Wild Game Recipes

DOVE EGG ROLLS

Published on by a12gaugegirl

Dove meals can become “same old, same old” for me.  I am a dove popper zealot through and through. It is really the only way I prepare dove.  So, when someone suggested I try something different, I first laughed in their face and said: “I don’t need something different.  The dove popper is perfection. What I need is more dove poppers!” Then I started to think maybe I should quit being so stubborn and broaden my horizons.  So, in attempt to grow as an eater of dove, a lover of the dove popper, and a human being in general, I gave dove egg rolls a try.

Dove Egg Rolls Final Plate

The egg roll is a popular Chinese American appetizer. Contrary to what the name implies, egg rolls usually do not contain egg.  They instead are filled with a shredded cabbage mixture that can contain a variety of other ingredients and flavors. They are deep fried (insert drool here) and typically dipped in a sweet plum sauce, hot mustard, or other condiment (wipe drool here).

After reading about how to make an egg roll, dove egg rolls suddenly sounded like a brilliant idea. They sounded quick, fairly simple, and a very good template for using dove meat. Dove can be a difficult meat for some people. It is a very dark and lean meat, which means it can have a very overpowering and intense flavor. This is why the dove popper is my go to meal, the bacon adds fat to the dove and cuts down on the richness of the meat.

The dove egg roll is a nice twist for using the meat because it doesn’t try and hide the flavor of the dove. As I said with the popper, the bacon masks some of the flavors that make dove taste like…well, dove. With the egg roll, there is no added fat to try and prop up the dove. The dove gets to mingle with cabbage and carrot flavors, but it still will taste very much true to the taste of just dove.

The Dove Egg Roll

For this recipe, the dove breast should be removed from the bones.  I marinated the breasts whole and then sliced them afterwards. For the marinade, I put about a cup of soy sauce in a medium size glass bowl.  Add a tablespoon of ground ginger, a teaspoon of garlic powder, a quarter cup of sesame oil, and a tablespoon of sugar. Let the dove breasts marinade in the mixture for at least one hour, longer if you like.

Dove Egg Rolls Marinade

The wonderful thing about egg rolls is you can add basically anything you like and create a fun little bite with the flavor of practically an entire mine.  I kept things pretty traditional and simple for this dove egg roll: cabbage, carrots, green onions, and water chestnut. I even made it easy on myself by purchasing the pre-shredded cabbage and carrot mixture used to make coleslaw.

Dove Egg Rolls Mixture

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and carrot mixture with a bunch of sliced green onion.  Slice the water chestnuts into slivers and add to the cabbage mixture. Remove the dove breasts from the marinade and slice into thin slivers.  Set aside.

Preheat a wok or large skillet to high heat.  Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan. You need a high heat oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado. Once the pan is good and hot, add in the shredded cabbage mixture.  Cook for a minute and then add in the sliced dove breasts. Cook for three or four minutes, stirring continuously. Next, add a half cup of soy sauce. I also sprinkled in some of the other flavors from my marinade at this point, like a teaspoon of ground ginger, some more garlic powder, and a tablespoon of sesame oil.  Cook everything for two more minutes and remove from the heat..

Making the Dove Egg Rolls

I wish I could say I was amazing enough to make my own egg roll wraps, but I’m not. I use the premade ones and they are delicious!  Anyway, lay out a wrap onto a clean surface. Position the wrap so it looks like a diamond. On the bottom corner about a third of the way up the wrap, place two tablespoons of the dove and cabbage mixture.  Fold the bottom of the diamond up and over the filling. Next, bring the sides in to the center. Finally, roll the filling up until the top corners fold over the egg roll.

Dove Egg Rolls Folding
Dove Egg Rolls Folding
Dove Egg Rolls Finished

A trick to making egg rolls with a little integrity to them is keeping things pretty.  Make sure all the folds and rolls are tight and just look nice. The prettier the egg roll the less chance it will fall apart.  

Dip your finger tips in a little cold water and wet the top fold on the egg roll.  This will help keep things in place. You can also brush it with a little egg wash if you would like.

Frying the Dove Egg Rolls

Once all the dove egg rolls are wrapped you are ready to start frying.  There are two tips to frying. First, make sure to let the oil come up to temperature before you start frying.  Second, don’t overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop and you’ll end up with sad, soggy rolls.

Fill a large dutch oven or deep fryer with a high heat oil, like vegetable oil.  You could also use canola, avocado, or even coconut oil. Vegetable or canola are going to be your more economical choices though because this requires a significant amount of oil.  Bring the oil up to 350 degree Fahrenheit. I used a thermometer to make sure I reach the required temperature.

Dove Egg Rolls Oil

Once the oil is at temperature, add about three or four egg rolls to pot at a time.  Cook the rolls for about two minutes, and then roll them over and cook the second side an additional two to three minutes.  Set the cooked dove egg rolls on a paper towel to drain off the excess grease and continue frying the rest of the rolls in small batches.

Serve the dove egg rolls with a sweet and sour dipping sauce or soy sauce.  

Happy Hunting!

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DOVE EGG ROLLS

Category: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese

DOVE EGG ROLLS

A wild game twist on egg rolls using dove breasts. Filled with cabbage, onions, carrots, water chestnuts, soy sauce, garlic and ginger.

Ingredients

    For Marinade
  • 1 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 Cup Sesame Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Sugar
    For Egg Rolls
  • 1 Package Egg Roll Wrappers
  • 1 Bag Shredded Cabbage and Carrots
  • 1 Bunch Green Onions
  • 1 Can Waterchestnuts
  • 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
  • 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 6 Dove Breasts Removed from the Bone
  • Oil for Deep Frying

Instructions

    For Marinade
  1. In a large glass bowl, mix together soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, sugar, and sesame oil. Place full dove breasts into marinade.
  2. Cover and refrigerator at least one hour up to overnight.
  3. Once dove is finished in marinade, slice into thin slivers and set aside.
    For Dove Egg Rolls Mixture
  1. Heat the tablespoon of oil over high heat. Once oil is hot, add shredded cabbage and carrots, green onions, and water chestnuts to the pan. Cook for one to two minutes.
  2. Add sliced dove breasts and cook for three minutes. Remember to stir things continuously.
  3. Add soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder, and sesame oil to pan. Cook one to two more minutes, Remove from heat.
    Rolling the Egg Rolls
  1. Lay egg roll wrapper in diamond shape on flat surface.
  2. Place two to three tablespoons of cabbage and dove mixture on bottom third of wrapper.
  3. Fold bottom corner of wrapper completely over mixture. Fold the two sides over and then roll once.
  4. Make sure things look pretty and tight, then continue rolling. Seal final flap with a touch of water.
  5. Heat a large dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 degrees.
  6. Once oil is up to temperature, place three or four egg rolls into hot oil. Cook for two minutes, flip in oil, and cook additional two minutes.
  7. Serve with a tasty dipping sauce!!!!
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Antelope Kabobs: Antelope, Cantaloupe, and Pumpkin Pie

Published on by a12gaugegirl

One of my favorite things about hunting is the little bits of memories we hold onto. Well that and recipes like antelope kabobs. Anyway, those little moments that stick in your head for years and each time you think about it or share it with someone else a little smile crosses your face. Spending time outdoors by ourselves, with our dogs, or our friends and family always results in these little moments.. For the most part, although there are definitely exceptions, we don’t make those memories while scanning our phones or watching television, but head outside and the little stories write themselves.  This is a little anecdote about antelope, cantaloupe, and pumpkin pie.

Antelope Kabobs Scenery Shot
“You aren’t wealthy until you have something money can’t buy.” ~ Garth Brooks

Antelope, Cantaloupe, and Pumpkin Pie

My father-in-law is probably the best sport I know.  We drag him everywhere, and while he never says much I am pretty sure he doesn’t always wants to go.  I can usually tell by the look on his face. When we point to a ridgeline 500 feet up and say, “I am pretty sure the deer are up there.”  I can always tell he is less than thrilled. But he never says it. He just starts walking.

We basically forced him into putting in for the limited entry pronghorn hunt.  He is a deer hunter through and through, and pronghorn hunting did not appear to be on his list.  But he put in for the draw and of course pulled a tag. His face said “Now what?”

My face was much more excited.  My pronghorn hunt was one of the most memorable hunts I had ever been on.  Pronghorn are actually fascinating animals. Those doe eyed, white rumped animals have a closer relationship to giraffes than the other North American animals that surround them, like deer and elk.  And they are fast. Faster than you can imagine. Fast like you have to see it to really understand what people say when they call pronghorn fast.

