How to Properly Cut a Steak From A Hindquarter | MeatEater Butchering Ep. 7

Like most things in life, there’s a passable way and a proper way to cut venison steaks. Clean-cut, uniform chunks of meat will simply freeze nicer, cook more evenly, and taste better. The best steak cuts from a deer come out of the hindquarters, also known as hams. Watch MeatEater's Ryan Callaghan's new video and learn how to do steaks right.
#fueledbynature #benchmadepartner
We worked with the Benchmade Knife Company to make the perfect knife for turning a deer carcass into pretty packages of meat in the freezer. It’s called The Meatcrafter Knife---Steven Rinella Edition, and you should check it out. Available for purchase at your local Scheels store, or online here: bit.ly/2P3zdmo
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[@blanchemarston9250]

more of this for us beginners pls! great content

[@hunt_trap_fish]

Hey @Blanche Marston I have a start-to-finish break down / butchering video of a white tail on my channel if you’re looking for that kind of content. Including how to get tomahawk steaks / frenched loin roast.

[@Lixmathing]

Hey Ryan, just a quick tip that might help you out. Chill the meat in the freezer for about 15-20 min and you will find it firms up and is easier to cut uniformly. Cheers buddy. great seeing you on meat eater again !!

[@Yettiattack]

Im sure he is aware.

[@tylerrilkoff8345]

Sirloin tip (1st one) Top Round (2nd one). Big Meateater fan here. However, I would clean a little more of that silver skin off. Steaks don't get that long, slow cook time to dissolve it and could leave the steak a little chewier than necessary.... Eye of round is an underrated wild game cut for steak as well. Just throwing this out there.

[@joeysanchez7318]

I made a top round a few weeks ago that was amazing! Sous vide at 130° for 8 hours and seared over charcoal. Maybe the best venison I’ve ever had!

[@Jonathan-wo6kf]

What are some other non backstrap/tenderloin muscle groups that make good steaks?

[@tylerrilkoff8345]

@@Jonathan-wo6kf eye of round, top round, and the often overlooked tri tip (with fat on) to name a few....

[@IsaacDozier1]

Got my first deer today and getting ready to finish processing. This video really comes in handy! Thanks!

[@hunt_trap_fish]

It’s so interesting to me that you take your steaks from the sirloin. I LOVE to get my steaks from the outside and inside rounds and then leave sirloins whole for corned venison / hams / holiday roasts.

[@joeb8162]

I AGREE. Hes also a HACK. LOL

[@BMG154]

keep them coming boys. love these videos

[@aaronnelsonmusic5971]

Thanks Cal. I made the choice to cut my whitetail into cuts last year and freewheeled it. Not that it wasn't good, the cuts were just oblong. This is the guide I needed

[@paulsinger2539]

First muscle is a knuxkle or sirloin tip, the second is a inside round or aka top round.

[@hilowtrucks]

Finally a steak specific video. Thanks Cal

[@mr.sandman4782]

Quick note to the uploaders of the video. When you upload a bunch of video at the same time they dont ALL make it to peoples sub page. Only a few of the make it on the people sub page which, for me it was only 2. So in case ya'll do this again just do one or two a day. Great video, loved it.

[@Joel_Unbound]

Interesting - I go a bit opposite. I love the Sirloin for a roast. I use all three rounds for steaks as they are very uniform and have good grain and texture. The eye of round is almost like poor man's backstrap to me. The Sirloin has a bit of connective tissue that I prefer in a roast plus it's rather football-shaped to start. Great vid as always!

[@mlnhdjr]

Agree 100%.

[@j.oakley9588]

Yeah I don’t ever steak up the sirloin. When the steak is cooked and I’m ready to cut into it, I don’t like cutting around connective tissue and whatnot. Cook em hot and fast, rest, cut, and right into my mouth…usually with my fingers. Like a savage.

[@carvedwood1953]

I have never once heard anyone compare eye of round to a backstrap lmao.

[@Joel_Unbound]

​@@carvedwood1953 ,goggle is your friend... you'll also see it called poor man's tenderloin and prime rib. But those don't make sense to me. Because it is long and round like a very small backstrap and I cook it very similarly.

[@carvedwood1953]

@@Joel_Unbound google is your friend. eye of round is not tender at all. doesn't matter what you call it. just like the mock tender, its tough. it should be cooked very differently than a backstrap (which is prime rib/ribeye steak) or a tenderloin (filet mignon). I know exactly what eye of round is.

[@MatttheButcher]

Sheesh look how deep dark red that meat is! Beautiful!! 🥩❤️

[@HAIL-WAR.C]

Love that benchmade....!

