Lemon Cream Tarragon Chicken: A Dutch Oven Picnic

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Dutch Oven Recipes

LemonChickenScenery“Nothing’s better than a picnic.” ~ Zooey Deschanel

Last weekend, I packed up my shotgun and shells, grabbed my turkey tag, loaded my boots into the truck, and prepared for a long day of searching for toms. I am notorious for throwing half of what I need for a day out into the truck cab and leaving half of what I need on the couch or somewhere else. I tend to forget things like socks to go with my boots, and I have had the pus-filled, bright red, tender to the touch blisters on my toes to prove that instead of going home, I trekked on sockless (which in case you are wondering, is never worth it!). I have forgotten shells to go with my shot gun. I have seen the bird I was destined to meet up with that day, only to reach into my empty pockets and then picture my shells sitting on the counter, probably next to my bird tag. I probably most often forget to bring something to eat, you know, like lunch or dinner, or at least a snack.

This weekend was going to be different! I remembered my shells (see, I even listed them in my opening sentence there!), I remembered my tag, and I remembered socks! And I decided that I was going to take food too. Figuring I would be out all day, I decided a more significant meal was needed and not just a snack. I started to pull out a loaf of bread and jars of peanut butter and jelly when a thought hit me. Carrying around a loaf of bread and all these jars was just as difficult as grabbing my dutch oven and throwing together a fancy little picnic.

That is what I love about the dutch oven. With a little pre-planning, it is just as easy as grabbing a loaf of bread, and the meal will be ten times what a loaf of bread has to offer. In an effort to make a very simple meal, I picked something that required few ingredients and was also easy to just transport in Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers. When making dutch oven meals outdoor friendly, I try and do a few things before-hand. I dice up any vegetables or fruits I plan on using, thus eliminating the need for bringing a knife and cutting board. I clean my meats and remove unwanted fat. I mix together any ingredients that can be combined into a single container, thus eliminating how many items I have to carry around.

This lemon cream chicken is a perfect easy, quick dutch oven lunch. And a picnic with a dutch oven meal is waaayyyyy more fun, and delicious, than “pb & j” sandwiches.

So, for home preparation on this meal, in a medium-sized Tupperware container I combined two cloves of minced garlic, a teaspoon of red pepper flakes, half cup of chicken broth, half cup of heavy cream, the juice of a lemon, a couple tablespoons of fresh minced tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. The Tupperware is a great way to go because not only is everything in one convenient container, but you could just shake the entire thing to mix it. And then you don’t need a mixing spoon!

LemonChickenMarinadeFor the second part of home preparation, in a large Ziploc freezer bag, the kind that has the slide tab so you know things are good and sealed, dump in eight bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. You could also do this meal with chicken wings or drumsticks too. You just want a meat that has a little skin and fat on it so you can develop some good flavor in the dutch oven without having to carry around extra oils or butters. To the Ziploc bag add a couple tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of Dijon mustard, the zest from your lemon, a tablespoon of fresh minced thyme, a tablespoon of fresh minced rosemary, and salt and pepper. Seal the bag and then massage all the marinade ingredients around the chicken pieces.

LemonChickenCoals Viola! The meal is ready to go and all you need to do now is place your cream in its Tupperware container and your chicken marinating in its Ziploc bag in a cooler with a little ice. The picnic is just about ready to go! Before you leave the house, be sure to grab the dutch oven, a bag of coals, your lid lifter, a charcoal chimney, a lighter, some newspaper, tongs for the chicken, and a spoon. Oh! And don’t forget something to eat on! And with!

LemonChickenDutchOvenOkay, so once out in the beautiful outdoors, pour the coals into the charcoal chimney, place the newspaper under the chimney, light, and let the coals burn until they start to turn grey. This can take up to fifteen minutes. Once the coals are ready, pour a good little stack on the ground, I did about 14 to 16 for this first part, and place the oven over the coals. Let the oven heat up to where you can’t hold your hand over it for more than two or three seconds. Once the oven is good and hot, place the chicken thighs into the oven, skin side down, and let them sear for two or three minutes. Flip and repeat. Right now, you are just browning the chicken and not fully cooking it. Remove the chicken from the oven and pour in the Tupperware containing the lemon tarragon sauce. Bring the sauce to a slight boil and allow to simmer for five or ten minutes. Once the sauce has reduced down just a bit and started to thicken, add the chicken thighs back to the oven.

Place the lid over the oven and add ten or twelve more coals to the top of the oven. Allow the chicken to cook an additional twenty minutes. There are two ways to check if the chicken is done. First, you can always, and I do mean always, tell a dutch oven meal is ready by the smell test. What is the smell test? Good question! It is a very simple test. Once you start smelling the amazing aromas of your meal seeping out of the closed dutch oven, you know your meal is ready. I am serious! I know it sounds crazy, but it has yet to fail me. So, for this lemon tarragon cream chicken, you will know the meal is ready when the air starts still fill with tangy scents of lemon and rich hints of tarragon, which has a smell similar to black licorice.