Pronghorns are second in speed only to cheetahs, but can maintain a faster speed for a longer distance.  For example, pronghorns have been clocked at 35 miles per hour and held that for over a distance of four miles.  They can reach max speeds of 55 miles per hour!

Why are pronghorns so fast?  There isn’t much to run from at those kinds of speeds out in the flats of the desert.  The theory, which is one of my favorite little tidbits on pronghorns, is North America used to have its own cheetah, which is now obviously extinct, and this is what the pronghorn is running from.

Anyway, back to my story. So my father-in-law is gearing up for his pronghorn hunt and all I can do is tell him stories of speed and the dust left behind by the racing pronghorns. At that point I can tell he was developing an interest in hunting the old “speed goat.”

We spent a few weeks prior to the hunt heading to the desert and scoping out bucks.  We found several possibilities and by the morning of the hunt, I could tell my father-in-law had changed his mind about pronghorn hunting.  He was maybe even a little excited.

By the break of light on opening morning, we had drove out to the desert and settled in to a good hiding spot.  The sun peeked over the mountain tops and as it started to slowly illuminate the landscape around us, we could see this buck about 100 yards out.  He is just standing there and staring at us. A few does are also with him. They catch our scent and bolt, but he continues to just stare.

“So, um, what should I do?” my father-in-law said.

“I guess shoot.”

“But he’s just standing there,” he replied.

“I don’t know.  I guess shoot.”

Normally a clean, clear, safe shot is every hunter’s dream, but I think all the previous hype about the astounding speed and flying bullets of pronghorn hunts past, had made harvesting one just staring at you just plain weird.

My father-in-law stood up, and took a few steps forward.  Still nothing.

“Maybe he’s fake!” I said.

He took a few more steps.  The pronghorn didn’t even blink.

So, after a drawn out stand-off, my father-in-law took the shot and filled his tag.  The hunt was over in about fifteen minutes. Our boots were barely even dirty.

As we cleaned the animal, my father-in-law said he would really like some “antelope, cantaloupe, and pumpkin pie.”  Besides the fun little rhyme, it sounded like the most awful combination I could imagine. But I liked the way it rolled off my tongue, and my father-in-law said it enough times that it became somewhat of a song you can’t get out of your head for me.  

Antelope, cantaloupe, and pumpkin pie became a personal challenge for me.  I have spent the entire fall season trying to figure out how to create something that was edible yet true to the mantra.  I hope this antelope kabob recipe fits the bill.

Antelope Kabobs

Kabobs are a great meal.  They are simple, quick, and allow you to mix foods you maybe normally wouldn’t, like pronghorn and cantaloupe.  While they are easy, they are also a great chance for developing some wonderful flavors. Marinades offer a perfect opportunity to play with herbs, spices, and other flavor enhancing devices.

Pronghorn Kabobs Ingredients
Marinade ingredients: honey, apple cider vinegar, garlic, pineapple juice, ground ginger, coconut aminos

To start your antelope kabobs, cut your pronghorn into bite size pieces.  I used a little bit of the backstrap for this meal, since the meat is tender and doesn’t need to be slow cooked.  In a large bowl, add a can of pineapple juice, ⅓ cup honey, ⅓ cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce if you can’t find the aminos), three tablespoons apple cider vinegar, two teaspoons ground garlic powder, and two teaspoons ground ginger.  Give it all a good stir, add the pronghorn, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least two hours.

When I started working on how to pair pronghorn with cantaloupe, I knew I would  have to get creative. I decided the best way to make a relationship exist, that clearly was not there between the two, was to marinade the pronghorn in something a bit sweet.  

Antelope kabobs marinade

While the antelope kabobs meat is doing its thing in the fridge, prepare the dipping sauce. I will be honest, this is definitely an odd dipping sauce, but putting pumpkin pie on an antelope kabob did not seem to be something I could do.  So, I figured I would dip the antelope kabobs in the pumpkin pie!

Antelope Kabobs Dip

To a small saucepan over medium heat add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Saute two cloves of minced garlic in oil, taking care to not let them to over cook and turn brown.  Add three tablespoons of dijon mustard and mix well. Pour in a can of pumpkin, a tablespoon of minced fresh rosemary, salt and pepper to taste, and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.  Remove from the heat and add ¼ cup of mayonnaise. To finish it off, add a teaspoon of allspice to give it a pumpkin pie finish.

Antelope Kabobs

Once the meat is done marinating, it is time to grill!  Heat the grill to a medium high heat. Thread the antelope kabobs onto their own sticks.  Do the same for the cantaloupe and onion. It isn’t nearly as fun or pretty, but I always thread each kabob ingredient on its own stick.  Cantaloupe takes longer to cook than antelope, and onions take even longer. If you thread everything on one pretty stick you end up with either overcooked meat or undercooked onion.

Cook the pronghorn for three minutes per side.  Cook the cantaloupe for four to five minutes per side.  The onion needs ten minutes.

To eat your antelope, cantaloupe, and pumpkin pie I would suggest dipping only the antelope kabobs in the pumpkin dipping sauce as the cantaloupe did not blend well with pumpkin. Well, I hope you enjoy this fun twist on antelope kabobs. I had a really great time working with the flavors and coming up with the idea.

Antelope Kabobs Final Plate

If you like this recipe for antelope kabobs, you might also check out this one for Pronghorn Carne Asada. It is another great use of pronghorn meat.

Happy Hunting!

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Antelope Kabobs: Antelope, Cantaloupe, and Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Category: Entree

4 people

Antelope Kabobs: Antelope, Cantaloupe, and Pumpkin Pie

Antelope, Cantaloupe, and Onion Kabobs with Pumpkin Dipping Sauce. Antelope steak is marinated in sweet coconut aminos and pineapple to pair with fresh cantaloupe fruit. Dip the steak kabobs in a pumpkin pie inspired dipping sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound pronghorn cut into bite size chunks
  • 1 cantaloupe, cut into bite size chunks
  • 1 onions, sliced into large chunks
    For Marinade:
  • 1 6 oz can pineapple juice
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup coconut aminos
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
    For Dipping Sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 15 oz can pureed pumpkin
  • 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 cup mayonaise
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Mix all marinade ingredients in large, glass bowl.
  2. Add pronghorn steak bites and cover with plastic wrap
  3. Allow meat to marinade for at least one hour but up to overnight
  4. If using wood skewers for kabobs place in water to soak for at least half an hour
  5. Once meat is ready, thread onto skewers
  6. Thread cantaloupe and onions onto their own skewers as well
  7. Preheat grill to medium high heat
  8. Cook pronghorn three minutes per side, flipping once
  9. Cook onions six to seven minutes per side, flipping once
  10. Cook cantaloupe six to seven minutes per side, flipping once
  11. While kabobs are grilling, prepare dipping sauce
  12. In a small sauce pan over medium heat add olive oil
  13. Sweat garlic in olive oil for three minutes
  14. Add dijon mustard and rosemary and cook additional minute
  15. Add can of pumpkin puree, all spice, and tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, heat thoroughly
  16. Remove from heat and add mayonaise and salt and pepper.
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PHEASANT GROUNDNUT STEW

Published on by a12gaugegirl

Yesterday I planned for a true “bloggers” day to make pheasant groundnut stew. I heard about groundnut stew the week before and it sounded interesting. It is a staple meal from West Africa, but is popular in other parts of the world as well, and it usually contains peanut butter, hence the name “groundnut.” Most the recipes I looked at were for chicken, and this made me think that groundnut stew sounded like a great twist for a pheasant recipe.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew Bird Dogs
That little chocolate lab deserves all the credit for this pheasant groundnut stew. Without her hard work, there wouldn’t be this bowl of soup!

I spent the week planning in my head how this was going to pan out, and finally yesterday morning set to work preparing, cooking, and photographing my pheasant groundnut stew. I spent most of the day working out any kinks, playing with spice levels, and taking lots of photographs.

The best part of ending a “bloggers” day is sitting down to actually eat the dish. The pheasant groundnut stew smelled amazing. The kitchen had a slight hint of almond butter and coriander in the air. I had taste tested the stew all day, and was really excited to share a bowl with my family. And then the phone rang.

My dad had shot a cow elk and needed help getting it to the truck. Dinner plans were changed, and I was a bit disappointed. I put away the bowls and spoons, found my boots and gloves, and went to the truck. In a last minute decision, I decided to pour some of the stew into a thermos and grabbed a few plastic spoons.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew Bowl
Even though I haven’t gotten to the recipe yet, this is what was sitting on the table before that call to go help pack out a cow elk in the snow and cold.

