Some Game recipes…

[lyagooshka]

#6249

OK, so I hijacked a thread (with help) in the Ashby forum, no less. So to make amends, and out of respect for Tombow, I thought I would move here and start fresh. Dave was bringing up graphic descriptions of his homemade venison recipes and I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I asked for the recipe. Here it is, Chicken-Fried-Venison:

David Petersen wrote: Hokay–this is a radical kidnapping of a thread, but on request here’s my country/chicken fried venison/elk recipe:

Use just about any cut of meat, preferably cut across the grain and not too thick. I like 1/2″ to 3/4″ after tenderizing, which can be done with a meat hammer, the back of a heavy knife blade, the edge of a plate, etc. If you use tender cuts of meat it needs less tenderizing. So you beat it up real good on both sides, then prepare the breading mix. First coating is flour of whatever variety you like, spiced with salt and pepper and spread on wax paper or such. Flour both sides of of each piece of meat and lay aside. Now prepare the batter with one egg (you can skip the yolk if you must for health reasons) and a small amount of whole milk — you want it thick and viscous. Now dip the floured meat pieces in the batter, then dip a second tome in plain flour (no salt and pepper this time) and you’re ready for the frying pan, which should be preheating at this point. (If you like extra thick batter coating, repeat the batter dip and then flour a third time.) In a frying pan, preferably cast iron, preheat 1 tbs. butter and 1 tbs. olive oil — just enough to coat the pan fully but not enough to float the meat — preheat to med-hot or hot. Toss in the pieces and let them sear well on the bottom before gently turning with a spatula. Turning just once is best if you can, so’s not to knock of too much of the fried batter. Generally total cooking time is about 5 minutes, depending on meat thickness and pan temperature. Remove the cooked steaks and set aside on a warm plate while you use the remaining oil and fryings to start the country gravy in the same pan. A side of smashed taturs, a green veggie, crusty bread and you’re set for a feast. The only downside of this recipe, as with pan-frying anything, is the potential for smoke and stink so a vent is real nice to keep the spouse happy.

This recipe is hardly a secret but an American standard. I use the same exact recipe for rabbit, except no need to tenderize the meat, though I do bone the rear legs and butterfly so they’re not so thick.

Feel free to suggest alternatives and improvements. To me, the gravy is the heart of the thing and you can’t make the best country gravy without some meat fryings.

Now I”m getting hungry. 😀

I am more than willing to ask for others, so if you have anything (venison, birds, hogs, stray cats, pet iguanas, bear, deer, beer, anything) please drop a line. As I said to Dave, I would love to do something other than the old spaghetti, chili or stew just so the family will eat it. I have simply been afraid to ruin and therefore waste, and animal. Haven’t seen many recipes out there that “caught my eye” so to speak. Some sounded better than others, but none sounded like something I could present to a city girl, a 5-year-old who’s diet is pizza and a 14-year-old who just became vegetarian (so she’s out, for now at least). When I heard Dave mention CFV, I just did one huge “Duh!” and really wanted to make some. Hope to get some recipes here going. Be well.

Alex

😀

[Raymond Coffman]

#49896

Goosh —

A book you might enjoy is Steve Rinella’s “The Scavengers guide to Haute Cuisine” –They eat everything—-

Scout

PS – He also wrote an excellent book on Bison

[skifrk]

#50001

If you ever go goose hunting or wild turkey hunting. I have found to make the meat taste less gamey that I soak it in a buttermilk brine for 48 hours and it has a good flavor. In general for most deer or elk I like to smoke low and slow the smoker for about 4-5 hours, nice tender and tasty.

[lyagooshka]

#50013

scout: Thanks for the suggestion. I actually had his book “Meat Eater: Adventures from the Life of an American Hunter” in my Amazon wishlist. I punched the one you suggested up, but it’s not on kindle 🙁 . It’s actually not available from Amazon, so I put it in my wishlist under used. The review sounds great. I added “American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon” as well.

skifrk: Good advice. Do you know if it works for hog as well? I hope to bring back some “pork” from FL, and it will have about 24 hourse on the road (in a cooler) to “cure”, so that sounds like an excellent time.

Thanks all. Please keep ’em coming. Be well.

