Deer Meat Nutrition

Deer meat, or venison, provides numerous nutritional benefits and was once considered a meal of royalty. Deer meat is enjoyed in the form of jerky and roasts, and serves as a replacement for other red meat dishes. If cooked properly, deer meat is not easily distinguishable from beef.

Dishes

• Venison replaces beef in such dishes as chili, spaghetti meat sauce and hamburgers. Steak strips of deer meat compose stews and shish kabobs, and taste great when coated in seasoning and country fried.

Fat and Calorie Content

• When compared with beef, deer meat contains significantly fewer calories and fat per serving than a serving of beef. At a serving size of 3 1/2 oz., beef contained 180 calories and venison only 149. Deer meat contained approximately 5 percent less fat than an identical serving size of beef.

Protein and Vitamins

• The protein count between the two meats revealed venison had more than a 1 percent more protein than beef. Venison also includes high counts of iron, selenium and zinc.

Carbohydrates

• Venison contains no traces of carbohydrates unless the carbs were added in the cooking process.

Taste

• Deer meat tastes very similar to beef with a slight gamey taste. Use of certain cooking techniques will help to eliminate this taste and make the meat taste more like beef. Boiling the meat and frequently replacing the water helps to cook out the wild game taste.