Muscle worms? Cook it? Toss it?

Cut into some backstraps today and found these for the first time:



These muscle worms? What would you do if you found them in your backstraps? I read one article that says cook it and one that says throw it out. What’s the THF verdict?

I wouldn't eat anything that had worms in it.

I've seen worms in fish. I cooked it and ate it. Worms in red meat? I don't know...I don't know why, but it seems different to me.

I pick the worms out of fish with end of fillet knife and eat them just didn't tell the bride. Worms in meat I'm kinda with unclebubba and not sure.

If I had to choose between eating a worm, or not, I would choose to not eat it.

yep

Man and I like my backstrap kicking and bucking rare... i'd have to reconsider on that one.

Bingo! That is why it is different in red meat. In fish, it is cooked through. Backstrap steak is still bleating!

Looks like blood vessels to me.

I'm not sure that's worms. It looks like blood vessels to me.

On another note, we have very different biology than fish. Even if we get infected by worms in fish, the worms just die off because they can't survive in us like they can fish. That's why ceviche is safe. Deer on the other hand is a little closer to us than fish. I would be hesitant if there were worms.

Hadn't thought of that.

These were in the middle of the meat, and you could pull them out, individually.

Probably found 4 more like this. They stood alone - did not stretch throughout the meat, which is what I would think a blood vessel would do, perhaps?

These were the examples of the shortest and longest ones I found.

Were they in a straight line in the meat? or were they curled up and squiggley before you pulled them out?

Yes, muscle worms. See #9, below. I'd remove them and chicken fry the backstrap, instead of grilling rare-medium rare.

https://www.qdma.com/10-weird-parasites-live-inside-deer/

“9. Muscle Worms

If you’ve ever cut into the backstraps of a deer and found thin, 1- to 3-inch-long worms threaded through the meat, you’ve seen muscle worms. Unfortunately, they tend to favor the muscles that we like most to eat! Luckily they are rare, and even if you see them, there’s no need to toss out good backstrap. The worms are harmless to people, other than being completely disgusting. Remove any visible worms, cook thoroughly, and enjoy the bonus protein!”

I was planning on chicken frying them, which is how I discovered them, when slicing through the meat.

Good question. They were not fully stretched out. One I could see just under the surface, cut a little hole to reveal the top and pulled it out. One was right at the edge of a knife cut...see bottom one in pic...it looked just like that.

If you cook it properly it won't matter what they are. That being said I'm not hungry enough to eat anything weird.

I guess it depends on your definition of properly.

I like the cream gravy to turn pink when I cut into my chicken fried backstrap...

Meat was frozen for 6 weeks, maybe 7.

IF I were to cook it, it would be chicken fried and not towards the rare side at all - for this particular backstrap!

No way would I eat that. Looks disgusting.

Decided....Not going to cook it for the family.

MIGHT cook it for myself.

Whether frozen, rare or well done, no worms for me!

use it for bait, fish like worms

LOL!

Wonder how many the processor has taken out? More so how many have I not taken out. Grind it up and make chili.

If you wouldn't eat anything with worms....you wouldn't eat meat or vegetables. All animals have worms..even cattle. These worms are picked up at the hoofs and they travel up the mussels to the back straps. Cattle have them all the time. Fish have worms..I don't know of any animal that does not have worms of some sorts. They are ok ...just fully cook as you do for any meat. You can see them in calves as small under skin cyst like. Enjoy the meat....lol If I were you...don't look for small things ....you may not eat ever again. LOL All deer have these worms...you can see where they have left the back strap and crawled out ...there will be small holes in the back straps. The cattle men on this web can tell you what they are called...I forgot ...old age. " mussel worms" one web said. Go into the grocery meat market...look close at the steaks...you will see small pin hoes with a little blood. This is the same thing....lol Deer also have worms that will crawl out of their nose if ya hang them up by the back legs. Cut a slice in their gut or intestines you will probably see tape worms. Very long flat worms...some three feet long. Cook some of the deer tonight and don't think what might be in the meat...hee heee.

When ceviche is properly prepared, the fish is frozen to kill any parasites.

I have never seen them in a deer, but I do not think it would bother me. I would just package up the meat and give it to a friend.