One of bowhunting’s major benefits is outstanding table fare. Venison is bowhunting’s most readily available meat, and arguably its most delicious. If you notched a tag last fall and put meat in your freezer, or someone was kind enough to share venison with you, many great meals await this winter.
The recipes that follow use different venison cuts, and each recipe could easily become a favorite.
The backstraps and inner loins on deer and elk are generally considered their prime cuts. These muscle groups yield tender meat free of fat, tallow or connective tissues. This unbelievably delicious recipe from Realtree’s “Timber 2 Table” blog makes a simple dish from prime cuts.
Ingredients:
Venison steak
2 to 3 tablespoons duck fat
Fresh rosemary
Greek seasoning
Garlic salt
Directions:
Apply garlic salt and Greek seasoning to the meat.
Heat a medium to large cast-iron skillet.
Add duck fat and heat.
Sear the steak on one side for about four minutes and flip.
Add fresh rosemary sprigs.
Spoon the rosemary-infused duck fat over the steak while it sears another three to four minutes.
Click here to see the full recipe and a step-by-step video.
Trimmings from roasts, prime cuts and smaller muscle groups in the front and rear quarters make good chunk-cubed meat if they aren’t ground into burger. These are quality cuts too small to make into steaks. This recipe adapts one of Steph Gaudreau’s outstanding healthy-eating dishes. It’s one of my favorites for pronghorn, but it’s equally tasty when using other venison.
Ingredients:
1 to 2 pounds of chuck-cubed venison
¼ cup arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ghee
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sweet (Hungarian) paprika
1 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 cups beef, chicken or bone broth
1 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
Combine salt, arrowroot and pepper, and coat the meat.
Melt ghee in a soup pot on medium heat.
Once up to temp, add the meat and cook until it has a good crust.
Remove meat from the pot and set aside.
Add onions to the pot and cook 10 minutes.
Add paprika and caraway seeds to the onions and stir.
Return meat to the pot and add ½ cup of broth, then stir.
Add remaining broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 90 minutes.
Optional addition:With 15 to 20 minutes remaining, add fresh mushrooms and/or small cube-cut sweet potatoes.
Click here for the full recipe.
When processing meat, you’ll make cuts and trimmings too small or tough for use as steaks, roasts or chunk-cubed dishes. Turn these leftovers into jerky or sausage, or grind them into burger. Venison burger can be used in traditional burger dishes like tacos or spaghetti, but the dish below is a bit more fun. It’s from Realtree’s “Timber 2 Table” blog, and it’s a great way to introduce venison to those who haven’t tried it before.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground venison
2/3 cup diced garlic chives
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons canola oil
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 package of round Chinese dumpling wraps
Directions:
Mix the ground venison, chives and ginger in a bowl.
In a separate bowl mix oils, salt, pepper, stock, vinegar and soy sauce.
Combine the liquid with the meat and mix well.
Wet the edges of a dumpling wrap with water.
Fill the dumpling with a spoonful of meat.
Fold the dumpling and pinch the edges tightly to seal.
Steam for 20 minutes using a wok and bamboo steamer.
Serve with soy or teriyaki sauce for dipping.
Click here to see the full recipe and a step-by-step video.