The Cow Elk

Two hours later we reached my dad. The ground was covered in several inches of snow, it was dark, and the temperature was quickly dropping to zero. I stepped out of the truck and gasped at how quickly the cold air hit my face and filled my lungs. This was definitely a new, and not necessarily good, experience in my books.

We hiked the relatively short distance up a snow covered hill to where my dad was cleaning the cow. I laughed out loud as he turned to greet us and his lengthy grey beard was dripping with long, dangling icicles.

“Oh my gosh! You must be freezing!” I said.

“Nope. I am not even cold, it’s crazy,” he replied.

He already had the elk quartered, so I grabbed a hind quarter, threw it over my shoulder, and headed back down the snowy slope to the truck. Usually hauling animals builds so much heat that I am wishing I could take my coat off, but packing out animals during January nights is a much different story. I could feel my feet and hands getting colder as I walked. This might have been a much shorter pack than I had done in the past, but it was definitely one of the harder ones.

A few trips later, and the cow was loaded in the truck bed. I let out a big sigh, stretched my arms above my head to create a little relief for my back, and looked upward. The sky was amazing. Standing out there in the pitch black night, no sounds or lights around, and just looking up was breathtaking. The stars were huge. And so bright.

“Soup! Let’s have soup,” I said.

And so we stood in the cold snow, under that beautiful sky, eating pheasant groundnut stew from a thermos. Now that was a good bowl of soup.

The Recipe for Pheasant Groundnut Stew

Well, let’s go over how to make this stew! Pre-heat a heavy bottomed soup pot over medium high heat, and add in a few tablespoons of your favorite cooking oil. I generally like to use olive oil for browning meat, but I actually used avocado oil this time. It worked great.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew Browning the Bird
Brown the pheasant on each side for three to four minutes.

Pat dry the pheasant. I used an entire bird for this pot of stew. I actually just skinned the bird and left it on the bones to cook. When slow cooking meat like for this stew the bones will add flavor to the base of the stew, but if you already removed the meat from the bones you can still use that meat. Separate the bird into four quarters, salt and pepper, and add the meat to the hot oil for browning. Cook the pheasant in small batches so the oil will stay hot. Brown each side three to four minutes, then flip and do the other. Set the pheasant aside, but leave the drippings in the pot to create even more flavor for the stew.

Reduce the heat to medium and add one large diced onion. Cook for three to four minutes, and then add five cloves of chopped garlic. Cook an additional two minutes. To the onions and garlic, stir in two tablespoons tomato paste, a tablespoon of coriander, a teaspoon of ground ginger, and a teaspoon of mace. Also add a half teaspoon of ground cayenne. I started with a half teaspoon of the cayenne and then added more at the end, adjusting it to my personal heat level preference, which is fairly hot. A half teaspoon is a nice mild heat and a great place to start.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew Spices
Spices for this pheasant groundnut stew include coriander, ground ginger, ground cayenne, and mace.
Pheasant Groundnut Stew Mace
Mace, a peppery flavored spice, is actual found on the outside of the nutmeg pod. It pairs great with meats.

Also add a can of crushed roasted tomatoes and a quart of stock. I have this weird quirk where it bothers me to add chicken stock to pheasant or turkey recipes. If you aren’t weird like me, chicken stock works great for this recipe. If you are weird like me, I added a quart of vegetable stock. I usually like to do pheasant stock with my pheasant meals, but I didn’t have any on hand so vegetable it was. You could also add water, but you won’t have quite the flavor profile from water.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew Simmering Pot
Add the pheasant back to the pot and simmer until tender and flakes easily off the bone.

Bring the pot to a rolling boil for a minute, reduce, the heat to a simmer, and add back in the whole pieces of browned pheasant. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 90 minutes. At the 90 minute mark, check to see if the pheasant is tender and falling off the bone. If not, cook until it is.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew
The pheasant should easily shred from the bone. This is how you will know it has simmered long enough in the soup pot.

Pull the pheasant from the pot and shred the meat. Add the pheasant, a half cup of almond butter, and the okra to the pot. Cover and cook for an additional ten minutes. If you so desire you can serve this over rice, but it is thick and tasty enough to eat without.

Pheasant Groundnut Stew Final Bowl
Yum!

So, that is how you whip up this pheasant groundnut stew. It is a very savory dish with definite comfort food highlights. The almond butter adds a silky texture to the stew, the okra is refreshing and pairs great against the tomatoes. And of course the pheasant is tender and delicious! Enjoy!

Happy Hunting!

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PHEASANT GROUNDNUT STEW

Category: Entree, Stew

Cuisine: West African, Wild Game

6 people

PHEASANT GROUNDNUT STEW

This wild game pheasant groundnut stew is savory and definitely a bowl of comfort food. The almond butter gives the stew base a silky texture, while the cayenne adds a little spice.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs pheasant, still on the bone
  • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne, plus more as desired
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 15 oz can roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 1 quart stock of choice, chicken, vegetable, water, wild game…
  • 1/2 cup almond butter, creamy
  • 12 oz bag frozen okra

Instructions

  1. Heat heavy bottomed soup pot over medium high heat. Drizzle in oil.
  2. Pat dry pheasant, still on the bone, and separate into four quarters. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Brown the pheasant in small batches in the preheated oil, about three to four minutes per side. Set pheasant aside. Leave drippings in pot.
  4. Reduce heat to medium on pot and add diced onions. Cook for three to four minutes.
  5. Add chopped garlic and cook additional two minutes.
  6. To onions and garlic, stir in tomato paste, coriander, mace, ginger, and cayenne.
  7. Add the can of tomatoes and stock to the pot. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to a simmer.
  8. Add the pheasant back to the pot, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes. Check pheasant at 90 minutes. If not falling off the bone, cook until meat is tender.
  9. Pull pheasant from pot and shred.
  10. Add shredded pheasant, almond butter, and okra to pot. Cover and cook ten minutes.
  11. Serve over rice if desired.
  12. Enjoy!!!!
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Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies

Published on by a12gaugegirl

Cajun Elk Sausage Hushuppies Final Plate
Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies!

I feel a bit foolish admitting there was a time I had no idea what a hushpuppy was, and it wasn’t that long ago either.  Growing up, the small town I lived in had a limited number of restaurants, and of the few in the area, they were mostly diner style menus filled with burgers, fries, and milk shakes.  Occasionally, “exotic” foods, like the steak finger or a fish sandwich, might pop up as a weekly special, but for the most part things were the same, day-in and day-out.   And I certainly never had heard of elk sausage hushpuppies.

I actually had my first hushpuppy at a Church’s Chicken in Texas during a trip to visit college campuses and was instantly a fan of the small, savory bites of deep fried cornmeal dough.  I kind of felt cheated in life for a moment.  “How come the exciting world of hushpuppies is something I am just discovering now?  I have been missing out on the good things in life!” I said to my fellow diners.

Anyway, if you are silly like me and don’t know what a hushpuppy is, I will tell you.  Hopefully, you aren’t like me and have had the pleasure of the hushpuppy being a permanent fixture in your life.  Hushpuppies are spoonful sized balls of deep fried cornmeal, flour, eggs, milk, and baking soda.  Often times, they also have bits of garlic and onion in them.  Some versions also include corn.  They should be fluffy, light, crunchy, and a bit salty.

A funny little tidbit about hushpuppies is legend says they were named during the Civil War by Confederate soldiers.  Soldiers would feed the little fluffy fried balls to the dogs in order to “hush” them.  I don’t know how true the legend is, but I liked the story and thought I would share it.

Hushpuppies are typically served as side dishes to a variety of meals.  They are often found at barbeques and also, in the completely opposite direction, can be found complementing a seafood dish.  For these Cajun elk sausage hushpuppies, I went the barbeque route and served them along-side smoked ribs.

My hushpuppies featured a little twist, the addition of a spicy Cajun homemade elk sausage.  The recipe for the sausage can be found here: Cajun Elk Sausage.

The nice thing about working with hushpuppies is they are basically a blank canvas for developing flavor.  The base, cornmeal and flour, is essentially just a building block that brings texture to the dish but not much else.  This allows one to create a hushpuppy flavor profile that can trek in any direction the preparer desires.

The Cajun elk sausage added a really great heat to the hushpuppy.  These little fried balls were salty, spicy, and just a little bit sweet from the onions.

The Recipe

To start, over medium high heat, completely cook half a pound of the homemade elk sausage and one medium diced onion.  Be sure to break the sausage up into as small of pieces as possible.

Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies Sausage Bites
This recipe would also work great with deer, moose, antelope, or any other wild game sausage you might have around.

