Antelope Taste and Smell

CubsFan · Oct 19, 2016

I harvested my first antelope just recently and it was actually my first time field dressing an animal. I think I did a decent job for a first timer took me maybe 30 - 45 mins and I had it in a cooler within 2 hours for sure. I did get a ton of hair on the meat though. When I got back to the truck I washed off as much hair as I could and then patted the meat dry with a spare towel before putting it into the cooler.

My meat has a pretty distinct smell, not necessarily bad, more reminiscent to the smell in the air when I was field dressing. It also has a pretty distinct taste even when I do something like chili. I'm not worried about the meat being bad, I've eaten a ton of it with no problem. I'm more just wondering if the hair and possibly other mistakes field dressing are to blame for the taste and smell or if that's just normal.

ShootsManyBullets · Oct 19, 2016

Lots of variables there including every animal is different. Without being there it's tough to say whether you possibly caught a gland with your knife then spread it all over the meat, whether the meat got too much hair on it, whether it didn't get cooled fast enough, etc.

Sounds like you did the best you could and probably learned a couple things along the way. Try soaking your next steaks in milk overnight before eating and see if that helps with the flavor and smell. On my antelope I've never had an issue other than I tend to hoard it b/c I'm worried about running out before next season.

WapitiBob · Oct 19, 2016

The last thing I worry about is hair or dirt on the animal as I work it up, I don't eat the outer casing.
I quarter the animal and put in coolers until I get home. I then separate every muscle so I have no membrane or fat, then fillet the casing off much like you would fillet a fish. That leaves individual muscles with no casing, membrane, or fat. I then cut steaks or use in burger. The meat has no gamey taste noe gamey smell when cooking.
Everybody cuts their animals different so you'll need to see what works for you.

dan.kirkpatrick · Oct 19, 2016

I think what you have is normal for antelope meat,,the milk soaking helps but antelope does have a different taste than deer or elk,Im not sure but it might be partly what they eat out in the desert areas.

Shotgun1 · Oct 20, 2016

WapitiBob said:
The last thing I worry about is hair or dirt on the animal as I work it up, I don't eat the outer casing.
I quarter the animal and put in coolers until I get home. I then separate every muscle so I have no membrane or fat, then fillet the casing off much like you would fillet a fish. That leaves individual muscles with no casing, membrane, or fat. I then cut steaks or use in burger. The meat has no gamey taste noe gamey smell when cooking.
Everybody cuts their animals different so you'll need to see what works for you.

I have to agree with this...elimination of "silver skin" and all the fat is the icing on the cake. I think you did fine up until the final trimming...guys are worried about the meat that goes to waste on fine trimming but its like this...do you fine trim and enjoy the delicious meat or try to use everything and have to choke down the meat........

Shotgun1 · Oct 20, 2016

And when cut properly no milk needed....although some buttermilk does suck out blood and adds a nice flavor

tarheel · Oct 20, 2016

Another endorsement for buttermilk. Soaking the cut of meat in buttermilk overnight has always mellowed out the rankest of rutting bucks for me. I even hand agitate it into burger and then drain it off the next day.

sbhooper · Oct 20, 2016

I have never had any problem with antelope meat, or any other wild meat, as far as hair on the meat, as long as it is washed off. Not trimming the silver skin, tendons, etc., I also believe can be a problem. It takes a bit more time to trim it, but it is worth the effort. Just use a real sharp filet knife and you will lose very little meat.

Antelope does have its own taste and in the bucks it is most obvious. However, I would also agree that maybe you got some gland on the knife or something. All of the antelope meat that I have ever processed, had virtually no odor to it once it was cleaned-maybe even less than deer and definitely less than beef.

I have never used the buttermilk trick, but have heard many times that it helps. An old rancher in Wyoming was the most definitive about it.

NoWiser · Oct 20, 2016

My experience is pretty limited, but last year we shot a few. They had a very distinct smell when quartering and butchering them. Hands down they are my favorite game meat, but I had to wait a few weeks after we butchered and packaged them because I'd always catch a whiff of that smell and could taste it. I think it was more mental than anything because after about a month it became much less noticeable for me and disappeared not long after that. My wife never noticed it, even right when we got home. My only complaint with antelope is that they aren't the size of elk.

MinnesotaHunter · Oct 20, 2016

This is by no means scientific, but I have noticed with antelope that if they have been getting bounced around a lot before you shoot them, they do seem to have some "extra" flavor. The two best antelope I have eaten were both killed at first light and had not been stressed at all for at least 12 hours. They had almost zero gamey flavor.