Alex

😀

[Raymond Coffman]

#50115

Goosh –

Your welcome–

The Bison Book is one of the best books on the subject and a great pers hunting story sandwiched in.

When you go after feral pigs, and want great eating. Shoot a young Sow [dry]75-100lb best eating. Don’t shoot a big boar. You can still eat em, and I have — but it is a lot of extra work, and your family won’t join you as easy for Pork supper.

Scout

[archer38]

#50424

It has become tradition in our house that bear liver and deer tenderloin shall NEVER see the freezer. When I’m lucky enough to harvest a bear, the liver comes out right away and put in a milk bath for a couple hours,(or however long it takes to skin and clean up), before cooking. Don’t know what the milk does to it but it sure is good ! Secondly, I’ve never had better liver than fresh bear liver !

[lyagooshka]

#51561

cyberscout wrote: Shoot a young Sow [dry]75-100lb best eating.

OK, this will probably go down in the top 10 dumb questions on the forum, but how can I tell sow from boar without getting that “close and personal”? Don’t both have tusks? Is one built different? If I get that good a look from behind, chances are, my shot window has already passed, so is there a trick? Also, I might be hunting from a tree, so even harder to tell. Thanks for the advice. Be well.

Alex

😀

[archer38]

#52014

I’ve never hunted wild pigs but I’ve dealt with more than my share of domestic pigs and I would have to say “Teats” my friend. That would be the first thing I would look for….. or some other appendage. Sure would love to go after some pigs some day though. Good luck !

[Raymond Coffman]

#52076

Goosh –

“What Archer38 said”

Younger pigs are hard to tell apart in field situations, especially when you start out. No worry’s, anything under a 100lbs is great eating. Just less meat per successful shot.

Mature feral pigs [if they have been wild for a couple+ generations start looking very Russian Boar like / Dark/ long/mean looking]females the “teats” are more pronounced [and they are rounder from stem to stern],if lactating very pronounced and you’ll probably see piglets.I don’t take these, as I want pigs for future hunting –although this aggravates a lot of people who want them eliminated. Probably rightly so in some areas to keep the ecosystem in it’s original format. Big Boars [breeding age]are obvious; they are very heavy in the front[shoulders]usually larger head,a “sheath” you can spot from the side {unless in tall grass/brush}. Have tusks you can easily see! and they know how to use em!

Scout

PS – Check out some of Kingwouldbe’s Posts for Big Pigs

[Ben M.]

#11446

I whipped up some chicken fried backstraps for lunch today. It went over pretty well, the kids ate it up. Not quite so well as tenderloin, though. I mix up the normal sort of seasoning of garlic & onion powders, salt & pepper, & a pinch o’ rosemary when I make steaks. And when it comes to those tenderloins, my wife & I know to expect only a taste. Big eaters, these little kids.

[Etter1]

#11752

cyberscout wrote: Goosh –

“What Archer38 said”

Younger pigs are hard to tell apart in field situations, especially when you start out. No worry’s, anything under a 100lbs is great eating. Just less meat per successful shot.

Mature feral pigs [if they have been wild for a couple+ generations start looking very Russian Boar like / Dark/ long/mean looking]females the “teats” are more pronounced [and they are rounder from stem to stern],if lactating very pronounced and you’ll probably see piglets.I don’t take these, as I want pigs for future hunting –although this aggravates a lot of people who want them eliminated. Probably rightly so in some areas to keep the ecosystem in it’s original format. Big Boars [breeding age]are obvious; they are very heavy in the front[shoulders]usually larger head,a “sheath” you can spot from the side {unless in tall grass/brush}. Have tusks you can easily see! and they know how to use em!

Scout

PS – Check out some of Kingwouldbe’s Posts for Big Pigs

In this part of the world, guests who pass up shots at any pigs are not usually asked back.

[Raymond Coffman]

#12378

etter 1

Different places, different protocols —

Scout

[Ben M.]

