Try some new venison recipes this season

It’s fall, and soon hunters will head out in search of deer.

While hunters generally have their favorite recipes to prepare venison, there are a multitude of ways to prepare the deer meat.

There are a few tips from www.deerhunter.com to keep in mind when preparing venison.

Since the meat is low in fat, take care to avoid overcooking it. Preheat the oven, grill or pan before cooking. Don’t add salt before cooking because it will draw out the meat juices, preventing browning and resulting in dry meat. Brush venison with oil to seal in the flavor and prevent the meat from drying out.

After cooking, let the meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Stews and pot roasts should be cooked very slowly and at low temperature settings. Crock pots are ideal for preparing these dishes.

If roasting, remember to baste the meat frequently.

Some people add beef suet or pork lard to ground venison to add moisture. This will change the taste and add unnecessary fat to the meat. Instead, consider adding quick oatmeal, rice crispy cereal or steel-cut barley or oats. This will help retain the flavor and moisture but won’t change the quality or taste.

To prevent a gamey taste, trim the fat or soak the meat in salted water, milk, buttermilk or vinegar. Age the meat under refrigeration for three to seven days to enhance tenderness.

You can also serve the meat with sweet or spicy sauces as condiments to temper the wild taste.

Following are a few venison dishes from foxvallefoodie.com and foodnetwork.com.

 

 

Venison Chili

 

2 pounds ground venison

1 tablespoon olive oil

28 ounces canned diced tomatoes

30 ounces chili beans

15 ounces tomato sauce

6 ounces tomato paste

2 medium red onions, chopped

2 poblano peppers, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3 cups beef broth

1 tablespoon flour

For seasoning:

1-1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1-1/2 tablespoons cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1-1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

Garnishes for serving:

Chopped onion

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

 

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot, then add venison, onions and peppers. Cook on medium-high heat until meat has browned and onions and peppers are tender.

Add garlic, tomato paste and chili seasonings. Cook two minutes longer, until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients, stir together and simmer three hours, until thickened to your liking.

Ladle chili into bowls, top with desired garnishes and serve.

Makes eight servings.

 

 

 

Venison Cheesesteak

 

2 tablespoons butter

1 green pepper, sliced

1/2 sweet onion, sliced

4 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 pound venison steak, sliced 1/8-inch thick

4 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for cooking

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes liquid smoke

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

4 slices provolone cheese

2 hoagie rolls

2 tablespoons mayo

Salt

 

Place venison slices in a zipper-lock bag with olive oil, Worcesershire sauce, liquid smoke and black pepper and marinate one hour.

Melt one tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add green peppers and cook five minutes, until tender-crisp. Remove from skillet, then add onions and mushrooms and saute until tender.

Set aside peppers, mushrooms and onions. Add remaining butter to the skillet, turn up the heat to medium-high and add venison. Spread meat evenly in the pan, cook until the underside is seared, then flip and repeat. Cook until meat is no longer pink and is nicely browned. Salt as needed.

Lightly toast hoagie rolls in a separate skillet, toaster or under the broiler.

Place half the meat into each roll, top generously with pepper, onions, mushrooms, two slices of cheese and a smear of mayo. Broil about one minute, until cheese is melted.

Makes two servings.

 

 

Venison Stir Fry

 

1 pound venison steak, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 bell peppers, sliced

15 ounces canned baby corn, drained

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounce stir fry noodles

For sauce:

1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

2 teaspoons Asian chili paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

For serving:

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

 

Toss sliced venison steak, cornstarch, salt and black pepper in a large bowl or plastic bag until meat is well coated.

Drizzle sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add venison and cook until nicely seared. Remove from skillet and set aside.

In a separate large pot, cook noodles according to the package instructions.

Add more oil to skillet, if needed, then add sliced bell peppers and saute until they begin to soften. Add baby corn and minced garlic and cook one to two minutes.

Place sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

Put venison back into the large skillet along with the sauce. Stir to combine, then simmer two minutes, until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add noodles to the skillet, toss to evenly coat with sauce, then serve with green onions and chopped peanuts.