You can also start heating the oil for frying the hushpuppies.  I used a 10.5 ounce ceramic dutch oven for cooking my hushpuppies.  You need about three inches of frying oil to cook in, so this size is nice because you can cook a few pieces of dough at a time without using a lot of oil.  For frying, you need a high heat oil.  People typically use vegetable oil for frying, but you can also use canola or coconut oil (if you are looking for a little healthier frying options).  I actually ran out of my usual frying oil and had to resort to using peanut oil.  It smelled like roasted peanuts in the house, which was weird, but oddly enough the peanut fragrance did not carry over to the actual food.  Anyway, heat the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and hold it there.

Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies Dry Ingredients
Add the cooked sausage to the dry ingredients and coat well. This will keep the sausage from sinking to the bottom of the ingredients once the liquids are added.

For the dough, in a large bowl mix together 1 and a half cups of cornmeal, ¾ a cup of flour, two tablespoons of baking powder, a teaspoon of salt, and the cooked elk sausage and onions.  Give everything a quick mix, being sure to cover all the sausage with the dry ingredients, and continue to the next step.

To the dry ingredients, add one lightly beaten egg, 2/3 cup of your favorite beer, and 1/3 cup of buttermilk.  Lightly combine everything, there is no need to over mix this batter, just stir until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Let the bowl stand for 10 minutes.

Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies Wet Ingredients
For this batch of elk sausage hushpuppies, I added a golden ale. You could add any type of beer you wanted. A different beer, say a porter or a pilsner, will create a totally different flavor profile for your hushpuppy and all you are doing is changing one simple ingredient.

After ten minutes, the dough should look light and fluffy.  It is now time to start frying!

Frying the Hushpuppies

I used an ice cream scoop to portion out my hushpuppies.  This helped keep everything the right size and made the cooking time even between all the batches I did.  Drop a scoop of the dough into the hot oil and allow to fry 1 and half to two minutes, you should see the sides peeking out of the oil browning.  Flip the puppy to get the other side and allow to cook an additional 1 and half to two minutes.

Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies Scoop
It helps to use an ice cream scoop to make sure the hushpuppies all turn out the same size. Having them all the same size means the cooking time won’t need to be adjusted per batch.

I added about four dough scoops to the pot at a time.  This was a good number for each batch size because it didn’t cause the oil to drop too much in temperature.  You want to try and keep the oil as close as possible to 375.  If you overcrowd the pot and drop the heat too much, your puppies will cook slower and be a lot greasier and possibly soggy.  If you have the oil too hot you will wind up with a burnt outside and a raw inside.  So, keeping the oil at the ideal temperature is key to a good hushpuppy.

Working in batches, continue to cook the hushpuppies.  Allow the grease to drain off by placing them on a wire rack when they are done frying. You can keep them warm in the oven by putting it to a low 200 degrees.Cajun Elk Sausage Hushpuppies Frying

This Cajun elk sausage hushpuppy was easy to make and very quick to throw together.  It also made a delicious side dish to my smoked rib dinner.  The spicy, savory crunch of the hushpuppies paired great with the smoky sweet ribs.  Give these puppies a try and let me know how it goes for you!

Happy Hunting!

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Frisco Sausage Spices: A Sausage Experiment

Published on by a12gaugegirl

One thing I find difficult to find at the grocery store is a good, solid sausage.  There just aren’t many options when it comes to sausage spices.  Sure, there are the traditional go-to sausages, like Jimmy Dean or Johnsonville, and don’t get me wrong, those are fine and they definitely get the job done when necessary.  But they are just that: fine.

Frisco Sausage Seasonings and Spices
Frisco Sausage Spices and Seasonings!

I guess you could call what I am talking more about is a specialty sausage.  Sure it might be labeled as Italian or chorizo, but it is a specialty sausage because it has its own unique twist.  And while I think you can go to a butcher’s shop and find a great selection of sausages, you often times can’t beat simply mixing up your own batch of sausage.

And so, in the quest to have a good, solid sausage, I decided to start the adventure of making my own, home ground and blended elk and deer sausage.  I think I will call it the Sausage Wars, and will include a couple of different posts on my blog with all the different varieties and tactics I am going to try over the next month.Sausage Spices mixing in

Sausage Spices being mixed in grinder
I like to coarse grind the sausage once through and then add the fat and spices to the mixture.

Sausage spices in bags
Freeze the sausage in portion sizes appropriate for your needs!

To start this quest, I decided to start with pre-packaged mixes I ordered from different companies.  The first…mmm…victim is Frisco Spices.  Frisco Spices is located in La Vista, Nebraska and started in the garage of E.G. Fransiscus in 1928.  They carry spices, cures, marinades, mixes, and more at the stores and are easy to purchase on-line as well.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I purchased four spice mixes from Frisco: Italian, Hot Italian, Chorizo, and Cajun.  For this round of sausage making, I followed the instructions and recommendations on the package, just to keep things easier on myself when deciding if I liked the mixes or not.  For my sausage base, I ground elk chunk with bacon ends.  I like to use the bacon ends because it adds a good fat flavor to the sausage, but it doesn’t come out quite as greasy as using just pork fat.

To create the sausage, I used a Cabelas meat grinder with a #8 plate and quarter inch holes.  I wanted to have an even playing field, so I ground a large batch of meat and then rationed the spices.  I ground nine pounds of elk, eight pounds of deer, and three pounds of bacon ends and pieces to make a burger of roughly 90% lean meat if you count the meat in the bacon.  I like my sausage and burger lean as it is easier to use in different recipes without having to drain a bunch of fat oil.  Also, I use the Wright brand 3-pound pack of bacon ends and pieces because it is cheap and has a very high fat content.  I then mixed the hole batch by hand.

After that I mixed four five pound batches of sausage following the instructions on the packages.

Loved This! Give me More!

Italian Sausage SpicesThe Italian Sausage mixture was my favorite.  The mixture contained what I consider to be the defining flavor of Italian sausage: fennel!  I could really taste the fennel in the mixture and it gave the sausage a subtle sweetness but also that great black licorice punch that is so good in many Italian dishes.  I also thought this mixture was not too salty, which can be a big turn-off with many sausages.  I plan on using this Italian Sausage to make meatballs, lasagna, and a really big pot of zuppa!

It’s Growing on Me

Eating the Cajun Sausage was one of those experiences where at first I didn’t think much of it, but the second bite actually changed my mind.  I didn’t really feel like I was chewing on a mouthful of Cajun flavor at the first bite, but I did immediately notice the heat.  It was a good heat, the kind that lingers for just long enough but not the kind of heat that ruins your ability to taste other foods.  By the second bite, I was becoming a much bigger fan of the Cajun seasoning.  It is not an overly salty sausage, in fact I would consider even adding a little salt to this mix if I made it again, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing either.  The flavors are subtle, not overpowering, but it actually seems to work when combined with the heat in this mixture.  I know it would be great in a breakfast scramble or burrito you were looking to kick up a notch.  I added it to some homemade hush puppies, and it was a fantastic little bite!Cajun Sausage Spices

I Could Take It or Leave It

The Chorizo Sausage didn’t quite hit the mark for me.  The sausage came out extremely salty, and behind the salt flavor I could pick up hints of chorizo flavors.  There were small flecks of spicy heat mingled in with a touch of light smokiness, but overall it just wasn’t quite right to me.  It was not a bad sausage, but something just wasn’t quite right for my liking.  I do think the sausage I made will work well in a breakfast burrito though.Chorizo Sausage Spices

Not my Cup of Tea

The sausage I won’t be making again is the Hot Italian.  The mixture was very uneventful.  It didn’t really have a significant amount of heat to it, nor did it really have much of an Italian sausage flavor as they didn’t add the fennel.  Nothing really popped with this sausage.  I will use it as a filler in recipes where the sausage plays a minor roll.Hot Italian Sausage Spices

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Sous Vide Deer Steaks Topped with Smoked Cherry Reduction

Published on by a12gaugegirl

Sous Vide Deer Steak with Smoked Cherry Reduction in Bag for CookingI’m a sucker for kitchen gadgets.  So, when my sister and brother-in-law surprised me with a Joule for Christmas this year, I was excited to start cooking! For my first sous vide experience, I decided it was a good idea to start with a recipe from the collection included on the Joule app: Sous Vide Deer Steaks with Smoked Cherry Reduction by Chef David Draper.

So, I am guessing to start there are already questions like: What is a Joule? What is sous vide? Did you say smoked cherries? And is this really all as complicated as it sounds? I will answer that last question first. No, this is not as complicated as it sounds! It is actually quite easy and very fun!

