrigerate overnight. The next day make the best meat pie you will ever eat. Shoot it process it and enjoy your spoils. I guarantee you want stop at 1 sambar.
Cheers mate
Bob

Wow , you just gave me a new recipe , Bob. Will Tokaj red wine work ? I have a few bottles in my pantry.

Hunter4752001 · Jan 18, 2020

Sambar venison is generally great eating. However the taste can be affected by what its been feeding on prior to being harvested (probably the same thing applies to any wild game). Note that if its been chased by hounds or in rut, the stress hormones can significantly taint the meat. I prefer much prefer the meat from hinds and young spikies rather than older stags.

crs · Jan 18, 2020

Thank you to everyone for your comments, recipes, and pictures.

OK, I will enter the drawing for the hunt on The Powderhorn WMA and work with my exotic ranch contacts to go shoot a hind ( no room left for horn trophies) . My stock of processed red deer hind meat is running low so maybe I can replace it with Sambar.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Jan 18, 2020

Major Khan said:
Wow , you just gave me a new recipe , Bob. Will Tokaj red wine work ? I have a few bottles in my pantry.

Ponton
Don't know that wine my friend but if it's one you like and drink why not. My philosophy using wine in cooking is if you won't drink it don't cook with it.

sambarhunter · Jan 19, 2020

For most of our red meat we live on Sambar venison (family/friends) and recently did 80 kilos of sambar/pork shoulder sausages 50/30 kg`s (circa 180 pounds)
Fennel,garlic,chilli,red wine in some. And one of the boys insisted we do a few buckets of boerewors too.
I have a couple of mates that do the hands on manufacturing after I hang a few deer up,they do the best smoked Pastrami`s ever, those and jerky galore.
Their salami`s and other cured examples are oh so good also.

We do use lots of mince ,marinated roasts go down well as do stews/casseroles etc. This bloke hanging contributed to the snag bin.
The ice cream tubs are ice blocks for the trip back to NSW.
The young stag weighed 450lbs whole.
Like anything made of meat there are all grades and ages and big old stags will be more coarse than young spikies. Diet comes into it as well,a free range sambar having the culinary pick to suit himself will always be better than a ranch model.

crs · Jan 19, 2020

WOW That is a serious game lift on your truck!
Thank you for the detailed response. From my research, it seems that a young stag or hind is the way to go for good eating.
Other than in Texas, the only US Sambar hunting seems to be an island off the southeast coast and the vegetation there seems to ruin the taste of the meat. Guess I will just keep hunting exotics here.

sambarhunter · Jan 19, 2020

The lift is a diy assemblage made from old steel pipe and a three speed boat trailer winch to do the lifting. Its rough but immensely strong and I have even used it to pull the truck out backwards when I dropped the front wheels over a bank.

crs said:
From my research, it seems that a young stag or hind is the way to go for good eating.

I videoed this young stag in growing velvet this morning,he has quite a fat big rump on him and is the type and age that eats so well.

Bob Nelson 35Whelen · Jan 19, 2020

Last one I got my farmer mate aged him 9 to 10 years old, needed culling as his antlers we like frozen turds. Hung him skin on in late July. Day time temp max 6 degrees Celsius night time down to minus 7 Celsius. Weighed in around 300 kilo. Hung for a week then processed, vacuum packed and left in the refrigerator for 10 days before freezing. Beautiful tender eating and great taste, he had been grazing on my mates clover paddocks so nice and fat. Old is not always bad if treated properly.

larry4831 · Jan 22, 2020

Major Khan said:
You absolutely must try sambhur deer , Crs ! Kawshik is a little preoccupied at the moment because ( as you know ) he is a tea planter and so he is at the Bangladesh Export Fair 2020 for the next 2 weeks where his tea plants are being show cased . However , l am certain that he will agree with me . Sambhur deer is similar in taste to your American native elk. I have a recipe for grilled sirloin of sambhur deer if you are interested. However , sambhur deer venison should not be cooked to a doneness higher than medium , because it is quite lean and tends to dry out if cooked past medium doneness. I happen to like mine rare , with cold Dijon mustard on the side , with twice cooked rosemary seasoned chips. Do give it a try ! I will shoot my next sambhur deer in October.
View attachment 325206 View attachment 325207

Looks good!

sambarhunter · Jan 22, 2020

We ate a real lot of Sambar venison from these and others over the past two years,we..... me,my friends/family and my dogs. My dogs eat 90% venison and offal.

Sambar Deer in Texas - good to eat?

crs

mark-hunter

Dirtdart

Major Khan

Tra3

Major Khan

Jeffro

Bob Nelson 35Whelen

cperso

Major Khan

Major Khan

Hunter4752001

crs

Bob Nelson 35Whelen

sambarhunter

crs

sambarhunter

Bob Nelson 35Whelen

larry4831

sambarhunter

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