Antelope, it’s what’s for dinner

[Pilgrimdawg]

Awhile back I posted about me and my sons doing a Pronghorn hunt this year and the various reports we had read about Antelope as table fare. Some reports were that it was wonderful and some were that it was terrible. We read that the key was to field dress them quickly and keep hair off of the meat. Well, we came home with 3 nice Pronghorn bucks and I can report that it is absolutely delicious. A very delicate, mild flavored meat. One of the guys in camp killed a Buffalo and had so much meat that he shared and gave us about 40 pounds to bring home with the three pronghorns. One of my sons grilled pronghorn, Buffalo, and elk steaks one night and let the wife and kids pick which one was best. Pronghorn was the clear winner. Elk came in second ( and elk is delicious) and Buffalo came in third. Anyway, there was a good bit of conversation about the subject sometime back so I thought I would share the outcome. We did field dress each one within about 10 minutes and got them in the cooler right away. The steaks, burger, and sausage are all great. Way better than whitetail deer, and I have been eating deer my whole life.

 

[Mobile Bay]

I can't even imagine what I would do with 40 pounds of Buffalo meat.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

It was a mixture of steaks, roast, and burger. We split it up between the three of us. Freezer is full of deer, elk, antelope, and Buffalo. We are going to eat like kings all winter!

 

[Eleven Bravo]

Awhile back I posted about me and my sons doing a Pronghorn hunt this year and the various reports we had read about Antelope as table fare. Some reports were that it was wonderful and some were that it was terrible. We read that the key was to field dress them quickly and keep hair off of the meat. Well, we came home with 3 nice Pronghorn bucks and I can report that it is absolutely delicious. A very delicate, mild flavored meat. One of the guys in camp killed a Buffalo and had so much meat that he shared and gave us about 40 pounds to bring home with the three pronghorns. One of my sons grilled pronghorn, Buffalo, and elk steaks one night and let the wife and kids pick which one was best. Pronghorn was the clear winner. Elk came in second ( and elk is delicious) and Buffalo came in third. Anyway, there was a good bit of conversation about the subject sometime back so I thought I would share the outcome. We did field dress each one within about 10 minutes and got them in the cooler right away. The steaks, burger, and sausage are all great. Way better than whitetail deer, and I have been eating deer my whole life.

I’ve heard the same stories about antelope for years. As you say, the key is to get it dressed and cooled down as soon as possible. I also have harvested a number of elk over the years and cut some good steaks off of it and grind the rest to cook as burgers. It’s good eating.

Getting back to the antelope, if you get the chance to get another one at any time, make jerky out of it. Antelope jerky is the best! The last one I killed we jerked the entire animal. If you do jerky don’t let anyone with access to your freezer taste it. That stuff won’t be around for very long.

 

[She Mate Me]

I can't even imagine what I would do with 40 pounds of Buffalo meat.

Well, it starts out with all the same muscle groups as a cow, so it wouldn't be hard to use if you have a big enough freezer.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

I ate some Bear one time… it was aight, but I wouldn’t want it again.

 

[dorndawg]

I’ve heard the same stories about antelope for years. As you say, the key is to get it dressed and cooled down as soon as possible. I also have harvested a number of elk over the years and cut some good steaks off of it and grind the rest to cook as burgers. It’s good eating.

Getting back to the antelope, if you get the chance to get another one at any time, make jerky out of it. Antelope jerky is the best! The last one I killed we jerked the entire animal. If you do jerky don’t let anyone with access to your freezer taste it. That stuff won’t be around for very long.

Wouldn't it have been easier to shoot it?

 

[She Mate Me]

Treatment of any wild game after the harvest is crucial, but I find most people with strong opinions on wild game just haven't had it handled well as far as cooking technique. Many folks just don't understand a lot about handling different cuts of meat and different animals.

Can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me I'm cooking ground venison mixed with ground beef too long when I'm browning it for some dish because they think it's lean and will be dry and tough (it has beef fat mixed in and is ground to take away toughness). Don't get me going on people steaming ground meat to gray and calling it browned.