[@JohnRelihan]

Beautiful state that is, well done

[@tcwrench]

I would just like to say thank you for making all these videos, I feel the hunting community can really benefit from content like this, myself included! I would love to see more like this! From field to stock pot and grill! Please keep this up! PS, as an MN'er I love the ice fishing content and Das Boat kicks ass!

[@MohamedHassan-yr4og]

Thank you bro for this demonstration

[@alberttresslevic914]

Nice looking meat and good preparation advice. On a small animal like that I like to freeze whole muscles where possible and cut the steaks after defrosting, less surface area exposure, but regardless the knife technique in this vid is good for both scenarios.

[@jonathanyates5198]

Deer is not a small animal

[@alberttresslevic914]

​@@jonathanyates5198 Its a small deer, obviously that's what I meant

[@borz7860]

Awesome vid thanks for helping us beginners

[@paparomesoutdoors711]

Really great advice and tips well done

[@kaevekplays1903]

I'll probably never end up actually harvesting a deer, just because I'm a noob at hunting. But I watched this anyways cause MeatEater and Cal are amazing

[@Danger3512]

Never thought of the round for steak, I cube it for slow cook stew, ground or for jerky I use the eye of round on the BBQ grill for steak, can cook it to medium rare to well done and it’s still juicy and tender

[@jakemitchell1671]

That's how my dad always did it, but it's not my preferred method. The first piece he cut into steaks I prefer to leave whole for a roast. IMO the best cuts for steaks are the top and bottom rounds. He showed the top, but not the bottom. It's all down to what each person prefers.

[@J155P]

I really like how he thinks about his cut.

[@yungdad9530]

What skinning and gutting knife do you use?

[@skiz8848]

thos steaks are nice but Cal lookin juicy

[@joshsinglefooter]

I just wished meat eater would have introduced Callahan......

[@JoelWetzel]

I'd love to try venison, or any game for that matter.

[@user91bE]

Gnarlyyyyyyy

[@skylinegtrally18]

Cal has a mustache that makes me quiver

[@skylinegtrally18]

If I preferred men instead of women, Cal would be my first call. I dream that you smell of rich mahogany

[@jonathanyates5198]

@@skylinegtrally18 I think you do love some tube steak sir

[@skylinegtrally18]

@@jonathanyates5198 imagine replying to a comment that is 2 years old... grill me up that tube steak.

[@skylinegtrally18]

@@jonathanyates5198 dont threaten me with a good time

[@vmorrow8310]

Ok so I’ve watched this whole butchering series and one thing am absolutely unclear about. I’m hoping someone on the MeatEater staff that could help me out with this. Can anyone please verify if the meatcrafter knife has a flexible blade?

[@PeaceManBro]

We will never know, maybe theyll do a seperate video on its flexibility of lack thereof.

[@dirtybucksuede]

Its no jackhawk 9000

[@PeaceManBro]

@@dirtybucksuede Fantastic reference

[@wswillett]

How many moustaches can we get out of Ryan's world class lip wig?

[@fishnhunt3488]

Youre the man, Cal!!

[@AdamDenison]

So do you have the silver skin on? Or cut it off later?

[@JohnDoe-zs6gj]

On a low fat animal like this, I've found my sous vide cooker the no brainer way to good results. I'm no expert on a grill and have a tough time hitting that sweet spot between to raw and very dry. Even thickness is then more for presentation than an actual cooking requirement.

[@dlawndartw]

Still got plenty more to trim off there, Cal

[@TheGoodeLifeOutdoors]

I bought a 12" slicer knife (Meat Slicer → amzn.to/39DK67V) specifically for steak cuts, and it works beautifully without much effort. That Benchmade boning knife sure is pretty! I've gotta ask - did the deer break its leg before or during the shot, or did that happen sometime in transit?

[@klappy803]

How much did das boat go for on the auction?

[@rocar716]

Good demo. But what's with the broken bone ????

[@briargoatkilla]

Smell us now, lady.

[@ericvail9543]

sick moustache. not much on top but you could still grow a mullet!

[@bohunman1]

How slow and what kind of heat range do you use for these hind quarter steaks to get them tender I have a pit boss smoker any recommendations 1 to 2 in thick cuts

[@leightonlaughlin7629]

for these id grill them but maybe 220 for 1.5 hrs

[@jonathanyates5198]

@@leightonlaughlin7629 that would turn out extremely well done

[@jonathanyates5198]

You want to cook to rare

[@scottmay2054]

I wish Ryan would have identified each muscle group/cut as he was working with the different muscles

[@star-b-qpodcast54]

He did…”this cut” and “this next cut” were the IDs he provided (I’d guess he doesn’t actually know)

[@248024803]

What is your favorite 5000 cubic inch + hunting backpack?