Starting with what is probably running through your mind first: What is a Joule?  To answer that, I actually need to start with the second question, which is what is sous vide.  Sous vide is cooking process that results in using evenly distributed heat to reach perfectly consistent, restaurant quality foods.  A French term translating to “under vacuum,” sous vide cooking uses a hot water bath with the food sealed in a bag to cook. 

Which brings us back to the first question: What is a Joule?  Created by ChefSteps, a Joule is a home-use sous vide tool.  Using an app you download conveniently to your phone, you select how you would like your food cooked and then the app starts the Joule and times everything, resulting in perfectly cooked food.

Immediately after receiving my Joule, my brother-in-law tested it out on filet mignon steaks.  The result was a perfectly cooked, juicy, moist piece of steak.  For my first solo cooking experience with wild game, I decided to use a deer back strap I had, and follow a recipe found on the Joule app. 

Cooking the Deer Steaks in Smoked Cherry Reduction

To start cooking, fill a large pot with water and set the Joule in the pot.  Look through the photos on the app to decide how “well-done” you want your steak.  I like deer steak to be medium-rare.  After you select the “doneness,” answer the related questions like how thick is the steak.  The Joule will then take the information and create a recommended cooking temperature and time.  For my deer steaks, the temperature was suggested to be at 129.2 and cooking time was one hour.  Press start on the app, and watch as the water preheats to the perfect temperature. 

Sous Vide Cooker for Deer Steaks with Cherry Smoked ReductionWhile the water is preheating, prepare the steaks.  You will need a sealable bag for cooking in.  Another convenience offered with sous vide cooking is you can infuse more flavors into your meats during the cooking process.  Besides the deer steaks, to the cooking bag I added a tablespoon of butter, two cloves of smashed garlic, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.  Seal the bag, and once the water is preheated, clip it to the side of the pot and let it cook!

While the steaks are cooking, you can start on the smoked cherry sauce.  This brings us to the third question posed: Did you say smoked cherries?  And the answer is yes!  I was skeptical of the smoked cherries for this recipe.  I actually wanted to skip the entire step of smoking the cherries, but I am glad that I didn’t.  With the smoker set to a very low temperature, between 170 – 180 degrees Fahrenheit, put in a few pieces of mesquite wood, and smoke a cup of whole cherries for thirty minutes.  Since it was the middle of winter when I was making this recipe, I used frozen cherries and they worked perfectly fine.

Once the cherries are smoked, put them in a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 cup of port wine, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, one tablespoon minced fresh sage and a teaspoon of dried ground cloves.  Mix everything together and bring to a simmer.  Stirring occasionally, simmer the sauce until it thickens, about fifteen minutes.  Keep the sauce warm for serving over the steaks.

Smoked Cherries for Sous Vide Deer Steak

Smoked Cherry Sauce for Sous Vide Deer SteakOnce the steaks are done in the sous vide, heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat and add a few swirls of olive oil.  Pat the steaks dry, season generously with salt and pepper, and drop them into the hot pan.  Cook the steak on each side for about a minute, resulting in a beautifully browned seal on the outside of the steak.

Sous Vide Deer Steak with Cherry Smoked Reduction
This is how the steaks will look straight out of the sous vide.

Sous Vide Deer Steak with Smoked Cherry Reduction
I sear all the sides of the steak first and then move to larger surfaces.

Sous Vide Deer SteakSlice the steak into thin strips and dress it with the smoked cherry sauce.  It is so beautiful on the plate and tastes even more amazing.

Conclusions!

The sous vide does create an amazingly even finish on the steaks.  The deer back straps were cooked perfectly to medium-rare and it was consistent across the entire piece of meat.  It also resulted in a very juicy cut of meat with a crunch seared outside.

The smoked cherry reduction by David Draper was delicious.  I thought the balance between the sweetness of the cherry and the smoke would be weird, but it was surprisingly perfect.  There was something tantalizing about the savory infused smoke flavor and the sweet added from the port wine and cherries.  The balsamic vinegar blended everything together beautifully.  I deviated a bit from the original recipe by adding the Worcestershire, and it was an appreciated addition by my diners.  They liked the little bit of tang it added to the dish. 

Sous Vie Deer Steak with Smoked Cherry Reduction
The final product! Doesn’t get more beautiful than that!

Hope ya’ll enjoy this dish as much as I did.  And if you are thinking about getting a sous vide device, especially a Joule, I would highly recommend it! 

Happy Hunting!

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Sous Vide Deer Steaks Topped with Smoked Cherry Reduction

Category: Deer Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

4 servings

Sous Vide Deer Steaks Topped with Smoked Cherry Reduction

The final product! Doesn't get more beautiful than that!

Ingredients

  • 4 Deer Steaks, such as tenderloins or back straps
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • Handful fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cherries
  • 3/4 cup port wine
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

    For the Sous Vide Deer Steaks
  1. Using the Joule app, heat up the water to desired temperature and set the cooking time. Start the Joule preheating the water.
  2. In one Ziploc baggie per steak, add one serving of steak, two crushed garlic cloves, one tablespoon of butter, and a few sprigs of thyme. Repeat with all four steaks.
  3. Seal bags and clip to side of pot for cooking.
  4. Allow to cook for recommended time, set by Joule.
  5. *If you don't have a sous vide cooking device, this recipe works fine with just cooking the steaks in a pan as well.
  6. Once steaks are finished cooking, heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat and add the olive oil.
  7. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and then generously season with salt and pepper.
  8. Place steaks in piping hot pan, and sear each side for one minute.
  9. Let rest for a few minutes and then thinly slice.
    For Smoked Cherry Reduction
  1. Heat smoker to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Using mesquite wood, create smoke and add the cup of cherries. I put mine in a disposable pie tin for smoking.
  2. Smoke cherries for 30 minutes.
  3. Place smoked cherries in medium size sauce pan over medium-high heat.
  4. Add the port wine, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, minced sage, and ground cloves.
  5. Let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until reduced and reaches your desired thickness.
    To Plate
  1. Lay thin slices of the deer steak on a plate and generously cover in smoked cherry reduction.
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Pheasant Carbonara: Creamy, Hearty, and Delicious!

Published on by a12gaugegirl

Pheasant Carbonara Final Dish
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” ~ Steve Jobs

You know how little kids won’t try new foods because they don’t like ones with funny names, like pheasant carbonara, or they despise one of the ingredients in it.  My niece refuses to try fried rice because it has “scrambled eggs” in it.  I try to coax her into giving it a taste by promising you can’t even taste the eggs, or they don’t even resemble scrambled eggs, or you can eat around the eggs.  She always looks me directly in the eye and with a defiant and firm “no” explains how she will not be eating rice with scrambled eggs in it.  I roll my eyes each time and reiterate my belief that she is missing out.

I think she is a fool and can’t believe she doesn’t like fried rice; however, I myself can be that same fool.  After this past pheasant season, the family requested a new twist on pheasant breasts. I am starting to become notorious for taking the breast and creating a modification on meatballs.  I think they were getting tired of my eyes lighting up as I explained how I had thought up yet another meatball we could try. 

We all tossed around a few ideas and somehow the idea of pheasant carbonara kept coming up.  Carbonara is an Italian pasta dish thought to originate in Rome.  While the details are open to interpretation, the basic ingredients are eggs, a hard cheese, some type of bacon, and noodles. 

I will admit, I was not 100% sure what pheasant carbonara was when the suggestion was made, so I had to look it up.  The second I saw that eggs were in the dish, I reverted to childhood mode.  I was not eating noodles with scrambled eggs in it!

While I thought the idea sounded revolting, everyone else was on board. So, I set out to concoct a pheasant carbonara.  When researching carbonara, I quickly became a much bigger fan of the idea when I saw how the ingredients could be manipulated to suite personal tastes.  I always enjoy wild game recipes that allow the freedom to pair the meat with herbs or flavors that compliment it. 

Pheasant is a very mild tasting meat, especially the breasts.  It is comparable to chicken in texture and flavor, but still has a uniqueness to it.  Since it is a mild meat, pheasant pairs well with stronger flavors, so the salty bacon style pork in a carbonara pairs really well with pheasant.  I decided to use a prosciutto, which is an Italian style bacon, in my dish, but you could use any traditional style of bacon, turkey bacon, pancetta, or capicola. 

Prosciutto for Pheasant CarbonaraThe first step in pheasant carbonara is to prepare the breasts for cooking.  Cut the breasts into thin strips, no more than an inch or so thick.  Sometimes it helps to lightly freeze the meat before you cut it up.  Next, you want to boil the noodles.  You want the noodles to be al dente, which takes between nine to twelve minutes, depending on the type of noodle you use.  You also want to time the dish so the noodles are just finishing up cooking when you add them to the sauce, since the heat of the noodles are used to help cook the eggs.  For my carbonara, I used a linguini noodle.  I like the linguini because it is a little thicker and heartier than a spaghetti noodle.  Other good noodles for this dish would be spaghetti or even fettuccine.