#12414

There are very few feral hogs in Kansas. In fact, they’re illegal to hunt. That’s not to encourage their population, it’s to control it. The logic is that if they’re legalized for hunting, the hunting industry will capitalize on them and further encourage their population. The Dept. of W&P (as far as I know) doesn’t even have anything to do with them. Rather, the Livestock Commission takes responsibility for controlling their population, as they consider feral hogs a threat to Kansas’ enormous livestock and farming industries. When feral hogs are reported, the Livestock Commission sends out a few sharpshooters in a helicopter and wipes ’em out. I’m not sure exactly how I feel about the whole thing but, like it or not, it seems to be working.

http://www.kansas.com/2012/09/21/2499236/kansas-winning-war-against-wild.html

[lyagooshka]

#12571

Prowler,

I think PA is the same. Hogs are considered pets, and therefore do not fall under game laws. I know states are different. I just can’t see the KS program working down south. There are just so many hogs, and as I recently found out, there is no guarantee that numbers = shot opportunities. They are very nocturnal (especially in the extreme heat and cold) and are hard to even spot in the vegetation. I had no opportunities on a 3 day hunt with Trad gear. Saw a few, but that was with a flashlight pre-dawn. Unless they act differently in KS, I don’t know if a whirly-bird will even be able to spot them without some infra-red or other optics. Good point though. Be well.

Alex

😀

[shag]

#12922

I had hoped there would be a few more recipes on this thread. I basically feed my family on wild game all year long so I was kinda looking for something different. I’ll add one of my favorites to the list…I hope everybody does likewise.

1/2 deer back strap

1/2 pound bacon

grated parmesan cheese

A1

minced garlic

salt and pepper

Take the 1/2 back strap (just cut it off the deer and cut it in half length wise) and butterfly it. Pour in a little A1 and throw in some minced garlic and season with salt and black pepper inside the butterfly. Then pour the parmesan cheese into the butterfly. Don’t over do it (esp with the A1). The parmesan just holds in the moisture.

Next, pull the meat back together. Season the outside with salt and pepper. Then take strips of bacon and wrap it up tight. It helps to take butcher twine every inch or so and tie it up after you wrap it with the bacon.

Heat your gas grill to high. Or have a really hot bed of coals for your charcoal grill. Throw your stuffed, bacon wrapped venison back strap onto the grill and cook on all sides.

I like mine to bleat when I cut into it so I just cook it about 2-3 mins per side. But cook it however you like it. I swear it is the BEST cut of meat you will ever eat. I try to get my friends to go to the steak house to eat when we hang out…they make me cook this instead. Give it a try. ENJOY!!

[shag]

#12929

That may have been a little misleading. You do have to trim up the cut of meat and get all the tough stuff off it before you cut it in half and butterfly it. Its worth the effort.

[T Downing]

#13047

I watched Rinella hunting the Brooks Range for Caribou last evening…He showed footage of cooking up some bone marrow and eating it…It was very interesting. Anybody else here eat the marrow?

[shag]

#13051

I’ve never ate the marrow just to be eating it. I do like to take leg bones and boil the marrow out to make stock for soups and stews. Lots of great flavor in there.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#13058

I’ve eaten marrow before. Properly stewed in the bone, it’s pretty good.

[T Downing]

#13060

I am going to have to try that…

[lyagooshka]

#13611

When I make Borscht [native recipe], I almost always use one or two beef bones. The marrow basically dissolves into the broth. When I use a shank for Osso Buco, some of the marrow usually remains. It’s really nothing horrible. It’s usually flavored by whatever it’s in, so as long as you are not adverse to textures, no biggie. I have never eaten it “straight” or cooked when not in a recipe though. Be well.

Alex

😀

[lyagooshka]

#13614

Shag,

Thanks for the recipe. Gonna have to try it when I finally get one. Sounds great. Please keep the recipes coming. Any game (from the smallest to to the largest). Be well.

Alex

😛

[Etter1]

#15985

cyberscout wrote: etter 1

Different places, different protocols —

Scout

Wasn’t passing judgement. Just the way it is down here. We want them ALL gone.

[Raymond Coffman]

#15994

etter1

Seems like you were, and your opinion is fine –

I like hunting Pigs a lot, and will continue to hunt them in the places that like em —

my first comment was on which were the most tasty [Some game recipes]in answer to a question about how to determine sex etc. Not what was allowed or not allowed depending on area or circumstance.

Scout.

