Venison legs can be flavorful and tender cuts of meat, if you cook them correctly. Cooking venison is very similar to cooking other types of meat, particularly beef. It can be marinated prior to cooking to add flavor, for example. You may also want to add vegetables before cooking it. Many chefs and cookbooks will suggest roasting it.
Many people marinate a venison leg before cooking it. The right marinade can add a delicious flavor to the meat. Since certain acids and enzymes in marinades can also help break down tough tissues, they may also make the meat more tender.
You can purchase a marinade from the grocery store, or you can make your own. One popular ingredient in many marinades for venison leg is red wine. For large cuts of meat, culinary experts suggest that you puncture the cut of meat to help the marinade penetrate fully.
To marinate a venison leg, you can place the meat in a large bowl or pot and cover it with the marinade. It should then be placed in the refrigerator for anywhere from couple of hours to a couple of days. If you marinate the meat, make sure you turn it every few hours so the marinade can cover the meat thoroughly.
If you would rather not wait hour or days to cook your venison leg, but still want to added flavor, you can use a meat rub. These rubs are often made from several herbs and spices, and, as the name suggests, they are simply rubbed onto the meat prior to cooking. Some of them are dry, and some are mixed with oil. Like marinades, meat rubs can either be made or purchased.
When cooking venison, some people also add vegetables to the dish. Adding vegetables while the venison leg is cooking will supply added flavor in addition to side dishes. Just about any vegetables can be cooked with this meat, but some of the more popular include potatoes, onions, and carrots.
One of the most popular ways to cook a venison leg is roasting it. Roast venison leg is a relatively simple dish to prepare. As a general rule, the leg should be roasted at around 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), for around 15 minutes per pound, or about 30 minutes per kilogram. For example, if you have a 7 pound (3.2 kilogram) venison leg, it should be cooked for around 105 minutes, or one hour ad 45 minutes. This will often result in tender, juicy medium-rare meat.