Venison Recipes

Dispatch from Turkey: How to Make Venison Kebaps

Online Editors — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:58:47 -0400

by David Draper

I've been traveling through Turkey for the past couple of weeks, both in Istanbul and along the Mediterranean coast. Most of my time was spent doing lots of “research” a.k.a. eating, and if there's one thing I took away from all this hard work it's that Turkey is a street-food country. Everywhere I traveled, there was someone on a street corner selling something to eat, whether it be roasted corn or chestnuts, simit (sort of like a sesame-encrusted bagel), rice-stuffed mussels, fresh melon, or, like most places in Europe, some type of grilled or roasted meat on a skewer.

Of the skewered meats, one of my favorites was an adana kebap, like those from Musam Ocakbasi just a block or so off Istanbul’s Taksim Square. Adana, or kiyma, kebap is made from ground meat, usually lamb, that gets molded onto a long, flat skewer and grilled over coals. A little crunchy on the outside and moist in the middle, the kebap is served with a warm flatbread and zerzavat, an onion salad (see recipe below). Some places also provide either a yogurt or spicy tomato sauce as well.

I couldn't help but think an adana kebap could translate into something from the Wild Chef freezer, so I did a little research and came up with this recipe using ground venison in place of the lamb. If you mix your ground venison a little heavy on the pork or beef tallow, all the better, as you want to keep the mixture as moist as possible. In the following recipe, I added an egg to help hold everything together.

Venison Adana Kebaps

Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 egg
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped fine
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. salt

Directions
1. Add the ingredients to a large bowl and, using your hands, mix everything together quickly, but thoroughly. Cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors combine and mixture set.

2. Remove the meat mix from the refrigerator and pull off a piece about the size of an egg. Form this tightly and evenly along the length of a flat skewer. (Try to find the widest, flattest skewers you can. These are close to what they use in Turkey, though not exact.) And if you don't have a flat skewer, you can form elongated patties, sort of like a flattened sausage. Repeat with the remaining mix.

3. Place the skewers over a medium-hot fire and grill, turning often, until the outside is a bit charred and the inside is cooked through. Serve with warm flat bread and zerzavat.

Zerzavat

Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, sliced thin
- 1 tsp. sumac
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 lemon wedges

Directions
Mix first four ingredients together and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Contest: What’s Your Secret to Better Venison Burgers?

Sarah Smith — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:08:05 -0400

by David Draper

I’ve run into many hunters, even those who love and live on game meat—except they don’t like venison burgers. “Too dry,” they say. Or, “Won’t stick together.” I’ve even heard grown men who will wolf down a deer steak say that ground venison, pressed and pattied, is “too gamey.”

Humanitarian that I am, and goodwill ambassador of game meat, I’d like to enlighten those poor people who are missing out on one of summer’s best meals: a deer burger cooked over open flame. And I’d like your help. Give me your best tip or secret ingredient for making venison burgers that stick together and taste great. I’ll sort through them and pick a couple of winners.

The best tip or ingredient will receive a great prize package, including a new cast-iron pan from Camp Chef. I’ll also award two runners-up with special game and fish seasoning blends from Hi Mountain Seasonings and Cabela’s.

Tips must be posted in the comment section by 5 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Friday, May 25, to be eligible.

Food Fight Friday: Venison Shanks vs. Turkey Tenders

Sarah Smith — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:36:21 -0400

by David Draper

Although both of these dishes were cooked within the last week or so, stylistically they’re of two very different seasons. The first, a hearty braise of venison shanks, reminds me of winter, when roasting meats is the affair of long days trapped inside. In the second, that icon of April—the wild turkey—is prepared simply and quickly. Served with asparagus and mushrooms, it’s just the thing to get you in the mood for spring.

Braised Venison Shanks

You’re probably tired of hearing this, but I’ll say it again anyway: Venison shanks are the best cut a deer or elk has to offer. Braised long enough, the meat falls off the bone, offering a rich and tasty alternative to plain old pot roast. These were served with a Dijon mustard pan sauce and garlicky cannellini beans and tomatoes. The only thing missing was a big chunk of crusty bread with which to clean my plate.

Spring Pasta With Turkey and Mushrooms

For the traveling turkey hunter, spring is a sleep-deprived blur. I got home from my most recent trip to find a fridge that was virtually empty, save for a bunch of asparagus and some mushrooms, both of which were nearing the end of their lifespan. Luckily, I also had some fresh turkey breasts in tow, from which I peeled the tenders, diced them and served up in a quick and simple pasta before hitting the sack for some much needed sleep.