[lyagooshka]

#16308

Etter1,

Do you hunt pigs? I just drove to FL for a pig hunt. No luck. I would love to help out with your “problem”. If you have an area that is “productive”, please let me know. Scout, same question for you. I actually like to hunt pigs, and they are a problem in many parts (as deer are in some parts ergo the crop damage program here in PA). So if I can fill the freezer, and help out, all the better. Thanks for the replies gents. Be well.

Alex

😀

[Ben M.]

#17750

“I’m really glad we’re doing this together because when I’m a dad, I’ll need to know how to make sausage for MY kids!” said my six year old son. He and I made 31lbs of deer sausage tonight. It’s smoking on the back patio right now.

5 lbs ground venison

1 Tbl salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp granulated onion

2 Tbl olive oil

Mix thoroughly, pack in natural hog casing (or whatever casing you have), smoke with hickory/apple/your favorite wood for 2-3 hours.

Cook low-and-slow, however you prefer. As long as you cook with low-temp, high-moisture heat, you’re sure to produce a crowd pleaser.

[Ben M.]

#33114

shag wrote: I had hoped there would be a few more recipes on this thread. I basically feed my family on wild game all year long so I was kinda looking for something different. I’ll add one of my favorites to the list…I hope everybody does likewise.

1/2 deer back strap

1/2 pound bacon

grated parmesan cheese

A1

minced garlic

salt and pepper

Take the 1/2 back strap (just cut it off the deer and cut it in half length wise) and butterfly it. Pour in a little A1 and throw in some minced garlic and season with salt and black pepper inside the butterfly. Then pour the parmesan cheese into the butterfly. Don’t over do it (esp with the A1). The parmesan just holds in the moisture.

Next, pull the meat back together. Season the outside with salt and pepper. Then take strips of bacon and wrap it up tight. It helps to take butcher twine every inch or so and tie it up after you wrap it with the bacon.

Heat your gas grill to high. Or have a really hot bed of coals for your charcoal grill. Throw your stuffed, bacon wrapped venison back strap onto the grill and cook on all sides.

I like mine to bleat when I cut into it so I just cook it about 2-3 mins per side. But cook it however you like it. I swear it is the BEST cut of meat you will ever eat. I try to get my friends to go to the steak house to eat when we hang out…they make me cook this instead. Give it a try. ENJOY!!

Right on, so I tried this recipe tonight & I’d like to share a few thoughts.

First off, this is amazing food. Seriously. Make it; eat it. Outstanding.

I did basically what shag wrote, with the exception of baking the meat in a ~400 degree F wood fired cookstove. Ain’t good at grilling, but that cookstove and I can make music. I used a 10″x15″ pan with a wire rack in the bottom. The cookstove, with radiant heat on all sides, crisped the bacon to a delicious breakfast quality crunch.

This recipe requires some forethought on the part of the butcher. Do, like shag said, remove all the tough stuff; the meat closest to the spine. You’ll wind up with a dish so tender they’ll fight for the last bite.

The meat close to the spine is very tender –great for stir fry– but laced with enough sinew that it just doesn’t do this meal justice. I suggest separating that meat before freezing and labeling it “backstrap scraps” for proper use. For us, a family of 5, 16-20oz of backstrap is just about right for an evening meal. Pack & freeze your meat accordingly.

That’s all I have to say. Thanks, shag.

-Ben

[RayB]

#33411

If you want to hunt ferral pigs, come to TX. We are over run with them. The state just made it legal to hunt them from a helicopter. No limit take all you want, they have piglets a muinimum of 3 times a year at 10-12 piglets a litter. The big ones get shot on site and the boars are dragged off to a location where they can rot away. Big boars are inetable

[archer38]

#35208

Sorry to say that I don’t know the recipe for this but my Mom used to make meat pies with squirrel and pigeon when I was a kid. We’d whack a few bushy tails and then go down the road to the neighbour’s farm and take turns. one would spook the pigeons off the silo while the other shot. Wish I knew the recipe but I thought I’d at least post the idea for everyone.

[lyagooshka]

#35944

Archer,

That sounds awesome. If anyone has some recipe like that, I would love it. I often see quite a bit of small game while sitting reading (waiting for a deer, but mostly reading). I wouldn’t kill something just to waste it, but if I knew I could put a few in the freezer and when I got enough I could make something, it would really expand my hunting horizons. Oh, that goes for groudhogs/woodchucks as well. Thanks for the post. Be well.

