Quick Tip for the Week

12 jul 06 

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Sharp points penetrate better and catch more fish than dull ones. Most fishermen do not bother to sharpen their fish hooks. When a point breaks or becomes dull, they simply tie on a new hook. But a new hook is not necessarily a sharp hook.

Cheap hooks are usually made of soft, low-grade steel and are poorly sharpened. Even a new, high-quality hook dulls quickly, or the tip of the point bends or breaks when dragged over rocks or rough debris. Examine your hook frequently to see if it needs sharpening.

Many anglers carry honing stones or flat files in their tackle boxes for touching up hook points. The usual sharpening method is to hone the point to a round, conical shape. Do not make the point too thin because it may break when setting the hook into a hard-mouthed fish.

A method that is becoming more popular is called "triangular sharpening." A point with three cutting edges penetrates better than a cone-shaped point.

Triangular Sharpening Method

Flatten the outside edge of the point using a hook file. Begin filing at the barb and work toward the point of the hook.

File one side of the point, beginning at the barb. Remove enough metal so the side is flat and slanted toward the inside of your point.

 Turn the hook and file the other side of the point in the same manner. When completed, the point should be three-sided.

These hooks, magnified 15 times actual size, include (top to bottom) a new hook, a hook that has been fished on a rocky bottom and a hook sharpened by the triangular sharpening method.

26 jul 06

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Fish cooked over an open fire is delicious; however, they are easily
overcooked when the fire is too hot. Keep the fire small and the heat
under control. The best woods are hardwoods such as maple, birch,
apple, hickory, beech or other varieties. They burn well and give fish a
pleasant flavor. Softwoods such as pine, spruce and hemlock impart an
unpleasant taste.

Cook whole fish over an open fire with the head and tail intact to help
seal in juices. Keeping the skin on a fillet holds it in one piece and shields
it from intense heat. If the skin is removed, protect the fillet with
aluminum foil cut to size.

How To Cook Fish On Grate Over An Open Fire

• Brush the grate and fish with oil, melted margarine or butter. Lean fish
need more basting than oily fish, such as large trout.

• Spread the hot coals. Put the fish on the grate when all flame has died
out. Place fillets skin side down, or skinless fillets on foil cut to size.

• Cook fish on one side, turn; baste with oil, margarine or butter. Do not
turn fillets with skin. Cook the second side. Cooking time varies due to
many factors, but a good rule of thumb would be 5 minutes per inch of
thickness for the first side, slightly less for the second side. For whole
fish, cook second side slightly longer than first side.

• Test the fish for doneness by probing with a fork; insert into the
thickest part of fish and twist the tines. Flesh should be opaque and flake
easily. Cook longer, if necessary.

• If you need to protect fish from rain or cool weather, test the fish with a
hood of heavy-duty aluminum foil. A tent also reflects the heat.

Other Tips For Open Fire Cooking

• A small fire is important. If it is too large, fish will burn on the outside,
but will be raw on the inside. Gather an ample supply of dry twigs and
add them to the fire at regular intervals to provide even heat.

• Hot coals are best for open fire cooking with a grate. Build a large fire
and let it burn down. Start to cook when the flames are out. Spread the
glowing coals roughly into the shape of the fish.

• Steam fish by wrapping securely in greased, heavy-duty aluminum foil.
Place the package on hot coals or grate. Turn fish one or two times and
check often for doneness.

Roast small whole fish over an open fire by impaling it on the sharpened
end of a sturdy, green hardwood stick. Cook until flesh at backbone
flakes easily. Cool slightly and eat in a corn-on-the-cob fashion.

23 aug 06

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Beer and bratwurst are traditionally the essence of German gastronomy, but there is certainly more to German cooking than that. There is a flavor to Germany’s food that is unlike that of any other country. German cooking has an unmistakable taste that depends on highly-flavored ingredients combined in original ways, with less spice and garlic used than in other European countries.

The German hausfrau is economically-minded even in today’s affluent society. Not every meal contains meat, and the humble potato is used in many interesting ways – combined with apple, pears, grated raw into pancakes or cooked with caraway seeds. The main meal is usually served in the middle of the day and is either a meat dish or a high-protein cheese or lentil dish followed by a sweet or fruit. Supper is kept quite simple; a selection of cold meats, sausages and salads, and a variety of breads and rolls.

On special occasions, traditional meals are cooked; perhaps the most famous of these is sauerkraut, cooked in white wine, cider, beer or champagne or flavored with Kirsch and served with frankfurters, pickled pork, garlic sausage and new boiled potatoes. 

Next week, we’ll take a look at the regional nature of German food, and how the different regions of Germany directly influence the cooking there.

