This Week’s Featured Recipes

15 nov 06

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CB900f’s House Chili

·        1 lb. burger, antelope preferred

·        1 small onion, diced

·        1 clove garlic, minced or crushed

·        1 28-oz. can of diced tomatoes

·        1 28-oz. can dark red kidney beans

·        1 16-oz. can tomato sauce

·        1 4-oz. can green chilies, diced 1/2 cup diced green pepper

·        1 tsp. black pepper

·        1 tsp. salt

·        1 tsp. sage

·        1/4 cup chili powder

·        1/4 cup olive oil

Optional Ingredients:

·     1 7-oz. can Herdez salsa verde

·     1/2 bottle beer (cook must dispose of other half of the bottle whilst making the chili)

·     Cayenne pepper to taste

Antelope burger is very lean, so I brown it in about 1/4 cup of olive oil. If you use beef burger, you won't need the oil. Add chopped onion to browning hamburger and grate about 1 tsp. fresh black pepper into it. Brown till onion is clear and there is no pink in the burger. 

Drain burger. Add other ingredients and spices. Bring to low boil for 10-15 minutes, then turn down to simmer. While simmering, make fresh cornbread.

Beat ravenous family members and friends off with large stick while cornbread bakes. Uncap bottles of beer and put in freezer for last 10-15 minutes before serving. Defend fridge with stick also. Do not enlist help defending beer; they will betray you.

CB900f’s Notes and Comments:

·        Don't use Wesson or canola oil; use olive.  When you drain the burger, olive oil will take the saturated fats along with it, vegetable oil won't. 

·        We grow our own peppers, several varieties, in our garden & frequently use those instead of canned peppers.

·        With the salsa verde, you probably won't want cayenne pepper & may not want it in any case.

·        I use chili powder rated 'hot'

·        Do not use garlic salt or powder.

Cornbread

Instead of a cast-iron skillet, a greased, round or square cake pan can be used.

·        2 cups cornmeal

·        2 cups all-purpose flour

·        1/2 tsp. salt

·        2 Tbsp. baking powder

·        2 eggs

·        1 cup margarine, melted

·        4 cups buttermilk

In a large bowl mix together the corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder.

In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, butter and buttermilk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.

Heat a dry 12-inch cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add corn oil to skillet, swirl oil around to coat bottom and sides. Leave remaining oil in pan. Return to high heat for 1 minute.

Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and cook on high heat until bubbles start to form in the center. Remove from stove.

Cold-Smoked Game Birds

The techniques described below can also be used for small game such as rabbits. Birds smoked in this manner have a firm, dry texture and are often served as an appetizer.

Brine:

·        2 quarts spring water

·        3/4 cup pickling salt

·        1/2 cup brown sugar

·        1/4 cup maple syrup

·        3 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

·        1 Tbsp. pickling spice

In medium ceramic, glass or plastic mixing bowl, combine all brine ingredients, stirring until salt is dissolved. Add birds. Place a small ceramic plate on top of birds to submerge them completely. Brine birds in refrigerator at least 8 hours or overnight, turning once.

Remove birds from brine; pat dry. Air dry for 1/2 hour. Smoke according to manufacturer’s instructions; upland game birds (use apple or alder) for 2-3 hours, ducks (use cherry or hickory) for 3-4 hours.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. If birds have skin on, roast uncovered until desired doneness, about 1 hour. If birds have been skinned, cover them with cheesecloth that has been saturated with butter, or with slices of bacon. Serve birds hot or cold.

29 nov 06

Jaeger Schnitzel

Schnitzel is the German word for “cutlet” and describes meat that is dipped in egg, breaded and fried. “Jaeger,” or “hunter’s style,” means that the schnitzel is served with a mushroom gravy.

Gravy:

·        1 Tbsp. butter

·        1/4 cup finely-chopped shallots or onion

·        8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

·        1/2 cup dry sherry

·        2 cups beef or venison stock

·        1/4 cup all-purpose four

·        1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

Other Ingredients:

·        1/3 cup all-purpose flour

·        1/2 tsp. coarsely-ground pepper

·        1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

·        1 lb. boneless venison loin steaks, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness

·        2 eggs, slightly beaten

·        1/2 cup dry, unseasoned bread crumbs

·        3 Tbsp. oil

·        1 Tbsp. lemon juice

·        Lemon wedges or slices

For gravy, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and sherry. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.

In two-cup measure, combine stock and 1/4 cup flour. Gradually stir stock mixture into pan. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt. Set aside and keep warm.