[@brycec.1470]

Finally cut the cul-de-sac down, doesnt look like my dad anymore

[@coreypippin2303]

Could you leave the hams whole, freeze, and cut before cooking?

[@leightonlaughlin7629]

yes

[@ericvail9543]

Callaghan, grow a skullet please

[@AbeC368]

Go elk hunting with Evan Hafer!

[@BrandenFarmer]

Great video! How did you cut that piece off the deer to get it that way? I usually just cut the meat off as I go, but having this big junk with bones and all seems easier to work with.

[@tcwrench]

In my experience, just cutting at the joints will give you that cut. I believe that is just the ham with the thigh removed.

[@almadesikevin1525]

We cut Tbones from the backstrap

[@seanheyer9515]

Way to push benchmade

[@figlermaert]

The camera angles and editing choices are not too conducive to demonstrating how to do this well.

[@Detz0325]

is the meat becoming black normal? doesn't that make it bad? or is that just how deer meat browns.

[@artfranz2273]

That black edge on there is from the meat being allowed to dry during the hanging or aging process. Its not gone bad as in stinky or bacteria, it’s just dried out. And at the stage this is in it may or may not be noticed by the person that eats it, depending on how badly it’s been allowed to dehydrate. Sometimes kinda hard to avoid during the ageing process but in this case it makes for a visually poor audience presentation. The way to avoid it is to wrap the meat in a wet towel while it is ageing. The only other option is to trim it off and throw out while butchering, which is what I would have done if I was making a video about it.

[@LeeC-rx9cb]

Screw the steak, i want that ‘stache

[@jesusmarin95]

What another cuts on a deer a steak? , I knew it can't just be the backstrap

[@maryconway1754]

Nies meat

[@wesleybullock814]

Where is Steve....

[@lanceladue2818]

I guess I like shitty venison steaks because after 10 plus years of eating professional butcher shop separated hind quarter steaks...I'm back to cutting my own out of the hole quarter without separating the muscles 💯 more flavor and a 💯 easier to cut and way cheaper than paying the professional butcher to do something kind of weird... Like I said I must like shitty venison steaks...but I will forever keep my rear quarters whole like we did in the 1960's and 70's...

[@en_jegerinstagram5564]

Follow en_jeger no Instagram 😀 im making a hunting chanel

[@larryherring445]

BBQ is a cooking method not a cooking device.

[@bryan-todd]

Love you guys, but very unimpressed with this. Poor muscle group identification, no real butcher vernacular, this was far too dumbed down. This was a disservice to newbies.

[@snakeriverscotto]

It could have been intentionally done though right? It wasn’t heavy on vernacular and muscle identification for simplicity sake and to not overwhelm folks who get that way. I like lots of info myself.

[@MrChadgordon2]

Wouldn't a smaller knife work better? Or do you guys want to capitalize off of everything you can despite Benchmade destroying guns?

[@PeaceManBro]

Capitalizing? Theyre making content promoting their knife partnered by Bemchmade, maybe they had a deal before the gun destroying controversy, we cant expect every company we buy products from to heed to our values, and you cant expect your hero Cal to know exactly what values you have, theyre not catering to you.

[@tcwrench]

IMHO, a 6" to 8" boning knife is a great tool for the job. Bench made happens to make a fine quality knives.

[@jonathanyates5198]

Longer the knife the better

[@David35445]

Believe it or not your knife is actually too short for cutting those steaks. A 14 inch butcher would be better.

[@leightonlaughlin7629]

Hes an actual proffesional david i think he knows what to do

[@David35445]

@@leightonlaughlin7629 Um, then why isn't he using a steak knife?

[@leightonlaughlin7629]

@@David35445 A steak knife is for cooked steak not for cutting steaks

[@David35445]

@@leightonlaughlin7629 A butcher's steak knife is 12 to 14 inches long used for cutting steaks from larger cuts. But hey, what do I know right?

[@leightonlaughlin7629]

@@David35445 you didn't say a butchers steak knife, you said a butchers knife, and then you said a steak knife. and also, it's caller a scimitar nots a "butchers steak knife". All im saying is the actual proffessional probably knows what hes talking about...

[@thestonehousefarm1942]

This is not a good video

[@shelbyesters5732]

Quit talking and explain what your cutting and why your doing it. Made the first 3 cuts without even giving a reason why. 2.5/10. I'll have to find another video.

[@thestonehousefarm1942]

Horriable video