Think you’ve got a great food photo? Put it to the test in an upcoming Food Fight Friday. Just send you photos, along with a short description, to fswildchef@gmail.com.

The 35 Best Photos From Field & Stream's 2012 Spring Trail Cam Contest: Round II

Dave_Maccar — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:15:02 -0400

Who says trail cams are only fun in the fall? Set yours out this spring, then send us your best photos. You could win a new Bushnell Trophy Cam HD (MSRP $323.95).

Here's how it works. This contest will have three rounds. The first, Round I, began, March 12, and closed on April 12. Round II ran from April 12 to May 12, and Round III from May 14 to June 14. We're giving away three Bushnell Trophy Cam HDs (MSRP: $323.95) in each round, one cam each to the top three entries, as chosen by our editors.

Congrats to users luna, mod70 and Semibald, who each have won a Trophy Cam for their shots in Round II.

So go set your trail cams up already. And have fun! --The Editors

Click here for more info on the prizes.

Click here to enter ROUND III of the 2012 SPRING TRAIL CAM CONTEST

Prepping: Have You Ever Canned Venison?

Sarah Smith — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:58:11 -0400

by David Draper

As obsessed with (and frankly, terrified of) a nuclear disaster as I was when I was young, the whole doomsday madness going on today has pretty much passed me by. Maybe living within sight of an ICBM bunker, one gets used to having an ever-present harbinger of the End Times in your backyard. That, or I’m just too busy to care. Still, there is one thing Wild Chef readers and doomsday preppers have in common: a perhaps unhealthy obsession with food.

The real problem I have with the preppers is the kinds of food they’re putting up. I’m not sure I want to live in a world where I have to eat white rice and something called textured soy protein every day. And what about working your way through a three-month supply of Rice-a-Roni? That thought alone is enough to make me hope my house takes a direct hit from the first Russian SCARP (which, considering the Minuteman missile buried across the road, is not that unlikely).

So, what would I live on should the Mayans be right? Well, there’s probably at least 200 pounds of fish and wild game in the deep freeze that I'll have to do something with before it goes bad. That means making a lot of jerky, corned venison and other salt- and/or smoked-cured meats.

Putting all that meat up will probably also mean canning some of it. Sadly, canned venison, or any other meat for that matter, is something I don’t have much experience with, other than eating a jar of it late one night at some backwoods Pennsylvania bar. I remember it was pretty tasty, though that might be more due the state I was in at the time.

So I’m thinking about canning some of my wild game, more because I need to make room in the freezer than for any sort of doomsday prepping. Have any of you done it, and if so, what tips can you share? Is it worth the time and trouble?

5 Tips For Safer Summer Grilling

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:54:13 -0400

by David Draper

I know for many Wild Chef readers every season is grilling season, but the rest of the world is just now getting fired up to grill. Cooking over coals (or propane if you must) doesn’t just happen at home; summer also means grilling in the great outdoors. Whether you’re putting the fire to fish, wild game, or tamer fare, either at home or away, here are five tips for safer grilling this summer.

1. If you’re picnicking, pack along a minimum of three gallons of clean water. When handling raw meat, you’ll need to wash your hands, and utensils, regularly -- and you can’t always count on having water handy in the woods. Make sure to have plenty of paper towels, extra dishcloths, or moist towelettes along as well.

2. Have a couple of cutting boards at the ready so you can use a different one for meats and veggies. Same goes for serving platters and plates. Cross contamination is one of the leading causes of food poisoning.

3. Keep food cold. Bacteria starts growing at temperatures above 40 degrees so don’t pull the meat out of the fridge or cooler until just before you throw it on the grill.

4. If at all possible, thaw frozen meat -- especially poultry -- slowly in the refrigerator or, if you must, in sealed packages submerged in cold (never warm or hot) water. Thawing meat on the kitchen counter is an invitation for bacteria to thrive.

5. The most important grilling tool in your arsenal is a good, reliable food thermometer. It’s safer, not to mention easier and more reliable, than cutting into the meat (and losing all those tasty juices). Make sure to know the FDA’s recommended minimum temperatures for the meat your cooking.

Do you have any other tips for safer, and easier grilling this summer? If so, let’s hear them.

The 50 Best Field & Stream Reader Photos from April 2012

Dave_Maccar — Wed, 02 May 2012 09:25:49 -0400

Each month, Field & Stream editors review the hundreds of photos submitted by readers to our Trophy Room. If your photo is chosen to be printed in the Game Faces section of the magazine, you’ll win a Rapala Fish ‘N Fillet knife!

Submit your photos here!

Here are the other best reader photo collections from this year:

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

Do Rutting Bucks Really Taste Different?