I attributed this to the adrenalin and lactic acid in the muscle vs an animal with none....

Deleted member 20812 · Oct 20, 2016

WapitiBob said:
The last thing I worry about is hair or dirt on the animal as I work it up, I don't eat the outer casing.
I quarter the animal and put in coolers until I get home. I then separate every muscle so I have no membrane or fat, then fillet the casing off much like you would fillet a fish. That leaves individual muscles with no casing, membrane, or fat. I then cut steaks or use in burger. The meat has no gamey taste noe gamey smell when cooking.
Everybody cuts their animals different so you'll need to see what works for you.

Pretty much verbatim what I do.

MThuntr · Oct 20, 2016

I think all of the antelope that I've shot have had an antelope smell in one shape or form...it's often subtle but like MinnesotaHunter says stress and adrenalin give an extra flavor that I know a lot of people oppose. A ranch friend refuses to even consider antelope tablefair so you're not alone when it comes to questioning flavor.

Everyone's palate is different...I HATE (hate is being polite) Italian sausage and have to force myself from dryheaving when I taste it. I've never tried the buttermilk method but it's worth a shot.

CubsFan · Oct 20, 2016

Wow thanks for all the replies everyone.

I did soak some in milk and that has been the least gamy tasting meal so I will continue to do that with this batch.

I'll have to try removing the outer casing better next time around. I did that with the back straps and they have been the least gamy smelling and tasting.

When you guys talk about hitting a gland what do you mean specifically? How do I prevent that from happening? I was careful not to nick anything in the stomach cavity.

Thanks again, this is mainly for my wife who isn't sold on the meat just yet so I'm hoping I can get her to like it more because I plan on making the short trip to Wyoming every year now.

airlocksniffer · Oct 20, 2016

Antelope hides stink. I try to avoid too much hair and also changed the blades out on my Piranta between gutting, skinning and quartering. The meat is one of the best IMHO (and my families). Too bad they are so small. Definitely going to horde it at the bottom of the freezer. The balls tasted a little gamey though :hump:

Gr8bawana · Oct 20, 2016

Sounds like you did everything right in taking cae of your antelope. Hopefully you will have other opportunities to eat antelope and compare the flavor of them.
Between myself, my son and my brother we have shot 6 antelope bucks and all have been excellent table fare. All were calm and did not even know they were being hunted so that may have something to do with it.

sra61 · Oct 26, 2016

Antelope have a very strong rut scent. If any of that makes it's way to the meat you're gonna know it. It sounds like you were conscientious with your treatment of the goat. I have always felt like the antelope meat was one of my favorites, but I also have talked to people who claim they aren't fit for dog food. I have seen antelope abused more than any other meat I think. It's always earlier when they're shot so usually warmer weather. I think quickly skinning is the best answer for antelope. Their hollow hair protects them on the plains at temps approaching -70° F, so when I see a guy driving for hours or even days with the skin still on one, I'm really glad I won't be tasting that one! I also agree that chasing one probably makes for lesser table fare. I've never done it, but some people just think that's the way to hunt them, and every guy I know that "hunts" them that way doesn't like antelope!

sbhooper · Oct 26, 2016

sra61 said:
Antelope have a very strong rut scent. If any of that makes it's way to the meat you're gonna know it. It sounds like you were conscientious with your treatment of the goat. I have always felt like the antelope meat was one of my favorites, but I also have talked to people who claim they aren't fit for dog food. I have seen antelope abused more than any other meat I think. It's always earlier when they're shot so usually warmer weather. I think quickly skinning is the best answer for antelope. Their hollow hair protects them on the plains at temps approaching -70° F, so when I see a guy driving for hours or even days with the skin still on one, I'm really glad I won't be tasting that one! I also agree that chasing one probably makes for lesser table fare. I've never done it, but some people just think that's the way to hunt them, and every guy I know that "hunts" them that way doesn't like antelope!

Amazing huh!? On the money.

Jwill · Oct 26, 2016

Gutless method or not?

idnative1948 · Oct 26, 2016

Had been running or not?

NoWiser · Oct 26, 2016

My dad came home with a few antelope last weekend and I helped him butcher them. There was zero smell to the meat at all. Last year when we did ours I remember a distinct sage smell to it. There was no difference in the way the meat was treated and they were shot within a mile of where we got ours last year. The only difference was that last year we each got a buck and a doe. This year they only shot does. I haven't gotten a chance to taste any from this year but I suspect it will be every bit as good as last years, or better.

Chasing antelope sounds like zero fun. It's a 2.5 hour hike in to where we hunt so they animals are nice and relaxed.

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