Deer liver Elk liver

[Yarome]

It depends on how far I have to pack out but I'm trying to keep more even if I don't like something (liver) others do. Last elk I got I stripped all the meat off the ribs and spine.... and my hunting partner asked if he could have it. He packed that carcass out of the backcountry till midnight to make bone broth, and he did.
I usually eat the heart the day of the kill over the campfire. I like the taste just the way it is, maybe a little salt and pepper.

Elk caul fat too, yes.

Ahhh... by "backcountry" you meant packing distance/conditions. Gotcha!

I thought you meant backcountry camp over days long hunts where refrigeration isn't available. Not really an issue during the colder elk seasons, but deer season can still have some pretty warm days.

Most definitely... getting meat on the ground is the easy part! It's after when the work really begins.

 

[Koda]

Ahhh... by "backcountry" you meant packing distance/conditions. Gotcha!

Yeah, "backcountry" can be a bit subjective.
Some of my hunts we backpack in to get away from hunting pressure. Other hunts are from vehicle based camps but sometimes Ive just hiked too far... lol. If it takes multiple trips Im less inclined to go back for the stripped rib carcass for bone broth. Pretty much all thats left behind with the gut pile.

 

[Yarome]

Yeah, "backcountry" can be a bit subjective.
Some of my hunts we backpack in to get away from hunting pressure. Other hunts are from vehicle based camps but sometimes Ive just hiked too far... lol. If it takes multiple trips Im less inclined to go back for the stripped rib carcass for bone broth. Pretty much all thats left behind with the gut pile.

Been there, done that! Tracking/stalking a little too far down a gully a little too deep... getting meat on the ground then looking back up the hill to realize, "what the heck have I done to myself??".

I planned ahead for my older age hunting expeditions, though. 4 sons!! Now I have the luxury of passing out the ruck boards, cracking the whip and getting to pass on the sage wisdoms gifted to me by my grandfather.

IE., "If it were easy, I would do it myself!".

 

[BASilverado]

when you harvest a deer or elk do you eat the liver. if not why not?

The way my family cooked liver caused me to have such bad gas I could not stand to be around myself. It was bad. 5 Years ago I started cooking it myself with help from buck buck moose cook book and I love it. I do have a problem of rushing and forgetting the organ meat. Need to slow down and get the gut/tripe and give it a try.

 

[OldBroad44]

OldBroad44's Hunter's Delight Fried Liver, Onions, and Potatoes.

I love deer liver. Assuming a young buck, not the trophy buck who is so full of hormones he's rank. Deer liver is what I have for dinner the evening of the hunt. It is tender without any hanging and also stores less well frozen than deer meat. I use about a third of each ingredient. I use pungent yellow storage onions. A potato that is good for fries or hash browns or baking such as a russet. Not potatoes that are good for mashing or that are from the fresh vegetable section. Not Yukon Golds. Blue-flesh or red-flesh potatoes are actually better in this dish than white-flesh or yellow-flesh if they are baking/frying types. But ordinary russets meant for baking will do. (Most dishes people cook with blue- or red-flesh potatoes. actually ruin the dish.)

The onions take the longest to cook. Then the potatoes. Then the liver. I remove onion skin on one or more huge yellow onion(s). Cut onion in half lengthwise. Then slice in slices about 1/8" thick and loosen with hands to make a pile of half rings. Season with salt, fresh ground black pepper, and ground cumin. Peel potatoes. Cut into rounds about 3/8". Put in bowl and cover with water. Cut liver into 1/2" slabs as if steaks. Season with salt, pepper, cumin.

Dump onions in hot greased pan. A heavy pan such as cast iron or aluminum-coated steel is best. Make sure oil or fat is hot enough to spit and bounce a few drops of water flicked from hand. Otherwise you end up boiling food in the grease or oil rather than frying. Fry onions until thoroughly browned and slightly carmelized on outside, keeping them moving with a spatula. This takes patience. Remove onions and set aside. Deglaze pan with as little water as possible. Save deglazing water.

Wipe deglazed pan with paper towels to clean. Add more oil or fat, heating to appropriate temperature by the bouncing water drop test. While pan is heating remove potatoes rounds from water onto paper towels. Dry both sides. Season with salt, pepper, cumin. After potatoes rounds are cooked inside and browned on both sides, remove and set aside. Deglaze pan and add deglazing water to first lot.

Wipe and degrease pan and add oil or grease, heat appropriately, and fry liver. Remove liver. Add a little water to deglaze pan. Use spatula to slice potato rounds into strips and then crosswise to end up with bite sized chunks that are browned on two long sides. Add onions to let them reheat. Slice cooked liver slabs into bite size pieces. Pour onion and potato deglazing water over liver chunks and add back to pan to heat and mix with potatoes and onions.

If you are using blue- or red flesh potatoes hold the salt and instead season dish with soy sauce or tamari sauce (if dish needs to be gluten free) at the end. And you can go heavier on pepper and cumin.

Dont use olive oil for the frying. Doesn't have a high enough burn point and doesn't go with dish. Beef or pork fat is great. Peanut oil has compatible flavor and high enough smoke point. Corn oil will do.

 

[BASilverado]

Agree, meat fat is the best.