Sarah Smith — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:21:35 -0400

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.

However, I’m betting Wild Chef readers have some strong, and varying, opinions on this subject. As well as some great ideas for helping Chris turn his unappetizing venison into some delicious dishes. Read Chris’s e-mail and my response, then post your comments below.

I have a question for you: Do you have a lot of experience with meat from old, rutting bucks? This past year I took what was hands down the oldest deer of my life, and it was during the peak of the rut. The meat has a smell and taste that is not really appetizing. I’ve generally always taken does and the meat was fine, but then I’ve generally always taken them to a processor too. Last year’s buck was the first one I’ve really worked up on my own, start to finish, so I’m wondering if I did or didn’t do something that might have contributed to the smell and taste. I’ve always heard that an old, rutting buck won’t taste good, but I hear a lot of things, if you know what I mean.
Thanks,
Chris

My response:
There could be a number of factors at play here: the deer’s age, the rut, the butchering. Did the meat or the deer smell rank when you were cutting it? I shot a buck and two does last fall in the peak of the rut and they all had a strong “rutty” odor to them (yes, even the does). It was the first time I had encountered that. While the meat does have a distinct taste, it’s not too off-putting thankfully. However, it’s not the sweet meat I’m used to eating. You might try soaking the meat in milk or buttermilk before you cook it up. That might help the taste. Jerky or sausage is another way to make use of less than desirable cuts. Good luck.

Food Fight Friday: Mexican Stew vs. Ethiopian BBQ

Sarah Smith — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:45:05 -0400

by David Draper

Last week, Wild Chef reader Levi Banks gave us some great-looking Southwestern-inspired venison steaks, but this week he’s hopped the pond to Africa. His wife’s Ethiopian-style barbecue venison looks amazing and is cooked to perfection. I’m even intrigued by the purple cauliflower, which I’m betting tastes as unique as it looks. Still, I’m in it to win it, so he’ll have to face off against what might be my all-time favorite dish—guisada, prepared here with pronghorn.

David Draper’s Pronghorn Guisada

Translated from Spanish, guisada means stew, although most refer to carne guisada as meat gravy. I first found a recipe for venison guisada in the NRA Members Wild Game Cookbook many years ago, though I’ve since adapted and refined that original version. Of all the meats I’ve made this with -- and I’ve tried about everything -- pronghorn is the best. Something about the meat’s flavor lends itself to Tex-Mex recipes. Check back next week for a recipe.

Levi Banks’ Barbecued Venison with Plum Sauce and Pan Roasted Cauliflower

We are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia, so we decided we had better learn about the country—and what better way than by learning about the food. My wife worked for a few hours and dirtied a lot of dishes to make this. She had to make a few substitutions (no fresh plums or tamarind paste), but it was worth it. It's based on a recipe that used beef from The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa.

Don’t let Levi hog the spotlight. I know you’ve got some great wild game photos to share. Just send them fswildchef@gmail.com and we’ll feature them here.

Wild Sides: Squash and Broccoli Bake

Sarah Smith — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:24:01 -0400

by David Draper

The recipe would probably be more appropriate posted in the fall, but the other day, in my root cellar, I (literally) stumbled over a milk crate full of spaghetti squash that I’d overlooked all winter. Normally I use the pasta substitute as a delivery system for some marinara or venison ragù, but here they were, forgotten in the basement. Suffice to say, I’ll be cooking a lot of squash in the coming weeks and will be trying some new recipes, like this simple squash-and-vegetable bake.

Squash and Broccoli Bake

Ingredients:
-1 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise
-1 tsp. salt
-1 small head broccoli, rinsed and chopped
-2 Tbsp. olive oil
-1 Tbsp. butter
-1 medium onion, diced
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
-1 ½ tsp. dried parsley
-1 ½ tsp. dried thyme
-Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove seeds and pulp from one of the squash halves. (Bag and save second half for later use.) Salt and pepper the open face of the squash. Place the squash open-side down in an oven-safe baking dish. Add water to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake in oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the tip of a knife pierces the skin easily.

2. Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tsp. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add broccoli and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes to set color. Drain and reserve.

3. Heat olive oil and butter in a sauté pan set over medium heat. Add onion and cook until just translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss drained broccoli with onions and garlic and sauté briefly. Remove from heat.

4. When the squash is cooked, remove it from the oven. Using a fork, pull the meat from the squash, transferring it to a large bowl. Toss the squash with the broccoli, onions, and garlic. Stir in the Parmesan, along with the herbs and salt and pepper. Scoop mix back into the squash half and place in the oven. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.