Haven't eaten Pronghorn, but I always assumed it would be delicious. Glad yours was.

 

[BELdog]

A little off subject, but was your hunt DIY or guided? Been thinking about a pronghorn hunt really hard for next year.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I've eaten white tail for 55 years, prepared erry which was it can be, and have never thought it tasted good. I'd love to try Antelope.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

They're magnificent beasts..

View attachment 23195

 

[Awwhellnaw]

Clearly you aren’t using enough Dale’s..**

On a serious note, you must be doing something very wrong. Either that you have similar taste as my wife. Sad.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

A little off subject, but was your hunt DIY or guided? Been thinking about a pronghorn hunt really hard for next year.

It was a guided hunt. Rockin 7 Ranch in Shawnee, Wy.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I've eaten white tail for 55 years, prepared erry which was it can be, and have never thought it tasted good. I'd love to try Antelope.

We eat it a lot of different ways, but country fried steak smothered in gravy along with biscuits and mashed taters will make your tongue beat your brains out.

 

[ronpolk]

Awhile back I posted about me and my sons doing a Pronghorn hunt this year and the various reports we had read about Antelope as table fare. Some reports were that it was wonderful and some were that it was terrible. We read that the key was to field dress them quickly and keep hair off of the meat. Well, we came home with 3 nice Pronghorn bucks and I can report that it is absolutely delicious. A very delicate, mild flavored meat. One of the guys in camp killed a Buffalo and had so much meat that he shared and gave us about 40 pounds to bring home with the three pronghorns. One of my sons grilled pronghorn, Buffalo, and elk steaks one night and let the wife and kids pick which one was best. Pronghorn was the clear winner. Elk came in second ( and elk is delicious) and Buffalo came in third. Anyway, there was a good bit of conversation about the subject sometime back so I thought I would share the outcome. We did field dress each one within about 10 minutes and got them in the cooler right away. The steaks, burger, and sausage are all great. Way better than whitetail deer, and I have been eating deer my whole life.

Congrats on what sounds like a very successful hunt. I’ve never had antelope but I’ve never heard any in between opinions. It’s either delicious or terrible. Hope to be able to try for myself one day. Ive had elk and Buffalo. Loved both of those

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Treatment of any wild game after the harvest is crucial, but I find most people with strong opinions on wild game just haven't had it handled well as far as cooking technique. Many folks just don't understand a lot about handling different cuts of meat and different animals.

Can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me I'm cooking ground venison mixed with ground beef too long when I'm browning it for some dish because they think it's lean and will be dry and tough (it has beef fat mixed in and is ground to take away toughness). Don't get me going on people steaming ground meat to gray and calling it browned.

Haven't eaten Pronghorn, but I always assumed it would be delicious. Glad yours was.

I've been around hunting since I was a kid I can tell you this is dead on correct. Even upland game so just quit or go the quicker you get it clean and cooling the better it's going to taste. The best wild game I ever had was beef tips from the state trimmings on an elk. The best wild meat that I ever had came from an animal that is a exotic here in Texas. Nilgai.

View attachment 23196

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/btth/nilgaiantelope.phtml

They are as big as elk and it's fast as an antelope because it is classified as an antelope. I have only seen them in extreme south Texas when I was on the King Ranch. I think I've talked about this here before but hamburgers from their ground meat with no beef fat were extraordinary. I damn near made myself sick overeating them for two days.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

Congrats on what sounds like a very successful hunt. I’ve never had antelope but I’ve never heard any in between opinions. It’s either delicious or terrible. Hope to be able to try for myself one day. Ive had elk and Buffalo. Loved both of those

Thanks. There is a lot of wild game that makes excellent table fare. I find that most people who won’t eat wild game either have preconceived notions and decided that they won’t like it before they ever tried it or had game that was not cared for properly and / or poorly prepared.