Mixing up the pheasant carbonaraWhile the noodles are boiling, start on the sauce.  In a large skillet, melt the butter and add the minced garlic, chopped prosciutto, and pheasant pieces.  Allow them to cook for about five minutes.  With the pan still hot, pour in a half cup of dry white wine.  Allow the wine to simmer and some of the alcohol to boil off, about three minutes.

Adding wine to pheasant carbonaraTo the simmering wine, add a half cup of heavy cream and bring to a very gentle boil.  Let the sauce reduce by half, which takes about five minutes.  Once the sauce has reduced, turn off the heat from the pan. 

Cream sauce for pheasant carbonaraUsing a pair of tongs, add the hot pasta to the pheasant and cream sauce.  Stir everything and coat the noodles.  Pour in the cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and the two egg yolks.  For the cheese, you can use any type of hard cheese, which usually consist of members of the parmesan cheese family.  I like asiago as well sometimes.  Stir everything until a creamy, cheesy sauce has formed and coats the noodles entirely.  Season with salt and pepper and freshly chopped parsley.

Stirring up pheasant carbonaraI was hesitant with this dish all the way through until I actually put a bite in my mouth.  I was weirded out by the eggs, and felt it would have an egg flavor, but it is amazing! The eggs make the cheese sauce extremely creamy and rich. 

This is a perfect meal for using up those pheasant breasts. It would also work good with turkey, grouse, or chukars.  The meal is quick and easy to throw together, doesn’t require many ingredients, and is a very hearty and decadent tasting dish.  Enjoy your bowl of pheasant carbonara!

Happy Hunting!     

Final Plate of Pheasant Carbonara

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Pheasant Carbonara: Creamy, Hearty, and Delicious!

Category: Upland Game Hunting, Wild Game Recipes

4

Pheasant Carbonara: Creamy, Hearty, and Delicious!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dry linguini
  • 4 ounces thick cut prosciutto
  • 4 pheasant breasts, cleaned and cut into bite size chunks
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup fresh grated parmigiana reggiano or parmesan cheese
  • 1 handful fresh chopped parsley
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, boil linguini noodles until al dente, about nine to ten minutes. You want to have the noodles finish cooking around the same time the sauce is finished for tossing. The heat of the noodles are important for cooking the raw eggs.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons olive oil and the minced garlic. Cook for two minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic.
  3. Add the pheasant chunks and cook for four to five minutes.
  4. Add the prosciutto and cook an additional two to three minutes.
  5. Poor the wine directly in the pan, and allow to simmer for three minutes.
  6. In a large bowl, scramble the egg yolks with the cup of grated cheese.
  7. Strain the noodles and place in a large mixing bowl. Reserve a cup of the pasta liquid in case needed for thinning the sauce.
  8. Add the pheasant and prosciutto to the pasta, and mix.
  9. Pour the egg and cheese mixture over the hot noodles and toss until the noodles are evenly coated, creating a creamy, cheesy sauce for the pasta.
  10. Garnish with the parsley and dig in!!!!
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Elk Meatloaf Recipe: Onions, Mushrooms, and Italian Cheese

Published on by a12gaugegirl

Yay! It’s September! And September means fall, and fall means comfort food. Comfort food means meatloaf time! And a little more specifically, it means elk meatloaf recipe time!

Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, and Cheese
“I have a marvelous meatloaf recipe. All I have to do is mention it to my husband and he says, “Let’s eat out!” ~ Anonymous

 
Growing up, I hated meatloaf.  To me, meatloaf was literally a lump of meat that tasted like it had been boiled and topped with ketchup.  I was not a fan, and carried my disdain for meatloaf well into my adult life.  Then something happened.  I made my own meatloaf, and realized I not only like meatloaf, I love it.  It was a meal that I actually looked forward to.

I think this shift in meatloaf mentality occurred because I realized that meatloaf is simply taking a ground burger base and creating any flavor profile your little heart desires.  It is like the ultimate blank canvas, just waiting for you to pay it a little attention and create something amazing.

For this elk meatloaf recipe, I wanted to take some of my favorite earthy flavors, as I like to call them, and pair them with a great flavored meatloaf.  So, what do I mean by earthy flavors?  Well, I consider earthy flavors to be herbs and ingredients that remind me of sitting outside on a warm afternoon and taking in all the aromas of my yard and surrounding environment.  They are flavors that draw one into the basic sense of where food comes from, that remind of farms and fruit trees, conjure up images of harvest time and working with your hands to provide.  Those are what earthy flavors are to me, which might differ completely from someone’s idea, but at least it gives you an idea of how this recipe was conceived.

So, a few of my basic earthy flavors are herbs like sage, thyme, oregano, and rosemary.  And a few of my earthy ingredients are mushrooms and onions.  I took all those basic ideas and created a meatloaf from elk centering around this particular flavor profile.  This is a great base recipe for creating your own elk meatloaf fitting the likes of your family or friends because it easy to add or subtract ingredients from.  Friends don’t like mushrooms, toss ’em out and add in carrots, corn, or another vegetable they like.  You hate onions?  They won’t be missed if you take them out.  See, it is a very versatile elk meatloaf recipe!

To begin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Pour a half cup of milk, any percentage you have on hand will do, and soak pieces of Italian bread in the milk until they have soaked it all up.  Set the bread aside momentarily.  It is also time to start the caramelized onions.

Caramelized onions are one of my favorites.  They are so sweet, and the texture is soft and almost kind of chewy.  They are so good!  Cooking them isn’t really all that difficult, it just is a test of your patience.  To get a really good caramelized onion, you have to let the onions cook on low for about thirty minutes.  I always get tempted to turn the heat up in hopes of speeding up the process, but that idea is not a good one.  Instead of sweet onions, you end up more frying the onions, which creates an entirely different flavor and texture than you are looking for.

Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe Caramelized OnionsTo cook caramelized onion, heat up two or three tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over low heat.  Add two large onions that have been thinly sliced and allow to slowly cook for about ten minutes.  At ten minutes, I sprinkle in about two teaspoons of salt and give everything a stir.  Allow to cook for twenty more minutes, stirring occasionally.  The onions should start to turn translucent and brown slightly on the edges.  Sometimes I add a little sugar, like a teaspoon, or a tablespoon of vinegar to help with the caramelizing process.  When the onions are done cooking, set aside and start on the meatloaf.

In a second mixing bowl, add two pounds of ground elk.  I like to add bacon to my ground elk so I have a bit of fat in the meat, as elk is incredibly lean and tends to dry out if you don’t introduce a fat source.  When grinding, I do a ratio of about 10% bacon to 90% elk, so for this recipe I did around two pounds of elk and about 3 ounces of bacon.  You could also do beef fat, if that is available from your butcher.  I like to do bacon because it adds a little bacon flavor to my meat, which is something I generally add anyway when making elk burgers or an elk meatloaf recipe, and so it is kind of a two-for-one deal in this situation.

Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients To the ground elk, add a tablespoon of fennel, and two teaspoons each of dried sage, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.  If you don’t have all those ingredients on hand, you could add two tablespoons of dried Italian seasoning and you will hit most or all of the dried herbs.  Next, add three cloves of minced garlic, a half cup of tomato juice, and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard.  Using your hands, give everything a quick mix.

Next, break three eggs into the bowl.  Add in the milk soaked bread crumbs, and use your hands to really incorporate everything together.  It’s time to add the dried breadcrumbs.  I add the dried crumbs a cup at time, mixing after each addition and checking the consistency.  Stop adding when the meatloaf is still moist but holds together in a ball in the palm of your hand.  This time I used about three cups.  Season with a little salt and pepper and then press out into a large rectangle on a sheet of wax paper.  It’s time to start layering some flavor!

I first put down a layer of shredded cheese.  I wanted to use Parmigiano-Reggiano, but my local grocery store doesn’t carry that particular cheese, so instead I went for an Italian cheese blend that had Parmesan, Romano, and Asiago.  Parmesan is more of a generic American term for salty, harder cheeses, like Parmigiano-Reggiano. So when you buy a three cheese blend similar to the one I found it kind of counts as covering the idea of Parmigian-Reggiano.  All three cheeses are salty based cheeses that are harder with a crumbly texture.

Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe with MushroomsOn top of the cheese, add the mushroom slices.  I used baby portabellas for this recipe, but you can use whatever type of mushroom you like best.  Shitakes would be fantastic, as would Cremini or even white button.  Add the caramelized onions on top of the mushrooms.  Starting at the edge closest to you and using the wax paper to help keep your hands from sticking, roll the meat and all its ingredients into a tidy little loaf.  Place on a baking sheet and put in the oven.  Allow to cook for one hour.

Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe of Rolled MeatloafWhile the meatloaf is cooking, it is time to make the gravy.  This is a very simple brown gravy that has onions, mushrooms, and fresh thyme to help compliment the flavors of the actual elk meatloaf.  I am not the greatest gravy person, in fact many times I struggle with getting a good texture and consistency; however this recipe was incredibly simple and turned out great.

Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe for Thickening GravyMelt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and sauté for about eight minutes.  Then, add the onions and cook an additional three minutes.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms and onions and then whisk for about a minute into the juices and oils of the pan.  Try and mix in all the flour, as you are creating a roux for you gravy base to help thicken the sauce.  Cook for about a minute.

Slowly pour in two cups of beef broth, continuously whisking as you pour and breaking up any chunks that might develop.  Bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Allow the sauce to simmer for about ten minutes so it can reduce and thicken.  In a small mixing cup, add a tablespoon of corn starch to a half cup of water.  I added about a tablespoon of the corn starch mixture at a time to my gravy, stirring and then checking the consistency before I added more.  I only added cornstarch until the gravy was thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, but it still dripped off and was somewhat at a liquid state.  It should be glossy and shiny as well.  Stir in a tablespoon of fresh minced thyme and some apple cider vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.Image of Elk Meatloaf Recipe for Mushroom Gravy

To plate this ultimate comfort food dish up, add a healthy slice of the elk meatloaf to your plate and then drench it in the mushroom and onion gravy.  For my side, I had a mashed sweet potato for a little color on my plate.  Enjoy all those earthy flavors of mushroom, onion, rosemary, sage, and thyme in this elk meatloaf recipe! So good!

Happy Hunting!

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Elk Meatloaf Recipe: Onions, Mushrooms, and Italian Cheese

Category: Deer Recipes, Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

Elk Meatloaf Recipe: Onions, Mushrooms, and Italian Cheese

Ingredients

    For Meatloaf
  • Two pounds ground elk meat
  • 6 Slices Italian Style Bread
  • 1/2 Cup Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Fennel Seed
  • 2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
  • 2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
  • 2 Teaspoons Dried Sage
  • 2 Teaspoons Dried Rosemary
  • 1/2 Cup Tomato Juice
  • 6 Cloves Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • 3 Eggs
  • 3 cups Dried Bread Crumbs, such as Panko
  • 8 Ounces Baby Portabella Mushrooms
  • Caramelized Onions
  • 2 Cups Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
    For Caramelized Onions
  • Two Large Onions, Sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
    For Mushroom Thyme Gravy
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 8 Ounces Mushrooms
  • 1/2 Large Onion, Sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Flour
  • 2 Cups Beef Broth
  • 2 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch with 1/2 Cup Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Minced Thyme
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

    For Caramelized Onion
  1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and allow to cook, slowly, for ten minutes.
  2. After ten minutes, sprinkle the onions with the salt. Stir and allow to cook for an additional twenty minutes.
  3. Stir the onions occasionally. You will know they are finished when the onions are translucent and slightly browned on the edges. They should taste sweet.
    For the Meatloaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, break up the six Italian bread slices. Pour the half cup of milk over the bread and allow to soak. Set aside until ready to use.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, add two pounds of ground elk meat. To the ground elk meat, add the fennel seed, sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. Mix everything once with hands.
  4. To the large bowl, add the minced garlic, tomato juice, Dijon mustard. Mix again.
  5. Finally, add the eggs and soaked bread crumbs. MIx everything thoroughly. Now start adding the dried bread crumbs cup by cup until desired consistency is reached. Meatloaf should be moist but hold together when formed into a ball in your hand.
  6. Spread the meat mixture onto a piece of wax paper, forming a large rectangle about an inch thick.
  7. On top of the meat mixture, lay the cheese, mushrooms, and caramelized onions. Using the paper to help you, roll the meat and toppings in a loaf and set on baking sheet.
  8. Bake in preheated oven for one hour.
    For the Mushroom Thyme Gravy
  1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and allow to sauté for eight minutes.
  2. Add the sliced onions and cook an additional three minutes.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and onions. Using a whisk, dissolve the flour entirely in the juices and oils of the pan. Cook for one minute.
  4. Slowly add the beef broth and whisk constantly while adding. Bring the a gentle boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and allow to simmer for ten minutes.
  5. Add the cornstarch tablespoon by tablespoon until the gravy is desired thickness and is glossy.
  6. Remove from heat and add apple cider vinegar and fresh minced thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. To plate, cut yourself a beautiful slice of meatloaf and drench in mushroom gravy!
  8. Enjoy!
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Wild Duck Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas

Published on by a12gaugegirl

“A good spicy challenge strikes a balance between flavour and fear.” ~ Adam Richman

I love a good jalapeno popper.  I love the rich cream cheese paired with buttery sharp cheddar.  I love the, sometimes overwhelming, heat of the jalapeno.  And I love the salty bite of bacon.  It is easily my favorite grilled food.

I am such a fan of the grilled jalapeno popper that I tend to take other popular grilling items and transform them into jalapeno popper versions.  For example, I never turn down a dove jalapeno popper.  I also have been known to create a grilled shrimp jalapeno popper.  None of these are novel ideas, but they are recipes that never disappoint.

This summer, I opened the freezer and noticed a few forgotten mallard breasts.  I had just seen a recipe for duck jalapeno poppers while visiting some popular grilling websites I frequent, and of course I mentally fired up the charcoal and started cleaning jalapenos for duck poppers.  Upon wandering outside to actually start the grill, I realized it was well over 100 degrees outside, and nothing sounded worse than standing in front of a sweltering grill slowly turning poppers.  I retreated back to the air conditioning and started to reformulate my plan.

A little contemplation lead to the duck jalapeno popper quesadilla.  All the beautiful grilled flavors of the popper, including the jalapeno, onions, cream and cheddar cheeses, and bacon but prepared in a crispy tortilla shell quesadilla style.

Instead of leaving the duck whole and wrapping it in bacon, I slow cooked it for a few hours, with bacon to add a little fat, and then shredded the meat.  Add to the shredded duck all the popper fixing, grill it on the griddle or in the oven, and you have a fast, easy alternative to the popper!  And you don’t even have to break a sweat doing it.

The full recipe is featured on huntinglife.com, which I am very excited to be able to be a part of.  Check out the entire recipe here: Duck Jalapeno Popper Quesadilla!

Happy Hunting!

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Wild Duck Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas

Category: Upland Game Hunting, Wild Game Recipes

6-8 quesdillas depending on size of tortilla

Wild Duck Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • Flour or corn tortillas
  • 3 wild duck breasts, cleaned and skinless
  • 6-7 slices bacon
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2-3 jalapenos, finely diced
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 3 cups cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil or butter

Instructions

  1. In a crockpot, place the cleaned, skinless duck breasts. Cover with the half cup of water and place two slices of bacon over the top.
  2. Cook the breasts on low for 3-4 four hours, until the duck because tender and starts to fall apart.
  3. Using two forks, shred the duck breasts. Discard the bacon.
  4. In a medium bowl, cream together the block of cream cheese and two cups of the cheddar cheese.
  5. Prepare bacon by placing on a large baking sheet covered in aluminum foil and cooking in a preheated 400 degree oven for 12 minutes. Let bacon cool slightly and dice into small pieces.
  6. Finely dice onions and jalapenos.
  7. To construct quesadilla, take one tortilla and place about a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on top. Spread it evenly over tortilla. Add a spoonful of shredded duck, diced jalapeno and onions, and bacon crumbles. Top with more cheddar cheese and cover with second tortilla.
  8. Preheat a grilled to medium heat. Melt about a teaspoon of butter or cooking oil. Once oil is hot, place quesadilla on hot griddle and cook for two to three minutes, until the cheese has started to melt and tortilla is slight browned. Flip quesadilla and cook additional two to three minutes on second side.
  9. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Serve with chipotle sour cream and salsa.
  10. Enjoy!
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Wild Turkey Tagliatelle

Published on by a12gaugegirl

“The turkey’s eyes are such that he can see a bumblebee turn a somersault on the verge of the horizon.” ~Archibald Rutledge

Every time I cook with wild turkey, four things run through my mind: it will be gamey, it will be tough, it will be chewy, it will be dry.  Those four fears not only run through my mind, but they try to dictate how I will prepare my wild turkey.  I take those four things and try to construct a plan for the handling, preparation, and cooking of my turkey that avoids those four possibilities.  Those four fears also lead to me half jokingly say before I set a plate down in front of an eater, “If it tastes bad, we are ordering pizza.”  And every time I make something with wild turkey, the first bite shoves those four fears out of my mind and instead all I can say is “Oh man!”

