by David Draper

Recently, a Wild Chef reader e-mailed me with a good question, and I’d like to ask for your help answering it. Chris killed an old buck during last fall’s rut and he found the meat to be “not really appetizing.” This is a story you hear from deer hunters quite a bit, though I’ve rarely experienced “gamey” game meat.

During Nebraska’s rifle season last fall I killed the buck in the photo and two does, which all had a musky odor when I cleaned them. The meat smelled strong, too, but the flavor wasn’t horrible—just different. And the first deer I ever killed came back from the processor virtually inedible (for which I blame the processor). Other than that, every deer I’ve tagged, whether it be whitetail or mule deer, rutting buck or young doe (with the exception of yearling fawns, which taste like veal), have pretty much all tasted great.

by David Draper

This Valentine’s Day, I suggest you skip the fancy and expensive restaurant and instead cook a nice meal from your heart. Venison heart that is.

Though I don’t see it happening as much today, there used to be a time when deer hunters would carry a couple of gallon-size Ziploc bags with them into the woods. The deer’s liver would go in one, and into the other the hunter would slip the heart. Most interestingly, of all the times I’ve seen someone save a deer’s heart, the act has been so carefully conducted it felt almost reverential. So it’s only natural that serving such a sacred piece of the animal should be an act of love, hence my belief heart makes the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner. 

by David Draper

I know there are a lot of football fans who really care which team wins this Sunday’s Super Bowl. But me, I’m just in it for the food. While the rest of America roots for Peyton Manning’s less-funny brother or the guy who’s married to Gisele, I’ll be grazing the spread of cheese dips, bacon-wrapped goose bites, and sliders at the back of the room. I’ll also be judging friends’ reactions to my contribution to the party’s potluck: duck spring rolls.

I first had a version of these at our annual wild game feed and have been looking for a good excuse to make them myself. The recipe I’m passing along calls for fresh duck breasts, but I’ve found spring rolls are also a great way to use up the crispy-skinned leftovers of a roast duck. The recipe also works with goose, venison, pheasant, or any game meat with just a little modification.

by David Draper

I don’t think I’m alone in my love-hate relationship with cookbook author/food pundit Mark Bittman. He’s taken his former (and formidable) influence as a cooking columnist at The New York Times from a place that taught us how to cook and turned it into a pulpit, or more accurately, a soapbox from which to tell us how to eat. He recently trumpeted the drop in overall meat consumption by American families, which has declined more than 12 percent in the past five years, in an op-ed piece last week.