Venison is a good protein choice for people with cardiovascular disease. Venison differs from red meat in part because it is leaner and has less fat and fewer calories. Â.
Deer meat, a type of venison, is high in essential amino acids. However, youâll need to know how to properly store, clean, and cook deer meat to avoid foodborne illnesses. Â â.
Venison, or deer meat, is prized by many for its lean, high-protein qualities. However, some people experience gastrointestinal distress after eating this type of wild game. If you’ve ever wondered “why does venison upset my stomach?”, this overview of potential causes can help identify the culprit.
Improper Field Dressing
Venison harvested through hunting versus farm-raised venison poses a higher risk for stomach issues if not properly field dressed. Field dressing entails removing the deer’s internal organs shortly after killing it in the wilderness. This process can introduce contaminants if not done carefully:
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Dirt, debris, feces on the field surface can harbor bacteria that contaminate meat.
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Using unsterilized knives or tables introduces microbes.
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Improper rinsing leaves residue on the carcass.
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Warm outdoor temperatures encourage rapid bacteria proliferation
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Long delays before refrigeration allow microbial growth,
Venison is much more prone to contamination compared to beef or other farmed meat handled in controlled slaughterhouses. Hunters should employ meticulous sanitize practices when field dressing to avoid stomach-churning repercussions.
Undercooking Wild Venison
To eradicate any pathogens, wild venison should be cooked thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 145°F. Consuming rare or raw venison substantially increases the odds of foodborne illness if bacteria is present.
Signs of undercooked venison include:
- Raw, red interior when sliced
- Translucent, jelly-like texture
- Bright red juices oozing out
Use a meat thermometer to verify safe doneness instead of eyeballing color and texture alone. Stews, soups, casseroles, and leftovers require heating to 165°F for safety. Avoid consuming raw venison due to contamination risks.
Heavy Metal Exposure
Another consequence of undercooking hunted venison involves exposure to heavy metals from the ammunition used. Lead bullet fragments can disperse throughout deer tissue. Consuming undercooked venison containing lead particles can cause lead poisoning.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, lethargy, irritability, headache, and reproductive issues. Choose venison harvested without lead bullets or cook thoroughly to minimize this risk.
High Purine Levels
Purines occur naturally in some foods, especially organ meats and red meat like venison. Purines break down into uric acid within the body. Excessive uric acid causes gout flares in those susceptible.
People with gout are often advised to limit high-purine foods like venison to avoid triggering painful joint inflammation. So gout sufferers may experience venison-related stomach distress or other symptoms.
Fatty Acid Composition
Deer derive their fatty acid profile from their wild forage diet versus commercial feed. The ratio of pro-inflammatory omega-6s to anti-inflammatory omega-3s in wild venison is much lower than grain-fed beef.
While healthful overall, this extremely lean, grass-fed meat composition may be harder to digest for those used to high-fat beef. The minimal fat and density of protein can overwhelm some stomachs at first.
Trichinosis Infection
Trichinellosis, also called trichinosis, stems from ingesting raw or undercooked meat infected with the Trichinella roundworm. When present in venison, it can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and fever.
Commercial venison producers monitor for this parasite, but hunters should cook wild game thoroughly to at least 160°F to kill any worms present. Freezing for 3 weeks at 5°F or below also inactivates worms.
Individual Food Intolerances
Some individuals may experience venison-specific intolerances causing digestive issues. Deer meat allergy is rare but possible. The concentration of protein and iron may also disagree with sensitive stomachs. Those with irritable bowel syndrome frequently pinpoint trigger foods.
Keeping a food symptom diary can help identify personal problem foods like venison. Slowly reintroducing venison while tracking reactions reveals if it is a consistent offender for you.
Tips for Preventing Venison-Related Stomach Upset
With sound handling practices, venison can make a delicious, nutritious addition to your diet. Follow these tips to avoid stomach troubles:
- Verify correct field dressing and butchering of wild venison
- Cook venison thoroughly to safe internal temperatures
- Choose lead-free harvest methods
- Limit venison portions if you have gout
- Introduce venison slowly if transitioning from fatty beef
- Check for personal intolerances by tracking symptoms
Deer meat offers outstanding nutrition, but preparation is key. Look for safely handled venison and cook it thoroughly to maximize benefits and avoid stomach upset. Pay attention to your body’s signals to guide your personal diet.
What Does Deer Meat Taste Like?
The flavor of venison is related to what the living animal ate. If the deer ate corn, theyâll have a milder flavor than deer that eat acorns and sage. Venison can be described as âgamey,â but that flavor is more noticeable in the fat areas.