6 sep 06

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Home-pickled fish are delicious. They are as good as, if not better than, the pickled herring sold in the grocery stores. Pickled fish can be eaten with crackers or on its own, and is usually the first item to disappear from the appetizer tray.

Practically any kind of fish can be pickled, but small fish with delicate flesh generally work better than large fish with coarse meat. Bony fish, such as northern pike, are often pickled because the acid in the pickling liquid helps dissolve small bones. Remove heavy rib bones and, if you wish, remove the skin and lateral line. Cut the fish into bite-sized chunks, 1 to 1-1/2 inches.

Fresh, uncooked fish should be frozen for at least 48 hours before pickling, in case the meat contains tapeworms. Seldom is this a problem, but the broadfish tapeworm, found mainly in Canada, can be transmitted to humans and produce symptoms much like intestinal flu. If a recipe recommends cooking fish in the brine, there is no need to freeze the meat first.

There are dozens of different pickling techniques. Generally, the fish is soaked in a vinegar/salt brine and then in a pickling liquid consisting of vinegar, sugar and seasonings. Total brining and pickling time varies from 4-20 days, depending on the recipe. When brining, keep fish submerged in the brine by placing a plate over the fish and a heavy object on the plate. This ensures that all of the fish is pickled.

Use high-quality soft water in the brine solution; too much iron or sulfide adversely affects the flavor of fish. Buy bottled water, if necessary. The brine calls for pickling salt because table salt has bitter impurities that discolor the fish and affect the taste. Use a good-quality, distilled white vinegar that has at least 5% acetic acid content. Vinegar slows spoilage.

Normally, the fish are packed in canning jars (with two-part sealing lids. Pickling containers can also include glass bowls or peanut butter or mayonnaise jars. Cover containers tightly with plastic wrap or non-corrodible lids.

White onion, lemon and/or pimiento slices in the jars add flavor and color. The sugar and spices contribute little to fish preservation of fish and are often adjusted to suit taste. Whole cloves add a pleasant flavor. You can also make “cream style” pickled fish by draining off the brine before serving, then adding a sour cream and sugar mixture (1 tablespoon sugar to 1 cup sour cream).

20 sep 06

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Fresh big game sausage is surprisingly easy to make at home. All of the recipes to be printed can be used as uncased sausages and require no special equipment other than a food processor or meat grinder.

You can use any big game cut to make sausage; the meat does not have to be tender. The best choices are cuts that might be tough if cooked whole, such as flank, shoulder or brisket. Scraps left over after cutting up a big game animal work very well.

Fatty pork is often added to the trimmed game meat to make sausage. If you prefer sausage game meat only, you still need to add fat. Ask your butcher for hard pork fat from the outside of the loin. Be sure to specify hard pork back fat when you order; tell the butcher what you’ll be using it for to be sure you get the right thing. Back fat is not the same as fatback, which is fat that has been salted and dried.

A ratio of one part fat to three or four parts game meat produces a juicy, flavorful sausage. To produce the best texture, keep the fat and meat very cold during chopping or grinding. Avoid substituting lard for hard fat; lard is too soft and will produce a greasy sausage.

Keep meat grinder blades sharp when grinding meat for sausage. Dull blades squeeze juices from the meat, resulting in dry, less-flavorful sausage. If your grinder slows down during use, or if the texture of the meat suddenly becomes fine and mushy, partially disassemble the grinder and check the blades and plate. Sinew and other tough material can get caught in the mechanism, causing poor performance. Clean the blade and plate, then continue.

Experiment with small batches to find a sausage recipe you like, then double or triple the recipe to make a big batch. It’s best to under-season sausage somewhat, then fry up a small patty and taste it. Add any additional seasonings or salt if necessary.

04 OCT 06

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18 oct 06

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From Pronghorn Hunting, by Toby Bridges and Don Oster

Even the most experienced antelope hunters can have trouble field judging trophy animals. Once on the ground, pronghorn bucks have provided the successful hunter with plenty of surprises, both pleasant and not so pleasant, as the measuring tape reveals the truth. So-called “ground shrinkage is reasonably common with all big game animals, but tends to occur more where antelope trophies are concerned.

Hunters who aspire to bag a trophy buck must be have the dedication, time and patience to inspect, stalk and pass up many good animals until they fine one truly exceptional head. The hunter must be prepared to carry home an unused tag if waiting for the right opportunity results in no antelope taken.

Following are a few tips to more-accurately judge pronghorns in the field. These tips should give you some insight to the class of buck you are looking at through your optics.