Second, cut into a piece of the chicken and check for doneness. The juices from inside the chicken should run clear and it shouldn’t be pink on the inside. So, there are two tests for you!

To serve this fantastic picnic lunch, I piled my plate high with just a bagged salad mix. I was even able to just pour the salad dressing directly into the bag for easy stirring of my salad ingredients. Don’t forget when you plate your chicken to pour a heaping scoop of cream sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top of your seared roasted lemon chicken! Mmmmm…it is sooooo good, and even better when enjoyed after a long day of turkey hunting under a setting sun!

Happy Hunting!

LemonChickenFinalPlate2

Print
Lemon Cream Tarragon Chicken: A Dutch Oven Picnic

Category: Dutch Oven Recipes

Lemon Cream Tarragon Chicken: A Dutch Oven Picnic

Ingredients

    For Lemon Sauce
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cream heavy cream
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh minced tarragon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
    For Chicken Marinade
  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or drumsticks or wings)
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

Instructions

  1. In a medium container with a sealable lid, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Place on ice in cooler.
  2. In a large freezer grade Ziploc bag, add chicken thighs that are covered in salt and pepper. Add rest of chicken ingredients to bag. Seal and massage oils and spices into chicken thighs. Place on ice in cooler.
  3. Heat dutch oven coals in charcoal chimney until starting to turn grey.
  4. Place 14 to 16 coals under open dutch oven. Add chicken, skin side down and sear two to three minutes. Flip and repeat. Remove chicken from oven.
  5. Pour ingredients for lemon sauce into oven, bring to a light boil and allow to simmer five to ten minutes, until sauce starts to reduce and thicken.
  6. Return the chicken to the oven, place lid, and cover with 10 to 12 more coals.
  7. Cook 20 to 25 minutes until chicken juices run clear.
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/lemon-cream-tarragon-chicken-a-dutch-oven-picnic/

Share This:

Elk Stroganoff Stuffed Mushrooms: A Dinner Party Hit!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

ElkStroganoffFinalPlate“Recipes don’t work unless you use your heart!” ~ Dylan Jones

I love a good dinner party: the friends, the music, the drinks, the food! And nothing makes for a better dinner party than introducing your friends to a new recipe. I also like to use my dinner parties as a forum for letting my friends experience new foods, such as a new fish or seafood, or unique vegetables like dandelion greens, fiddle heads, or jicama, but mostly I especially like to showcase wild game!

As I’m sure every wild game meat fan has found, not everyone is fond of it. Not only does wild game meat have a lot of stigmas around it, such as it is too “gamey” or it tastes like sage brush or its texture is too tough, but also few people have even ever eaten it, and it is a brand new dining experience. For these reasons, one of my favorite approaches for sharing my game meat is through an appetizer.

Appetizers provide a giant pack of flavor, texture, and culinary experience in a single bite. They are the perfect option for introducing friends, family, and especially newcomers, to wild game meat. Appetizers allow the diner a taste of wild game without their own fears of having to finish an entire plate of something they may not like getting in the way. Someone may feel overwhelmed at the idea of an entire elk filet filling their plate, but may be excited by the idea of trying a bite-size piece of elk tenderloin wrapped with a thin slice of bacon.

Appetizers can also allow one to test out a new recipe idea without having to create an entire entrée. When creating appetizers for my dinner parties, I like to think about a meal I really enjoy and then deconstructing that meal into a single bite. This may require omitting certain ingredients, expanding on or adding other ingredients, or changing the texture or actual form of the ingredients in order to fit the overall concept of the appetizer.

For my latest dinner party, I wanted to serve stuffed mushrooms. I like stuffed mushrooms because they truly fit the mold of giant flavor packed into a single bite. Many stuffed mushrooms are filled with garlic and onions, a variety of herbs and seasoned breadcrumbs, different grated cheese, and delicious meat bites like sausage. The mushrooms themselves create perfect bite size containers for the appetizers, but they also add flavor and texture to every bite.

As I said earlier, I like my appetizers to be reminiscent of an entrée meal. I think it is fun when an entire meal fits into a convenient, single bite. For a stuffed mushroom appetizer, I started thinking about meals where mushrooms are a component of the whole entrée. I had a pretty hefty list to choose from, but I couldn’t pull my interest away from making a single bite of stroganoff. Elk stroganoff served over a bed of egg noodles is one of my favorite ways to prepare elk or deer, and I think one of the reasons is I love the way the mushrooms add to the dish. So, I thought a single bite of elk stroganoff served in a little mushroom cap would be perfect. Stroganoff is a very savory and rich meal, and I have to admit that I get full on it very quickly, but this intense, over-the-top flavor is the kind of meal that makes for a great appetizer.