Alex

😀

[Ben M.]

#37962

I whipped up shag’s bacon backstraps again last night and it was another huge success. This time I sliced the meat thinner before butterflying and added minced mushrooms & sweet onions to the parmesan stuffing. Fantastic!

When it comes to squirrel I either slow cook it in the croc pot for ~8 hours or pressure cook it for ~45min @ 10psi. People tend to frown on a plate of “little animal parts” (though not chicken–go figure) so I debone the meat before serving. Squirrel makes good noodle soup. Use the stock from your croc pot or pressure cooker, add a few boullion cubes, some garlic & onion, parsley (for looks), a pat of butter, and thin sliced carrots. We prefer homemade egg noodles but the Reames brand frozen noodles are good too. Wild rabbit can be substituted for squirrel in this recipe.

We also like chipped bbq squirrel sandwiches. Mix about a cup of bbq sauce with 1.5 cups (or more) of water, 2Tblsp cider vinegar and 2 or 3 squirrels. Slow cook in a crock pot for 6-8hrs, debone, and serve on a homemade whole wheat bun. They’ll be askin’ for more. This recipe works well with most cuts of venison too.

Watch for bones!! Little critters have little bones, and lots of ’em.

[lyagooshka]

#38590

Yum! 😀

I’ll have to try that. Do you know if it works with groundhogs as well? Be well.

Alex

😀

[BuckyT]

#41369

Deer Burgers:

This is how I make them and get some pretty good feed back from folks who have consumed them down at deer camp and at the house.

I don’t have any pre measured ingredients, just kind of throw it together….

2 lbs of ground venison

Well.. I do have one pre-measured ingredient….

Olive Oil = 1 tablespoon per pound of venison.

Garlic Salt = However much you like, I put a good bit in.

Dales Seasoning = Just a splash.. Already have the garlic salt in the mix, but I like the “Dale’s Taste”

Worstershire = Don’t skimp, shake it up well into the mix.

McCormicks Montreal Steak Seasoning = Depends on what kind of “kick” you like in your burger. I don’t dash it, but don’t load it up either.

Patty the burger mix up, fire the grill up, throw on grill, cook medium rare, throw a slab of cheese on it, melt cheese, pull off grill, put on bun, doctor it up anyway you like, and enjoy.:D

[shag]

#41580

I’m glad you are enjoying the backstraps Ben. I got a craving for them the other night myself. They are great with mushrooms and onions too. I’ve stuck a little bit of everything in the butterfly.

I even thought to take a few pics for yall this time. They say you eat with your eyes…So to everyone who hasn’t tried this yet, enjoy! 😀

First pic…bacon-wrapped and ready to grill.

Second pic…a perfect medium rare.

[Etter1]

#41711

Pigs are hit or miss in most of the areas that I hunt. I’d rather them be nonexistant and I do what I can, when I can, to help out.

I killed three this year and they made great bbq for friends and family.

As for looking for them, I’d focus on south ga or florida. Florida is especially infested with them in a lot of areas.

There’s not a place in this country where they don’t do massive ecological damage so please, kill every single one you can.

[Ben M.]

#41729

shag– awww yaaahhh!!

Looks great! I didn’t even think to take a picture, thanks!

On making burgers:

My method now is to freeze burger meat (ie round cuts) in 1lb chunks, thaw thoroughly, dice, mix with whatever goes into a gourmet burger, then grind. Work the patties gently (don’t smash ’em, leave ’em fluffy), drizzle with a little butter, sear them in a hot cast iron skillet. Finish them off on a wire rack in a ~350 degree oven for ~12-15 minutes. You won’t have leftovers.

[Etter1]

#41762

I like a burger made any way, as long as there’s a vidalia onion slice on both sides.

[shag]

#41769

I’ve got some deer burger thawing out in the fridge as we speak. Tomorrow evening I’m going to make some burgers that will “nock” your socks off. If you like a Krystal with cheese you will LOVE these. They taste almost just like them but better…its straight up deer burger so theres no greasy mess to clog up the arteries. I will post pics with the recipe when I cook them up tomorrow evening if anybody is interested.