While making this latest wild turkey meal, I tried to start with the idea that it was going to work.  I tried to think about how I wanted to meal to taste at the end and not how I was going to try and manipulate the meal around the fact that the protein in it was wild turkey.  This got me thinking about my four fears and why they were so ingrained in my head.  I guess it is because they fit the myths formed when trying something new.  These myths can really be used to describe any new food experience: it will taste different and the texture will be weird.  So, I decided to give these four wild turkey myths a little debunking.

My Wild Turkey will be Gamey

I cannot 100% define what meat being “gamey” actually means.  All I can determine is when people say something is gamey they mean “I don’t like it.”  A few things I think people mean when they say something is gamey is it tastes strong, perhaps a little overwhelming to the taste buds, possibly an earthy flavor.  I think people also are referring that the animal tastes like what it has been eating.  For example, I have heard people say mule deer tastes like sage brush, or that wild turkey tastes like garlic.

I can’t change someone’s mind about if something taste gamey.  All I can say is that all meat tastes a little different.  And I think you can develop a liking of the way a meat tastes by trying it a couple of times, maybe prepared a couple of different ways.  I was not a huge elk fan growing up.  I didn’t mind deer, but elk was a little harder for me to try.  The same goes for duck.  And I am still working on developing my taste for goose, which has so far been unsuccessful.  But I am working on it.  With all that being said, I actually do not care for beef as much now that I do not eat it as often.  Whenever I go out now and order a steak, it just tastes a little “off” to me.

I also think that the “gamey” taste many people describe comes from how people care for their harvest afterwards.  There are a variety of techniques and tricks people have for cleaning and processing an animal, many of which I am still learning, and they can really help enhance the wild game dining experience.  A few quick tips I have for cleaning wild turkey is to take time to carefully remove all the fascia from the meat.  Remove as much as the fat as possible as well.  Go over the meat rigidly a few times and inspect for bb’s (While they don’t taste gamey, nothing ruins a meal faster than biting into a bb!).  Also, learn to properly clean a turkey so you don’t hit the croup or intestines (they can really makes things not smell so wonderful when pierced). Finally, if it is hot out when you shoot your tom, field dress the animal and put it on ice quickly in order to keep the meat cool.

My Wild Turkey will be Tough, Chewy, and Dry

While turkeys are tough birds (just ask my father-in-law, he has a few stories about some vicious run-ins with America’s favorite bird!), their meat doesn’t have to be!  Any piece of meat can be tough, chewy, and dried out if not prepared properly, and no two meats are prepared the same.  Even on a wild turkey, I prepare leg meat very differently from how I prepare breast meat.

For this recipe, I wanted to use the breast meat and keep it in larger-sized chunks.  In order to keep the breasts from becoming tough, chewy, or dry, I decided to roast them first.  In the past, I have also created some fantastic twists on turkey breasts that weren’t tough or dry using a variety of techniques, such as slow cooking and shredding the breasts, or grinding the meat with a little fat and forming meatballs or burger patties.  There are lots of options out there, it is just a matter of handling the meat correctly in order to avoid having a tough, chewy, dry slab of meat laying in front of you.

So, with all that said and done, let’s get to the recipe!

Wild Turkey Tagliatelle!!!

For this recipe, I like to roast the turkey breast because I am going to be keeping it in large chunks for the dish.  Roasting releases the natural juices of the meat, which helps flavor the turkey breast and keeps it from drying out.  Roasting the wild turkey breast also kept the meat tender.  I think if I had just cooked it on the stovetop in a pan, it would have resulted in a much tougher and chewier texture.

Season the breast liberally with salt and pepper, then place on a baking sheet. I like to line my baking sheet with a little aluminum foil to help clean-up go faster.  You can skip this step if you want.  I just thought I would mention it as a little tip to help with dishes.

Place the breast in the oven and let it roast for twenty five minutes, flipping once during the process.  Once the meat is done cooking, set it aside and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it into large, but still bite-sized, chunks.

While the turkey is roasting, heat a large pan over medium-high heat with four tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil.  Once the butter has melted, add the small diced onion and cook for about five minutes, until the onion is soft and starting to turn translucent.  I just have to add right here, that I love the smell of onion cooking in butter.

Once the onions are soft, add the two crushed garlic cloves.  If you don’t crush garlic cloves often, which I can’t actually say that I do, there is a quick little trick for it.  There is no need to peel the clove.  Instead, take your knife and place the side of the blade against the clove on a hard surface, like the cutting board.  With one hand firmly pressed the knife against the garlic, use the heel of your other hand and gently give the knife blade a whack.  The garlic should crush under the blade and then the skin of the clove easily falls off.  Drop the crushed clove into the oil and you’re done!

Next, it is time to add the zucchini.  You can slice the zucchini into thin, julienne-style strips, but I bought a new kitchen gadget that creates spiral cut noodles and I thought I would use it for this dish.  These spiral cutters are really cheap, you can pick one up for about $10, and they work really well.  You just insert the vegetable of your choice and twist.  Easy!  Here is a link for an example of a spiral cutter: Spiral Vegetable Cutter.

Add the zucchini to the dish, top with a little salt and pepper, and the minced fresh marjoram.  Cook for two or three minutes and then add in the chunks of wild turkey.

Cook the turkey and zucchini mixture for eight to ten minutes.

While the turkey is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season with a pinch of salt.  Add the tagliatelle noodles and cook to al dente, according to the instructions on the box.  If you are like me, you might not really know what tagliatelle noodles are.  I did a little research before I used them, just to see what I was getting myself into.  Basically, tagliatelle noodles are an egg based pasta similar to fettucinne.  They are long, thin ribbons that pair great with meat sauces.  Once I read they were similar to fettucinne, my fears of the pasta unknown were pretty much gone.

Anyway, add the cooked noodles to the turkey mixture, drizzle on the second tablespoon of olive oil, and give everything a good stir to make sure everyone has a little of the butter sauce on it.

To serve this wild turkey dish up, place a heap of the turkey, zucchini, and noodles on a plate.  Sprinkle on some fresh shaved parmesan cheese, and then garnish with a pretty zucchini flower straight from the bush (if you have a zucchini bush it is a fun little touch to add to the dish, if not you don’t have to worry about finding a flower, the dish is designed to be amazing without it).  The flower is also edible!

Before I sign off, I have to say that this dish was definitely better than ordering pizza.  My fears of it being gamey, tough, chewy, and dry were quickly replaced with “Oh man!” at the first bite.  The turkey was juicy and tender, not tough or chewy at all, and it paired really well with the zucchini.  The very simple butter and olive oil sauce was delicious and delicate while the marjoram added a beautiful aroma to the dish.  Enjoy!

Happy Hunting!

 

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Wild Turkey Tagliatelle

Category: Upland Game Hunting, Wild Game Recipes

4-6

Wild Turkey Tagliatelle

Ingredients

  • 1 fully-cleaned, skin-off wild turkey breast
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 small zucchini, cut julienne-style
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 sprigs fresh marjoram, minced
  • 1lb tagliatelle noodles
  • Shaved parmesan cheese
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

    For the turkey breast
  1. Preheat the broiler on the oven to high.
  2. On a large baking sheet, lined with foil for easy clean-up, place the turkey breast. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
  3. Broil the turkey breast for 25 minutes.
  4. Set aside to cool briefly.
    For the Turkey Tagliatelle
  1. In a large pan over medium high heat, melt the butter with a tablespoon of the olive oil.
  2. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onions and cook until they are soft and slightly translucent, about five minutes.
  3. Add two crushed garlic cloves.
  4. For the zucchini, cut into julienne strips or use a spiral noodle cutter. Place the prepared zucchini into the butter and onions. Coat with the butter mixture.
  5. Add the marjoram and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Cool for two to three minutes.
  7. While the zucchini are cooking, dice the roasted turkey breast into large, bite-size pieces.
  8. Add turkey to zucchini and cook for eight to ten minutes.
  9. While turkey is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Season with a pinch of salt.
  10. Cook tagliatelle noodles according to instructions on the box.
  11. Add cooked noodles to turkey and zucchini.
  12. Serve the turkey tagliatelle with shaved parmesan cheese and garnish with a flower from the zucchini bush (which is edible!!!).
  13. Enoy!!!
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