Venison vs Beef? Which Is Healthier For You?

By: Staff Writer Bowhunting360.com

Bloomberg Businessweek reports that although deer hunting appears to be a nonconformist activity in theory, that’s not the case. And surprisingly it’s bowhunting that appeals to many who are motivated to eat healthier.

Hunters who tend to be motivated by healthy lifestyles and organic food and, sometimes, are wary of huge commercial farming operations, probably know whether beef is healthier than venison.

Certainly, the traditional hunting community knows the answer, and many have observed the recent impact of such an answer. Hunting is growing.

Venison is 100 percent organic, with no chemicals or antibiotic injections.

As Bloomberg Businessweek reported earlier this year, although hunting appears to be a nonconformist activity in theory, that’s not the case. Even more, it’s bowhunting that often appeals to those motivated to eat well:

If you assume that hunting is a niche sport, you’d be wrong. Hunting is a huge and remarkably stable business opportunity: Fifteen million people bought a license in the U.S. last year, a number that’s remained virtually unchanged for the past decade, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (it estimates that hunting gear and apparel take in about $23 billion annually). There are far more hunters in the U.S. than rock climbers or surfers, and almost as many as there are skiers and snowboarders, according to annual surveys by the Outdoor Foundation.

Bowhunting, in particular, is booming; because it requires more tracking, young, fitness-focused people are picking it up. “We’re finding that it’s resonating with the farm-to-table movement,” says Jon Edwards, president of Schnee’s, a hunting retailer based in Bozeman, Mont.

So, beef or venison? Watch the video below and get the related recipe below.

Savory Steak-Style Venison Roast

Recipe featured in “Meat Facts” video:

Ingredients:

1 large venison roast (3-5 pounds) 6 Tablespoons olive oil (marinade), plus 1 Tablespoon (for searing) 4 Tablespoons soy sauce 2 Tablespoons of steak seasoning blend

Directions:

Marinate roast for 2-4 hours in olive oil, soy sauce and steak seasoning blend. Adjust marinade amounts up or down according to size of roast. Just make sure it’s well coated (a plastic bag works well). Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a stainless-steel or cast-iron pan to medium-high. Once oil is hot, sear marinated meat on all sides for 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy brown crust forms. Place roast in the oven (in the same skillet used to sear) and bake for 15-30 minutes depending on thickness (25 minutes for a 4 pound roast resulted in a warm, light-pink center).

Sides:

Baked potato cooked in oven on 375 for 1 hour and 15 minutes Steamed broccoli (coated in lemon juice, salt and pepper)

If you’d like to hunt venison or other wild game, but you’re not sure where to start, click here.