By the way, everybody’s recipes have looked and sounded great. I’ve wrote them all down so I can use them when I get lucky enough to get the game that they require. I’ve got some bunny busters on the way just to try to get some of the small game to make some of the meals described. 😛

[Ben M.]

#51606

Well I’m bringing this one to the top again, but it seemed worthwhile. I make most of the meat my family eats (wild and domestic) and today I sent the kids to school with sandwiches made of homemade venison salami–a favorite. Most of my meat making supplies come from Butcher & Packer out of Madison Heights, MI. They offer an impressive array of meat processing products in quantities both large and small. So, if you’re not already onto them, check ’em out. You may find supplies to make meats you’ve never tried before.

Butcher & Packer

[lyagooshka]

#51874

Ben,

Glad you brought this up. I have wanted to make dry-cured sausage forever now (salami, pepperoni, etc). I have the basics down, but I have not gone forward because I don’t have a place to keep them to dry. DO you just use the cellar, or do you have a temp/humidity controlled area (like an old fridge)? Be well.

Alex

❓

[Ben M.]

#51980

B&P sells kits to make “summer” sausages. It’s super easy. You just follow the directions and voila; call it sausage. I make 10lbs at a time, and I vacuum seal & store it in the fridge, just ’cause. No particular reason other than my kids like it better chilled. I’ve used quite a lot of their products and have always had good results.

[William Warren]

#55443

OK all you pig and deer hunters, are you looking for an easy recipe for the crock pot? You could actually get some backstrap going on HI while you’re cutting up the rest of the meat and it will be ready in just a couple of hours.

Sliced backstrap – enough to fill the pot 1/2 to 3/4

1 package of onion soup mix

1 bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce

1 medium to large onion

In a Standard Crock Pot lay backstraps in pot, cover with onion soup mix. Chop onion and throw in on top of meat. Pour contents of Chili Sauce over all the ingredients. Add a little fresh ground pepper. Set on Hi for at least 2 hours. You do not need to stir this at all.

I have not tried it but this might also work in the original slow cooker, the dutch oven.

[Ben M.]

#55482

I cook with a dutch oven often and have always had great crockpot-like results using it in a 175*-200* oven for about the same amounts of time that you would normally cook in a crockpot. Be certain to check meat temps with a thermometer. Can’t explain it, but that cast iron cooks faster and more evenly than lighter weight baking vessels under the same conditions.

[lyagooshka]

#56210

Ben,

I believe a big part of it is that you are actually cooking from all sides in a dutch over versus mainly from the bottom in thin aluminum pans. Even though the oven is set to 200, the main heat source is from the bottom elements. You can actually put your hand into a 350 degree oven with no problem, but don’t try that with 350 degree frying oil. This is because air is a poor conductor, so the element on the stove bottom needs to heat up quite a bit to get the air to 200 degrees. The thin aluminum conducts that heat right to the food very quickly, while the dutch oven is able to distribute that heat throughout its whole surface and release it into the food more evenly.

Of course I could be totally wrong. Sometimes I just like to hear myself talk. 😉

Be well.

Alex

😀

[Ben M.]

#63886

I’ll just leave this right here…

1shot wrote: Coolio!!! I have some killer recipes for game.

[Ben M.]

#63905

I don’t think he’s going to mind, so I’m taking the liberty of reposting two of Steve’s recipes here.

Steve Graf wrote: I was reading some of Dave’s new book Going Trad where he is talking about how he handles an animal once it is down. He was talking about when and when not to leave the big bones in the quarters.

It got me to thinking about the bones. There have been other threads that have come up on the merits of quartering and packing vs. dragging out whole. I have discovered something new since those threads were active. I discovered how good bone stew is!

In the winter, we eat a lot of stew. It’s a good way to use the frozen and canned veggies from last year. And it keeps the body warm when the wood stove is running a little cool. Adding bone stew to the menu has really lived up the mix.

And, it brings up that always moving ethical line about what to bring out of the woods. We all know that we must bring out all the meat. To do less diminishes us. But what about the rest of the animal? I have now learned that the big bones are just as useful, and maybe even more nutritious than the meat.