·        The most difficult judgment is the length of the main beam, due mostly to extreme variations in their curvature and shape. Bucks with nearly straight horns often appear bigger than a buck with very inward- or backward-hooked tips. Begin to determine horn length by comparing the length of the horn to the length of the ears. The average adult pronghorn buck’s ear – from base to tip – generally measures 5-1/2 to 6 inches in length. Provided you are looking at a buck with horns that appear to be 2-1/2 ear-lengths long, you’ve found a really good buck with horns of around 15 inches. A good cross-check is to establish where the bottom of the prong is in relation to the tip of the ear. If it sits well above and there is as much main beam above the prong as below, you’re onto a trophy with real potential.

·        Judge prongs by ear length. If the prong, measured from the rear of the main beam to the tip, appears to be nearly equal to the length of the ear, you’ve found a buck with great prongs.

·        An antelope’s eyeball is approximately 2 inches in diameter. Horn bases that are 1-1/2 eyeballs wide indicate a very good buck that is probably well-within trophy territory.

·        The area from the base of the horn to the tip of a mature buck’s nose regularly measures about 8 inches. The measurement can be used to reinforce estimates of both horn and prong length.

·        Time in the field is your best training for quick and accurate judging. Most of the time, a buck doesn’t stand broadside and pose, waiting for you to size him up.

1 nov 06

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From The Art of Hunting Big Game in North America, By Jack O’Connor:

[G]ood mule deer heads are found pretty generally all over [the West] wherever their browse contains the right combination of lime and protein and the bucks are not shot before they mature….

It is rare that a good head comes from any area that is easily accessible and is pounded hard by hunters, but since most deer hunters are not found far from automobiles roads, there is still plenty of good mule deer country where the enterprising…hunter can go in with a backpack or a little pack outfit.

[T]he yearling mule deer is generally a spike, but may be a forkhorn. With rich food and plenty of it, he may grow four points and a brow tine his second fall. Antlers reach the maximum size between the fifth and eighth years….

[C]lose-pinched and wide-spread antlers are found wherever there are mule deer. The handsomest and most spectacular are the antlers with wide spreads, and the average hunter ranks mule deer antlers by the spread….

[T]he important measurements are the length of the main beam, the number and length of the points and the symmetry. [A] hunter wanting to take home a mule deer trophy should hold out for a good, average, mature buck with five points [per side], counting the brow tine, on each side. If he should be fortunate enough to bump into [an exceptional] head…he will know it, as the buck will look “all horns.” If there is any doubt about the head being outstanding, then it isn’t.

From The Art of Hunting Big Game In North America, by Jack O’Connor:

I do not think that there is any doubt but that the whitetail deer is the smartest of all North American game animals, and I am likewise convinced that getting a really outstanding whitetail head is the most difficult task in trophy collecting.

There are many reasons for this. In the first place, the whitetail is generally an animal of forest and brush. When he is seen he is more often than not on the move and the hunter generally has to shoot quick or not at all. He has little time to size up a head.

Another reason is that a great many whitetails are found close to large centers of population and they are hunted hard by people who shoot at the first glimpse of an antler. Consequently, not many whitetail bucks live to become fully mature – and members of the deer family have their largest antlers when they are five to eight years old.

Still another reason is that in many areas, whitetail deer have been allowed to become too plentiful and they have overbrowsed their range. Fawns born of half-starved mothers do not become large and to grow large antlers deer have to eat food rich in protein and lime.

One pleasant thought is that good whitetail heads seem to come from just about every state where these beautiful deer are found, and the hunter wanting to collect an outstanding specimen would not have to go far from home. Actually, a high percentage of outstanding heads come from thickly-populated agricultural areas where the bucks feed on nourishing crops from fertile land….

The normal…whitetail buck may be a spike or forkhorn first year; a forkhorn or a small three-pointer (eight-pointer by Eastern count). When the whitetail buck is mature, the normal head has the brow tine or eye guard and four points. Easterners call this a ten-pointer, Westerners a four-pointer.

Two characteristics that make whitetail antlers different from those of mule deer are that all of the points on whitetail antlers grow off a main beam and the normal whitetail head has a large and prominent brow tine; on the other hand, normal mule deer antlers are dichotomous or evenly branched and the brow tine is smaller and is sometimes missing altogether….

Any mature whitetail buck is a very respectable trophy, and any buck with relatively massive antlers and five points to a side is a very good trophy. If Lady Luck ever sends a record-class whitetail in your direction you’ll know as he will look to be all antlers….

Getting a record whitetail is very difficult to manage, as even in good country one does not see many mature bucks in a season to shoot at, and he must size up those he does see in a few seconds….