 

[Bill Shankly]

Pronghorn is the best wild game I've ever had.

 

[The Usual Suspect]

Awhile back I posted about me and my sons doing a Pronghorn hunt this year and the various reports we had read about Antelope as table fare. Some reports were that it was wonderful and some were that it was terrible. We read that the key was to field dress them quickly and keep hair off of the meat. Well, we came home with 3 nice Pronghorn bucks and I can report that it is absolutely delicious. A very delicate, mild flavored meat. One of the guys in camp killed a Buffalo and had so much meat that he shared and gave us about 40 pounds to bring home with the three pronghorns. One of my sons grilled pronghorn, Buffalo, and elk steaks one night and let the wife and kids pick which one was best. Pronghorn was the clear winner. Elk came in second ( and elk is delicious) and Buffalo came in third. Anyway, there was a good bit of conversation about the subject sometime back so I thought I would share the outcome. We did field dress each one within about 10 minutes and got them in the cooler right away. The steaks, burger, and sausage are all great. Way better than whitetail deer, and I have been eating deer my whole life.

I heard Steve Rinella from the Meateater show say that pronghorns have a distinct smell, almost like Fritos, when he is hunting them. Did you notice any such thing?

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

We eat it a lot of different ways, but country fried steak smothered in gravy along with biscuits and mashed taters will make your tongue beat your brains out.

Deep fried is the best way to do it, but you're tasting the breading and gravy more than anything.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Hey pilgrim... Here's a little collage of the muley bucks I have been able to get close enough too snap decent photos of over the last month or two. It's 6-7 different bucks.

View attachment 23197

This one in particular came within 20 yards of my back porch. I have named him Croom, because he's a peeper.

View attachment 23198

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I'm new to the muley world, but this dude looks like a real trophy. It's hard to explain with photos how big his body is and the sheer width and mass of his rack is more impressive in person. First time I saw him I thought he was a young bull elk. 350 lbs maybe?

Anyhow he's a 4 x 4 with big 6+" brow tines... Is this a good deer, trophy, or something more in muley world?

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

I had to circle back twice to laugh again. I’ll probably be back in the morning to start the day on a happy note.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

I believe every word IBleed. I used to go fishing at a big exotic ranch in Hondo TX. Lots of folks would come in a trophy hunt and leave the meat. We had all kinds of goodies and the chef that prepared it was hired away from one of the top hotels in San Antonio and new exactly what he was doing.

But of everything we got to eat, nothing touched Bongo steaks. A very large antelope. The texture and richness we're almost like scallops or something. Nothing like beef or deer.

View attachment 23202

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

Hey pilgrim... Here's a little collage of the muley bucks I have been able to get close enough too snap decent photos of over the last month or two. It's 6-7 different bucks.


This one in particular came within 20 yards of my back porch. I have named him Croom, because he's a peeper.

View attachment 23198

View attachment 23199

View attachment 23200

I'm new to the muley world, but this dude looks like a real trophy. It's hard to explain with photos how big his body is and the sheer width and mass of his rack is more impressive in person. First time I saw him I thought he was a young bull elk. 350 lbs maybe?

Anyhow he's a 4 x 4 with big 6+" brow tines... Is this a good deer, trophy, or something more in muley world?

that's a beautiful muley. Do t know what he would score, but lots of folks would hunt a lifetime and never see a buck like that. Good width AND deep forks along with great brows. Idaho is one of the few places left with lots of great mule deer.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

Deep fried is the best way to do it, but you're tasting the breading and gravy more than anything.

If you grill it, or pretty much any wild game, don’t go beyond medium rare. It’s real good, but if you cook it too much it gets real tough real quick.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Thanks. Next season I want to know if I shoot one of these suckers and pack it out 7 miles through the mountains I know what I am getting.

 

[Pilgrimdawg]

I heard Steve Rinella from the Meateater show say that pronghorns have a distinct smell, almost like Fritos, when he is hunting them. Did you notice any such thing?