Of course if you have CWD in your area, then the discussion is mute I guess. Being that we are cautioned to not use the bones as the prion seems to concentrate there.

From reading the historical record of our ancestors, I am sure they would look at us as green horns for leaving the big bones and organs behind.

Once you know how good the bones are for you, and how well they eat, I am afraid we really should add the bones to our list to bring out. Bringing the meat out meets just the bare minimum ethical obligation.

Bones are packed with minerals and gelatin. To let these vital nutrients go wastes the gift of life the animal gave us. I know this is easy talk from back east, where the drags as easy. But I have humped out a couple elk out west. And some big mule deer. It can be done, it’s just one more trip.

Anyway, here’s how we use them: After removing the meat from the big bones, I cut them up with a hack saw in 2 inch sections to reveal the marrow. Then I put them in freezer bags in proportions good for a stew. That means a leg’s worth of deer bones per bag.

When it’s time to make stew, I put a bag of bones in the crock pot filled up with water. I let the bones cook for 2 days. At this point they should be soft and clean of marrow. I’ll let the crock pot cool overnight on the porch. In the morning the mixture looks like jello as the gelatin has stiffened. I’ll then scrape any fat off the top and remove the bones.

I’ll move the broth to an iron pot and add vegetables and spices to taste. Usually there is a lot of meat in the pot already as I don’t clean the bones too well.

This makes the hardiest stew I’ve ever had. And boy does it make a body feel good after eating it.

[Ben M.]

#63910

Steve Graf wrote: I’ve had plenty of liver at home, as well as in camp. You know the drill : Throw it in a pan, cook it till it’s tan, pull it on out and eat it like a man 😯

But I found this recipe yesterday and gave it a try. Even my finicky daughter liked it.

– Slice liver about 1/8 inch thick. Skin the liver and remove all the big blood vessels (I never skinned it before, it really helps).

– Put it in a merinade with a lot of salt, and a good splash of soy sauce. Leave over night.

– Fry onions in an iron skillet with a large dollop of butter. When the onions have carmelized put the liver on top (I battered the liver before cooking) Add Salt and Peper

– Cook on first side about 2 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute on second side.

I just had the left-overs in a sandwich. It made a mighty fine lunch.

[jmsmithy]

#64079

Anyone have a good venison heart recipe? My son (14) took his first archery whitetail yesterday (wheel bow but coming along real well w/ trad gear 😀 ). He has a tremendous hunter/conservationist ethic, way better than I had at his age, and wants to try heart/liver. So we brought them home with us too. I’ve had both marinating overnight ( from about 11 pm last night) in some red vinegar, olive oil, S&P, garlic….

Got a few liver recipes ….I’ve had heart before and was good, boiled then butter fried….

Thoughts/recipes for the OL’ pump station??

[1shot]

#64108

Cut into small pieces, gently simmer in seasoned water,(salt, pepper, ancho chili powder, etc), remove and make a marsala sauce and add heart. Serve over egg noddles.

Enjoy…

[Troy Warner]

#13456

The only liver I’ve eaten that I didn’t have to choke down or hide while feeding to my dog was in hunting camp a few years back.

After trimming the liver of all the connective tissue (arteries, fat, and any other part that doesn’t look like you want to eat it… No don’t throw the hole liver out.) soak in a saltwater solution over night. Don’t make the solution thick like a brine, just tell the water tastes salty but not make you pucker up. Slice the liver into thin slices and put in a pot with boiling water until the meat becomes a light brown all over the piece, remove from the pot roll in an egg and milk batter roll in seasoned flour and fry in a hot pan with 1/2″ of your favorite cooking oil.

The salt water soak draws the blood out and boiling it seems to remove excess blood and goo left inside after the soak.

For Heart I trim off all the fat and arteries soak in a salt water solution over night, like the liver, slice it to preferred thickness, dunk in same egg and milk batter roll in same seasoned flour mix and fry up in same pan and oil. Only sequence I skip from liver recipe is the boiling part.

I serve both with fried potatos and onions.

Good stuff when you come into camp tired and hungry from helping pack meat for a friend.

After eating either of these meals you should see your cardiologist for proper butt chewing for eating such an artery clogging meal, and not inviting him to go with you on your hunt.

Enjoy

Troy

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