In shallow dish, combine 1/3 cup flour, the pepper and 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt. Dredge steaks in flour mixture to coat. Dip steaks in eggs, then dredge in bread crumbs. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook steaks for 4 to 6 minutes, or until browned, turning steaks over once.

Sprinkle steaks evenly with juice. Serve with gravy and lemon wedges.

Jaegermeister Lemon Steaks

The distinct flavor of Jaegermeister liqueur is an appropriate partner to the robustness of venison. This recipe is for people who like lots of flavor.

·        1 lb. venison loin steaks, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness

·        Coarsely-ground pepper

·        1 tsp. salt (coarse salt works best, but table salt is acceptable)

·        4 Tbsp. butter

·        4 Tbsp. Jaegermeister liqueur

·        1/4 cup finely-chopped onion

·        1/4 cup lemon juice

·        1 Tbsp. snipped, fresh parsley

Generously sprinkle both sides of steaks with pepper and pat pepper into meat. Sprinkle salt evenly in heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat skillet over medium-high heat just until salt begins to brown.

Add steaks. Cook for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until steaks are well-browned on bottom. Turn steaks over. Reduce heat to medium-low. Top each steak with 1 Tbsp. butter and sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp. Jaegermeister. Add onion to skillet. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until meat is desired doneness, stirring onion constantly.

Remove steaks from skillet. Set aside and keep warm. Add juice to skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan. Increase heat to medium. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is slightly reduced, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley. Serve sauce over steaks.

13 dec 06

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On a cold, gray winter day, it’s hard to beat a lunch of soup and sandwiches.

Broccoli-Cheese Soup

From Paula Reynolds of Havre

·        1 large bag frozen broccoli

·        1 to 2 tsp. chicken bouillon granules

·        1 can cream-of-chicken soup

·        1 large container of cottage cheese

·        Water, as needed

·        Milk, as needed

·        *Optional – finely-chopped green onion and/or celery

Use a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add bag of frozen broccoli and add small amount of water to steam broccoli in pot. If desired, add green onion or celery at this time. When broccoli is steamed and soft, add 1 to 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules, then mash broccoli with a potato masher. Add about 1/2 cup or so of water and simmer for a few minutes.

In blender, puree can of cream-of-chicken soup and large container of cottage cheese; you may need to add a little milk in order to help liquefy. Add soup/cottage cheese mixture to broccoli, then add milk until soup is desired thickness. Heat through.

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Big Game Sandwich Filling

·        2 cups diced cooked big game

·        1 can (4-1/2 oz.) deviled ham

·        1/4 cup coarsely-chopped onion

·        1/4 tsp. salt

·        1/8 tsp. pepper

·        1/4 to 1/2 cup venison stock or beef broth

In food processor* combine game, deviled ham, onion, salt and pepper. Chop to desired consistency. Add stock gradually to chopped meat until moistened to spreadable consistency.

*You may prepare Big Game Sandwich Filling with meat grinder instead of food processor. In large mixing bowl, combine game, deviled ham, onion, salt and pepper. Mix well. Grind to desired consistency. Add stock gradually to ground meat until moistened to spreadable consistency.

27dec06

Turn your New Year’s Eve gathering into a memorable event with these appetizers.

Venison Satay With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Satay is an Indonesian favorite consisting of marinated meat threaded on skewers, grilled or broiled and served with a spicy peanut sauce for dipping.

·        1 lb. venison steaks, well-trimmed, cut into 4-inch strips (4x1/2x1/4)

·        1/4 cup rice vinegar

·        1/4 cup soy sauce

·        12 wooden skewers (6-inch)

Peanut Sauce:

·        1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

·        2 Tbsp. water

·        2 Tbsp. soy sauce

·        2 Tbsp. rice vinegar

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        2 tsp. grated fresh gingerroot

·        1 tsp. sugar

·        1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

·        1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce (optional)

In shallow dish, combine venison strips, vinegar and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Soak skewers in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain.

In small mixing bowl, combine sauce ingredients. Set aside.

Drain and discard marinade from meat strips. Evenly thread strip, accordion-style, on skewers. Spray rack on broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray such as Pam. Arrange skewers on prepared rack. Place skewers under broiler with surface of meat four to five inches from heat. Broil for four to five minutes, or until meat is no longer pink, turning skewers over once. Skewers of meat may also be broiled on a hibachi or grill.

Serve skewers hot with peanut sauce.