I had read that they can have a strong distinct order and they did have a distinct smell but it was not a very strong smell. Certainly not nearly as strong as a Mississippi whitetail killed during the rut.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I believe every word IBleed. I used to go fishing at a big exotic ranch in Hondo TX. Lots of folks would come in a trophy hunt and leave the meat. We had all kinds of goodies and the chef that prepared it was hired away from one of the top hotels in San Antonio and new exactly what he was doing.

But of everything we got to eat, nothing touched Bongo steaks. A very large antelope. The texture and richness we're almost like scallops or something. Nothing like beef or deer.

View attachment 23202

The nice thing about hunting exotics in Texas is it's open all year. But I wouldn't recommend coming to South Texas between July and the end of September unless you really really like hot weather.

 

[aTotal360]

Anything that grazes on sage grass tastes like ****. Fight me.

 

[She Mate Me]

I've been around hunting since I was a kid I can tell you this is dead on correct. Even upland game so just quit or go the quicker you get it clean and cooling the better it's going to taste. The best wild game I ever had was beef tips from the state trimmings on an elk. The best wild meat that I ever had came from an animal that is a exotic here in Texas. Nilgai.

View attachment 23196

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/btth/nilgaiantelope.phtml

They are as big as elk and it's fast as an antelope because it is classified as an antelope. I have only seen them in extreme south Texas when I was on the King Ranch. I think I've talked about this here before but hamburgers from their ground meat with no beef fat were extraordinary. I damn near made myself sick overeating them for two days.

I've got a buddy with a freezer full of Nilgai meat another friend gave him. I'm looking forward to doing some stuff with it this winter.

Strange looking animal. I heard the winter was very rough on them earlier this year. Piled up dead against game fences in South Texas.

 

[Uncle Ruckus]

Still hilarious

 

[dorndawg]

Still hilarious

 

[The Peeper]

I've tried it prepared every way conceivable over the last 50+ years myself and still haven't found any that tastes good either. I've cooked it myself, had others cook it and doesn't seem to make a difference. As someone said above what you are tasting when you bread it, soak it, smother it, whatever, is those ingredients. I think if it was any good to start with it would be like a beef ribeye and with nothing needed but salt and pepper.

 

[FISHDAWG]

eat more Moose ... 100,000 wolves can't be wrong

 

[She Mate Me]

Those of you who don't like whitetail, I encourage you to view it as beef, with consideration for it's lack of fat. Different cuts need to be treated and cooked differently.

And slow braising large roasts after salting and browning them well nearly always produces a delicious, tender piece of venison.

Do it like a pot roast until fork tender with a good beef stock and your favorite additions.

Edited to add, I've seen so many hunters (I was one) who kill a deer and pull the backstraps (loins) and tenderloins and take everything else to a processor and ask for ground and sausage. It's a waste of so many nice roasts and cuts and it's unnecessarily expensive considering what it costs just to hunt deer.

 

[Awwhellnaw]

I killed my first mule deer this past November in Colorado (DIY). He was a nice deer and I was happy to have him but not exactly what I went out there for.

I that SOB right there though… Just damn. Would’ve shat myself had I seen him. Awesome buck.

 

[PooPopsBaldHead]

Congrats. I moved up here in early August and just didn't have time to hunt this year because of some projects in October and November. I'm really looking forward to putting in some good time next season and bagging my first.

I felt like he was a beast, but I think I get negative when I see people posting that picture where they are way behind a back at an angle that makes it look like it's 3 times his actual size.

I took 2 of those photos Thanksgiving Day. A herd of does were at my back porch begging for food and I saw the sneaky bastard behind a tree. Shot some video as well and made a gif of it...

View attachment 23207

 

[Awwhellnaw]

Doesn’t look like you’ll have to spend too much time searching them out.. he’s a toad.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

I used to prefer Buffalo over beef since it was leaner. I agree though antelope is great stuff. Great flavor and tender.