Recipes for Hunting Season

[Kontxesi]

I'm soon going to lose my boyfriend for several weeks to a pick-up truck and a rifle, but I'll be rewarded (hopefully!) with a freezer full of venison.

What are your favorite recipes for the spoils of hunting season? Venison, goose, pheasant, squirrel, elk.... Whatever it is you hunt in your neck of the woods.

[Veggo]

In my PA experiences I have enjoyed venison backstraps sliced thin and flash-fried in a CI skillet, especially during poker games at the camp with ample bourbon. We call them "speedies".

During my Texas years, we had a large chili-making event every year after the season at Scrappin' Valley, with lots of shiny aircraft, and we packaged about 3000 lbs. in 2 lb. boxes and allocated it in proportion to those who contributed, deducting for Lady Bird Johnson's annual boxes, and a few for her Secret Service detail, who had a fairly boring job.

[RealMenJulienne]

To me there's only one wild game cookery website: http://honest-food.net/

Great reading even if you don't hunt. The author is a chef and he makes a ton of old-world european recipes with the game he kills. I really want to try his corned venison recipe if I can finagle a deer haunch this year.

[River19]

I have been a fan of Hank Shaw's site for a while, very good site and a decent book as well.

Good call.

[deet13]

Yep, Hank has a good site...

I like his Spanish Braised Squirrel/Rabbit recipe.
http://honest-food.net/wild-game/rabbit-hare-squirrel-recipes/braised-squirrel-aurora-spanish-braised-squirrel/

Also his Cochinita Pibil recipe for wild pig is great.
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/...

[River19]

I'm primarily a partridge and woodcock hunter but I have stacked my freezer with venison before and hopefully will again. There is just no substitute for well cooked wild game in my book.....well except pork....pork is just love on four feet.

The brunswick stew recipe would be a solid choice.......I am also looking forward to some hassenpfeffer come snowshoe hare season......hare is very different from a cooking standpoint compared to rabbit.

I look forward to other entries in this thread.....as it is near and dear to my heart and passions.

[Terrie H.]

This recipe uses the stewing meat of the venison and is so delicious. Venison braised in Guinness with horseradish dumplings: http://www.shonaskitchen.co.za/recipe... . I don't focus on their dumpling recipe (it's the biscuit type that cooks on top), but use my own and add the horseradish and other flavors (I like horseradish, mustard, fresh thyme and chives). I also add carrots to the braise.

[kseiverd]

Was probably 20-21 yo before I ever tasted venison. Went to college in Pocono Mountains of PA and best friends dad was a hunter. Was at her house... an OLD house they were slowly rehabbing. Friend's mom said stay for dinner... worked for me. When she asked how I like my venison?? Didn't know. When asked how I liked my steaks... medium to medium-rare. Didn't know at the time, but musta been treated to the tenderloin. Looked like a filet mignon, nothing "gamey" about it, and VERY tender.

Had a friend who either made his own venison ring bologna... or had a friend who made it for him. A little like Lebanon bologna to me, with little/no fillers... just meat, spices and smoke!?!

First time a ever had pheasant... again back in college dates (circa 1492). Room-mate's dad belonged to a "club" in the burbs of Philly. He was heading out to "hunt"... shotgun, Britney Spaniel, and looking just like Elmer Fudd! When he came home... handed his wife a plastic bag with what looked like 2 chickens iinside?!? They were roasted (like a chicken) and nice tasting.

Have never had goose, but have a story about my Uncle. He's gone now but was BEYOND frugal. He told us about coming home one day and finding a goose kinda flopping in his driveway with an arrow thru it. He was a hunter and knew the thing was a goner, so mercifully dispatched the bird... then cleaned and cooked it.

[juliejulez]

I'm interested in this too as, starting tomorrow, I will also become a hunting "widow". BF is going for both deer and elk. The other plus is if he gets one of either, he has to buy me a nice big upright freezer, and I'm anxious to get more use out of my new meat grinder :)

I do have these two recipes I've been saving for awhile, both happen to be from Chow:

Italian Venison-Sausage Sandwich with Peppers and Onions
http://www.chow.com/recipes/30251-italian-venison-sausage-sandwiches-with-peppers-and-onions

Elk Meatballs with Bourbon BBQ sauce
http://www.chow.com/recipes/30253-elk...

I also made tacos with a 50/50 ground elk/ground beef for Super Bowl back in February, and they turned out pretty tasty. I just made them the way I normally make ground beef ones.

[cleobeach]

Growing up, the men in the family processed their own deer and all the meat was frozen. Where I live now, everyone takes theirs to a butcher and people get it made into a lot of ring bolonga.

Making jerky is a winter tradition. Our close friend and brothers do it at their cabin, drying it over the wood stove.

Sausage would be interesting. I can't remember ever eating vension sausage. I know no one in my family would have got to the trouble to make it.

[charlesbois]

Upland game bird season is in full swing in my neck of the woods (Michigan) and that means woodcock! I don't go for the traditional cook with entrails in, or eat the entrails on toast preparations. But I do like the cleaned birds barded with bacon and roasted. They're so small I just salt and pepper the cavity and stick a pearl onion in. They are very delicious and taste somewhat like a cross between turkey and venison.

For venison, I'd be interested in doing a preparation like a sauerbraten, i.e. brined in vinegar and juniper berries.

[Harters]

I don't hunt, but I do buy game at the farmers market.

Venison - usually treated as steaks

Pheasant - pot roast

Duck - simple roast

Rabbit - casserole or turned into burgers (needs some fatty pork).

The guy on the market usually has packs of mixed game - I use those for stews or pies.

[chefj]

Squirrel make a great Brunswick Stew.
http://www.fieldandstream.com/forums/hunting/small-game/elmer-fudds-brunswick-stew
Venison Grand Veneur
http://www.huntinghuddle.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=266
Roasted Goose with Potato Dumplings, Braised Red Cabbage etc...
http://www.germanfoodguide.com/cookin...

[Kontxesi]

That stew looks good! (Except for maybe the lima beans, but I guess I should try to broaden my horizons....) I might have to send him out after some squirrel, too. :D

[cleobeach]

Goose, potato dumplings and red cabbage is the only meal my mother cooked and that was only for special occasions.

We are friends with great hunters/cooks. Last Christmas, one did chunks of wild goose meat that had been marinaded (something simple like oil and red wine) and then grilled on skewers. They were one-two bite portions. It was fantastic.

Vension backstraps grilled and more often than not, wrapped in bacon.

I haven't had pheasant in years but always enjoyed it. In my area, they were hunted heavily over the past 30 years and only recently am I seeing them again, which is the result of stocking efforts.

[carbonaraboy]

I think he's overcooking the venison with those instructions. It really should be served rare. Unless the deer is old and/or suspecting to be gamey, there's no need to marinate a saddle.

[chefj]

OK

[carbonaraboy]

It is a good marinade he's got there -- almost exactly what I use for sauerbraten. I would also avoid putting the marinade in the roasting pan -- the meat will tend to steam. Better to dry roast at a high temp. Sauce Grand Veneur is a classic with venison, and that's a good quick version but it would be better to use demi-glace (reduced brown stock).

[katecm]

This pheasant recipe is one of the best things I've ever made. I did it with butcher shop pheasants and it wasn't nearly as delicious as with wild: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...