Wild Game Recipes for Deer Season

The back and saddle of the venison are the most tender cuts, and the shoulder and leg should be used for long-cooking recipes such as stews or chili. Tougher cuts can be tenderized by marinating or cooking them in acidic ingredients such as wine, vinegar, or tomatoes. Herbs and spices such as oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice can help disguise a strong-tasting meat. Since venison is a lean meat, some additional fat may be needed, such as olive oil, beef or chicken broth, or a small amount of smoked bacon or pancetta. I’d avoid cooking the meat rare and recommend a pink interior so the internal temperature will be higher. Like lamb, venison should be served immediately before the fat congeals.

Storing and Freezing

Venison can either be hung at 36-40°F to age (break down the cells) or wrapped and aged in the freezer. The game should be wrapped in small packages to avoid excess raw meat. The meat will stay fresh for up to 12 months at 0°F if it is double-wrapped in freezer paper, avoiding freezer burn. Once defrosted, the meat should be cooked within 24 hours unless it’s in a marinade. Ground meats should be used sooner.

Venison Stew with Dried Cranberries

The dried cranberries add a delicious sweetness and texture to this stew.

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless venison stew meat – cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 large onion — peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic — minced1
• 1/2 cups dry red wine (white wine will also work)
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted beef flavored broth (I use Health Valley natural beef broth, which is without lard)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup dried cranberries (see above)
• dash olive oil
• 2 cups mushrooms — thinly sliced (I use brown crimini mushrooms, but plain button or wild mushrooms are also good)
• chopped parsley  

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat the venison pieces dry with a paper towel. In a plastic bag toss the venison and the flour until the meat is coated. Remove the meat, shaking loose any excess flour.
2. In a large skillet sauté the venison in the tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat until the pieces are brown and crisp. Place in a covered, shallow casserole, using at least a 3-quart size. In the same skillet, sauté the onions briefly in the teaspoon of oil until they start to brown. Add the garlic and sauté 30 seconds, then add the wine, beef broth, and the spices.
3. Heat until boiling and pour into the casserole.
4. Stir in the dried cranberries, cover, and bake for 1 1/2 hours. While the stew is baking, sauté the mushrooms briefly in the skillet and set aside. Start the root vegetables.
5. After 1 1/2 hours, remove the stew from the oven and stir in the sautéed mushrooms. Check to see if the meat is tender and if the gravy needs additional liquid. Return the covered casserole to the oven for another 20 minutes or so. Serve over mashed root vegetables. Top with chopped parsley.

Mashed Root Vegetables:

• 6 large brown potatoes (such as russet) — peeled and sliced into 1/2 -inch circles
• 3 large rutabagas — peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch circles
• 2 medium turnips — scrubbed and sliced into 1/2-inch circles
• 2 tablespoons butter (the amount can be reduced if you want lower-fat vegetables)
• 3 cloves garlic– minced
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup hot vegetable water or low-fat milk 

1. In a large soup pot, place a vegetable steamer and 1 1/2 inches of water. Lay the potatoes, rutabagas, and turnips on the steamer. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, until the vegetables are tender. (Check after about 30 minutes to make sure there’s still enough water in the pot.)
2. In a small pan sauté the garlic in butter for about 30 seconds. Add the seasonings and set aside.
3. When the vegetables are done, pour out the water into a measuring cup. Dump the vegetables into the pot and mash with a potato masher.
4. Add the butter mixture and a little vegetable water at a time until your vegetables are mashed potato consistency. It will be slightly lumpy, so if you prefer a smooth texture, use a hand electric mixer.

Venison Chili

If you want your chili Texas-style, have the venison ground more coarsely or do it yourself in a food processor or meat grinder.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds ground venison (depending on how meaty you like it)
• 4 large cloves garlic — minced
• 1/4 teaspoon jalapeno pepper (1 small pepper)– seeded and minced
• 1 large onion — chopped
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes with liquid
• 1/4 cup tomato paste (freeze the rest in a baggy)
• 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon each: ground coriander, dried basil, ground cumin, dried oregano, sugar
• 2 15-ounce cans red (or kidney) beans — rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium red pepper — diced
• 1 poblano or green pepper (or 2 peppers if you like more vegetables)
• optional toppings: low fat sour cream or yogurt, grated cheddar cheese, chopped green or red onions, chopped cilantro

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat, add the venison, and sauté until browned.
2. Stir in the garlic, hot pepper, and onions and sauté until limp.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the sweet pepper, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Add the sweet peppers and simmer covered about another 30 minutes until they’re tender. Add additional salt, seasonings, and water as needed. Serve with toppings if desired.

Venison Steaks

These lean steaks take only a few minutes to prepare. The secret to a tender venison steak is to not overcook it.

• 4 venison steaks (about 1 pound) — sliced no thicker than 1/2 inch
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic — peeled and smashed
• 2 small onions — peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices
• 1 cup mushrooms — thinly sliced (wild mushrooms, shiitake, or other varieties may be used) — optional
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano salt, dash cayenne pepper, and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (or dry white wine)

1. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels.
2. In a large skillet sauté the garlic, onion, and mushrooms (if used) on medium-high heat until they start to brown. Remove from pan, leaving oil in pan.
3. Add the butter, and heat again over medium-high heat. Before the butter starts to brown, sear the steaks on one side, letting them cook about 1 minute. Season with the oregano, salt, cayenne, and pepper, and flip over. Quickly sauté the steaks for another 1 to 2 minutes until they’re pink but not bloody on the inside.
4. Top with the vegetables and the sherry. Cook for 30 seconds. Serve immediately with wild rice.

Venison Jerky

Every year my relatives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, prepare this jerky immediately after dressing the deer, using up the small scraps. The meat needs to marinate 24 hours before baking.

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup tamari soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup A-1 Steak Sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (hickory flavor)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1. Whisk ingredients together. Set aside.
2. You’ll need 1 1/2 pounds of venison meat, trimmed of all fat and connective tissues. Partially freeze the meat.
3. Slice (along the grain) 1/4-inch slices that are about 4 to 6 inches long. Lay the strips in a crisscross pattern in a large zipper-seal freezer bag or covered plastic container. Pour the marinade over the venison. Marinate 24 hours, turning the meat over at least twice.
4. Remove from the bag and drain on paper towels. Lay the slices on a meat rack or on the oven rack with a drip pan or heavy duty foil underneath it.
5. Bake at 200°F for about 4 hours until firm. (The meat gets harder after it cools.)
6. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.