STEVEN RINELLA TALKS ABOUT WILD GAME MEAT

Here at the Outdoorsmans, we sell a lot of Havalon Knives. Steven Rinella, the host of the MeatEater on the Sportsman Channel, loves the Havalon knife and loves preparing wild game meat. In this blog, Rinella talks about the Havalon knife, wild game meat and his favorite animal to hunt.

You have used many hunting knives over the years. Why is the Havalon knife your favorite?

There are several reasons. For starters, it's a very lightweight and compact knife and that's important for someone who hunts likes to hunt the backcountry. A Piranta isn't much bulkier than a cigarette lighter, and a dozen blades take up less space in my pack than my compact sharpener. Also, the replaceable blades mean that I always have an extremely sharp knife and I don't need to hassle with sharpening my blade in the middle of a big butchering job. Nothing sucks more than having your knife get dull or damaged when it's raining, getting dark and you're cold and you've got a big animal on the ground that needs to be skinned and quartered. Finally, I love it that you can get Havalon knives in blaze orange. Seems like a small thing, but it's not. Knives are hard to keep track of, especially in the chaotic and exciting moments after making a kill. As far as I'm concerned, you can take those fancy antler-handled knives and hang them on your wall. Havalon knives are meant to be hunted with. 

 You prepare and eat a lot of wild game. Is field care important if you want meat to taste good on the table?

Absolutely. For the best tasting meat, you want to get your animal cooled down in a hurry. This is especially true in warm weather, when getting the animal gutted and skinned in a hurry is paramount. Anything that can make that job go faster and smoother is a blessing. And Havalon knives do just that.  

What is your favorite way to prepare wild game meat like deer or elk venison?

I cook venison in so many ways that it's impossible for me to pick my favorite. I like cooking with whole muscle meat and ground meat equally well. But if I had to name a few favorites, I'd include slow-cooked neck roasts, grilled whole loins (very rare), and good old fashioned burgers with ground meat that I processed in my own grinder. 

What is your favorite kind of wild game meat?

Elk, especially from young bulls. 

What animal do you enjoy hunting the most?

Mule deer, without a doubt. Especially during the rut. At that time of year, you can stay on the move and glass bucks all day long if you're in a good area. They taste good, they're beautiful, they live in rugged country, and there's always the chance that you might find a big hog of a buck. I get excited just thinking about mule deer. I think I'll go eat some right now.