 

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Venison Stew

 

2 pounds venison stew meat, cubed

1 pound mushrooms. sliced

1/2 sweet onion chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups beef stock

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Kosher salt

8 ounces gnocchi

 

Sprinkle flour in s slow cooker, then add a couple of splashes of beef stock, just enough to get all of the flour wet. Whisk flour to ensure it fully incorporates with the liquid. Add a little more liquid, enough to make a slurry, and whisk again.

Add venison, sliced mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato paste, Worchestershire sauce, rosemary, bay leaf and fresh ground pepper to slow cooker, along with the remaining beef stock. Cook on high four hours or on low for six hours.

About 15 minutes before serving, add gnocchi and shred the venison, if desired.

Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread to sop up the broth.

Makes six servings.

 

 

Venison Bacon

 

7 pounds ground venison

3 pound pork fat (ground)

2 cup non fat dry milk powder

2 cup water

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons smoked paprika

5 teaspoons black pepper

6 tablespoons kosher salt

Pink curing salt (use recommended amount per package instructions, typically 2 teaspoons per 10 pounds of meat)

 

Place milk powder, curing salt and seasonings in a dish and mix with water.

Place ground venison and pork in a large bowl and pour water and seasoning mixture over the meat. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Line multiple baking pans or disposable baking tins with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then press meat mixture evenly into each pan until it is two inches thick. Cover meat and refrigerate overnight.

The next day remove meat from the pan and let rest. Preheat smoker to 130 degrees and add wood chips.

Place formed bacon on smoker racks and increase smoker temperature 10 degrees every hour until it reaches 180 degrees. Bacon is done when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Remove bacon from the smoker, let cool, then thinly slice. The bacon is fully cooked and can be enjoyed as is or fried in a skillet like traditional bacon.

 

 

 

Fried Venison Cutlets

 

2 pounds venison cutlets, cut 1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup frying oil

2 eggs

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning meat

1 teaspoon ground black pepper ,plus more for seasoning meat

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

¼1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 

Beat eggs, milk and hot sauce in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and all seasonings.

Season room temperature venison with salt and pepper, then dredge in the flour mixture until fully coated. Shake off any excess flour, then dip into the egg mixture and let any excess run off before returning the cutlets to the flour mixture for one last dredging.

Place enough oil in a large cast iron skillet to be 1/2 inch deep. Heat oil to 325 degrees, then add breaded venison. Fry about four minutes per side, until golden brown, flip and cook until golden brown.

Place fried venison on paper towels to drain while frying remaining steaks.

Serve immediately.

Makes six servings.

 

 

 

Venison Stroganoff

 

1-1/2 pounds venison steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1/4 cup butter

8 ounces sliced bella mushrooms

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup brandy

1-1/4 cups beef broth

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup flour

1 cup sour cream

Salt

Fresh ground pepper

12 ounces egg noodles

 

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat, then add mushrooms and onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and beginning to brown, then add minced garlic and cook an additional two minutes.

Remove onion, mushrooms, and garlic from the skillet and add sliced venison. Sear meat over medium-high heat until browned.

Add brandy to the skillet and deglaze, scraping browned bits from the bottom. Add one cup beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Prepare egg noodles according to package instructions.

Add remaining beef broth to the flour and mix until there are no lumps.

Add mushrooms, onion and garlic to the skillet along with the flour mixture and sour cream. Stir to combine, then serve over egg noodles.

Makes six servings.

 

 

 

Roasted Venison Loin With Balsamic Reduction Pan Sauce

 

1-1/2 pound venison loin

Salt

Fresh cracked black pepper

1-1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup unsalted beef broth

1 tablespoon butter

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat venison with 1/2 tablespoon oil, then coat liberally with salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Heat remaining oil in hot skillet over medium-high heat. Add venison and brown on all sides. Remove meat from skillet, place in a separate pan and bake until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 145 degrees. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the loin.

While the venison is baking, cook shallots until soft in the skillet used for the venison. Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar, then add beef broth and thyme. Cook on high until sauce reduces to a thin syrup consistency.

Add cold butter to sauce and stir,

Let venison rest five to 10 minutes before slicing.

Makes four servings.