Fish Toastettes

·        1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·        1/4 cup finely-chopped almonds

·        1/4 cup water

·        1 egg

·        2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley

·        1 Tbsp. cornstarch

·        1 tsp. soy sauce

·        1/2 tsp. salt

·        1/2 tsp. sugar

·        1/4 tsp. sesame oil

·        1/4 lb. walleye, northern pike or perch fillets, about 1/2-inch thick

·        5 slices white bread

In medium bowl, mix flour almonds, water, egg, parsley, soy sauce, salt, sugar and oil. Cut fillets into 20 pieces. Stir into four mixture.

10 jan 07

Herbed Meatloaf

Meatloaf:

·        1 lb. ground venison, crumbled

·        1/2 lb. ground pork

·        3/4 cup dry seasoned stuffing mix

·        1 small onion, finely chopped

·        1/3 cup celery, finely chopped

·        1 egg, beaten

·        2 cloves garlic, minced

·        3/4 tsp. salt

·        1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

·        1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

·        1/4 tsp. pepper

Sauce:

·        3 Tbsp. finely-chopped shallots

·        1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

·        1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

·        1 cup ready-to-serve beef broth

·        1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves

·        1/8 tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 5x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. In large mixing bowl, combine meatloaf ingredients. Press mixture into pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until meat is firm and internal temperature reads 150 degrees. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, combine shallots and butter in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat for two to three minutes, or until shallots are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually blend in broth, thyme and pepper. Cook for two to three minutes, or until gravy thickens and bubbles, stirring constantly. Serve meatloaf with gravy.

Mediterranean Stew

·        3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

·        2 medium onions, sliced

·        3 cloves garlic, minced

·        2 lbs. venison, cut into 1-inch cubes

·        1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·        3-1/2 cups beef or venison stock

·        3/4 cup dry red wine

·        1/4 cup lemon juice

·        1 bay leaf

·        1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed

·        1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

·        1/4 tsp. pepper

·        2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced

·        8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced

·        1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

·        1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives

·        2 tsp. grated lemon peel

·        1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

In 6-quart Dutch oven or stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic cook for three to five minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions to bowl. Set aside.

Increase heat to medium high. In same pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add venison. Cook for four to six minutes, or until meat is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Using slotted spoon, transfer venison to bowl with onions. Set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Stir in flour. Gradually blend in stock, wine and juice, whisking until smooth. Stir in bay leaf, rosemary, thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Return onions and venison to pot. Return to a boil. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for one house, stirring occasionally.

Stir in fennel and mushrooms. Increase heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and stew is thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley, olives, peel and salt. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garnish with chopped Roma tomatoes, if desired.

24 January 2007

Italian Venison

From Mike Vandevoir of Tennessee

Ingredients:

·        Deer steaks

·        Egg for dipping

·        Italian-flavored breadcrumbs

·        Oil for frying

·        Spaghetti or Marinara sauce

·        Shredded Mozzarella cheese

·        Cooked pasta, rice or mashed potatoes

Take some deer steaks and tenderize them with a meat hammer. Dip them in beaten egg and dredge in Italian flavored breadcrumbs.  Fry in 1/2-inch of hot oil. Put steaks on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Get yourself a baking dish, some spaghetti sauce (homemade or in the jar, I prefer to use more of a marinara sauce as it's thicker) and shredded mozzarella cheese.  In the bottom of the dish, put down a thin layer of the sauce, then the deer steaks. Cover with the rest of the sauce and put the cheese on top of that.

Now pop the baking dish into the oven at about 300 until the sauce is warmed up and the cheese is melted into a nice goo. Serve over pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. Add some nice warm garlic bread, a salad and a nice bottle of red wine.

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Poor Man’s Lobster

From Murray Schmidt of Saskatchewan

Ingredients:

·        1 Northern pike

·        Water

·        Butter

·        1 bay leaf*

·        Lemon Juice*

·        Apple cider vinegar*

·        Cocktail sauce*

*These ingredients are optional see below

This is just the ticket after a day of ice fishing. Fillet a northern pike, using the 5-fillet or another method. Be sure to remove all bones, including the dreaded Y-bones.

Place pike in water and bring to a boil. Drain off this water, as it will have a fatty scum. Replace water and boil until cooked; you might wish to add a bit of flavor such as a bay leaf or a shot-glass-full of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. When the fish is done, drain and serve with melted butter for dipping.

The fish can also be cooled and used with a seafood sauce and lettuce to make a great "shrimp cocktail." I like the type of sauce that has a mix of tomato and horseradish.