Other intense flavors can occur if the deer meat isnât processed correctly. Improper processes could include:Â
- Improper bleeding
- Delay in field dressing
- Failure to cool the carcass quicklyâ
How to Cook Deer Meat
As soon as the deer meat has been cleaned and deboned, it needs to be frozen for 30 days. Freezing deer meat helps kill parasites like Trichinella and Toxoplasmosis gondii. Â.
That said, freezing doesnât kill bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses like E. coli or Salmonella, so you’ll need to cook the meat until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside after it has thawed. Â.
Eating venison fresh isnt recommended because of how common parasites and tapeworms are. Even in homemade jerky and fermented sausages, E. coli can stay in the deers intestinal tract. You should steam, roast, or boil venison to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before drying.
When making soups, stews, casseroles, and meatloaf, make sure leftovers are reheated to the same 165 degrees F.Â
Venison can taste gamey, dry, and tough, but there are ways to improve flavor and texture. Soak the deer meat in two tablespoons of vinegar mixed with one quart of water for an hour before cooking it to get rid of the gamey taste. Â.
To keep your deer meat moist, you can rub the roast with oil before cooking.Â
To tenderize the meat and add flavor, you can soak the deer meat in a marinade. French or Italian dressings, tomato sauce, or fruit juices all make great marinades. Make sure you marinate the meat in your refrigerator and throw out the marinade after cooking the meat. The longer you marinate the meat, the more tender it will be. However, marinating for more than 24 hours can make the meat mushy. Â.
While deer meat can be pretty nutritious, you should be aware of the risks of consuming venison. Certain wild animals can carry infectious diseases like:Â.
Brucellosis. You are more likely to get this disease as a hunter if you touch the blood and organs of a deer. You can get sick if dirty animal blood, fluid, or tissue gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or skin. This can occur during:Â.
- Field dressing
- ButcheringÂ
- Handing and preparing raw meat before cooking
- Eating meat thats not fully cooked
When hunting, avoid animals that look visibly ill or are already dead. You should also use safe field dressing techniques because even healthy-appearing animals could be infected with brucellosis. Â.
Safe field dressing techniques include:Â
- Using clean, sharp knives
- Wearing eye protection
- Using disposable or reusable rubber or latex gloves
- Avoiding direct contact with fluid or organs
- Not coming into direct contact with hunting dogs that may have touched animals that were being hunted
- Throw away disposable gloves and parts of the body that won’t be used carefully and completely.
- For at least 20 seconds, wash your hands with soap and warm water.
- Cleaning all your tools and reusable gloves with disinfectantÂ
- giving your dogs raw meat or other parts of the body that can make them sick
It could take anywhere between a week to a month for you to start feeling sick. If you experience any symptoms of brucellosis, you should talk to your doctor immediately. Tell them about any contact youve had with wild animals like deer while hunting. Â.
Signs of a brucellosis infection include:Â
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweating
- Headache
- Reduced appetite
- Fatigue
- Joint or muscle pain
Doctors will test your blood for brucellosis and get you started on a treatment plan.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD). Â Theres no strong evidence that humans can get CWD. However, there is a risk if you consume meat thats been infected. There are monitoring tools that look at CWD rates in an area where youre hunting. Testing might not be available in every state, though, and some states test differently. Â.
If you go hunting in a place where CWD is common, you should really think about getting the animals tested before you eat their meat.
Generally, deer meat can provide a rewarding dinner, especially after a long hunting season. Venison is a nutritious alternative to red meat like beef and pork. However, its essential to follow safety precautions to ensure you dont get sick from eating venison. When you know what to do, have the right tools, and follow safety rules, you can get enough meat to feed your family for months.
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FAQ
Why do I feel sick after eating deer meat?
Can deer meat cause stomach problems?
Why can’t i eat venison?
Is venison inflammatory?
Why is venison hard to digest?
The reason why venison can be hard to digest is that, apart from purine, it is also high in protein. Protein takes more time to be digested than carbohydrates. Another reason is that a person might have trouble digesting venison. It can be because of some issues in the gastrointestinal tract, or the production of compounds that help digest protein.
Can food poisoning cause severe shivering?
Yes, food poisoning can lead to severe shivering. When harmful bacteria or toxins from contaminated food affect your body, it can cause fever and shivering as your body tries to fight off the infection. It’s essential to stay hydrated and seek medical help if symptoms worsen or persist.
Can venison cause headache and stomach upset?
Apart from this, food poisoning can also be the cause that resulted in the above symptoms like headache and stomach upset. Venison can be made into many delicious dishes but you have to make sure it has been handled, processed, and stored well, as well as it shouldn’t be shot with a lead bullet if it has been caught in the wild.
Does venison cause gout?
The association with gout and venison or deer meat may likely stem from venison being red meat. Red meats are high in purine (source: CDC ). Purine can trigger gout attacks. Eating a large amount of venison meat can increase the chances of gout attacks recurring in people with gouts.