ElkStroganoffSauceBegin with preheating the oven to 350 degrees and spraying a large baking sheet with cooking oil. To prepare the mushrooms, wipe them off with a damp cloth. You don’t want to wash the mushrooms because they are like little sponges and will absorb all the moisture, causing them to become waterlogged and sometimes even slimy. For stuffed mushrooms, I like to use either baby portabellas or cremini. I like the flavor of both these mushrooms and they also are shaped really well for stuffing. To clean out the mushroom cavity, use the end of a spoon and scrape out the gills. I also hollow the cap out a bit to create more room for lots of stuffing. The mushrooms are now ready for stuffing, set them aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

For the stroganoff sauce, heat a large sauce pan over medium heat and add the sour cream, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt and pepper, and beef base. Combine until a smooth sauce is created and allow the sauce to simmer, not boil, for twenty minutes. During this time the sauce will become thick and glossy. I just have to also comment about how pretty I think this sauce base is. The color is so great! Once the sauce has reduced slightly, pull it from the heat and seat aside.

For the elk, run the chunk through a meat grinder one time. I used a more coarse size grind so the meat still had some of its basic structure. I thought this would help the elk to remain more like the strips of steak found in a stroganoff and less like overworked hamburger meat.

ElkStroganoffMeatChunk
ElkStroganoffMeatGrinder

In a large skillet, sauté a large diced onion for about ten minutes in a pat of butter. I thought that I might share a little trick I learned from watching hundreds of hours of cooking shows (they are my soap opera!) on how to easily dice up an onion into small, even sized pieces. Begin with cutting the onion in half and removing the skin. It is easier to peel an onion once you have cut it open. Then cut each half in half again. You want to leave what I would call the ends of the onion attached.

ElkStroganoffOnionFirst

Place the palm of your hand firmly down on top of the onion slice and cut horizontally into the onion center.

ElkStroganoffOnion3

Next, cut thin slices vertically into the onion, ending your slice just before reaching the knobby part of the onion so the pieces all still hold together.

ElkStroganoffOnion2

Finally, starting above the onion, cut thin slices horizontally down the onion. You will notice your perfectly diced, even-sized onion pieces start to fall on your cutting board.

ElkStroganoffOnion4

Don’t forget to use a nice sharp knife!  And watch your fingers; however, what I like about this method for dicing onions is I think it creates a solid base for cutting against and my fingers feel just a bit safer in the face of knife’s blade.

ElkStroganoffMeatBaseOnce the onion is soft, add the elk. Cook until the meat just starts to brown, about five minutes. It is okay if some of the meat is not quite cooked through, as it will continue to cook while the mushroom caps are in the oven. Add the meat and onion mixture to the stroganoff sauce and combine thoroughly.

It is time to start stuffing the ‘shrooms! Add a heaping spoonful of the stroganoff mixture to each mushroom cap. Don’t be afraid to stack them nice and high so each bite is filled with meat, onions, and sauce. Place the sheet in the preheated oven for twenty minutes, and your appetizers are ready to party!

Happy Hunting!

ElkStroganoffFinalPlate2

Print
Elk Stroganoff Stuffed Mushrooms: A Dinner Party Hit!

Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

Elk Stroganoff Stuffed Mushrooms: A Dinner Party Hit!

Ingredients

    For Sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons paprika, sweet
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoons beef demiglace
    For Stuffed Mushroom
  • 24 baby portabellas or creminis, stems removed and cleaned
  • 1 pound ground elk or deer
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

    For Sauce
  1. Place heavy cream, sour cream, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard, salt and pepper, and demiglace in medium sauce pan. Bring the ingredients to a boil and then reduce to a heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for twenty minutes until sauce is thick and glossy. Remove from heat and set aside.
    For Mushrooms
  1. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and preheat oven 400 degrees.
  2. Place butter in a large, high sided skillet and melt. Add diced onions to melted butter and cook until soft, about five minutes.
  3. Add ground elk and cook until just brown, about five to seven minutes. Don't worry about completely cooking the elk, as it will finish in the oven.
  4. Add elk and onion mixture to sauce and combine.
  5. Scoop stroganoff mixture into cleaned mushrooms and place on baking sheet.
  6. Bake for twenty to twenty minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/elk-stroganoff-stuffed-mushrooms-a-dinner-party-hit/

Share This:

Elk Steak and Eggs: A Four Ingredient Breakfast!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Deer Recipes, Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

ElkSteakandEggsIngredients“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”
~ Julia Child

Family traditions come in many forms. Some traditions are large and noisy, like everyone in the family gathers at a certain aunt’s house every year for Thanksgiving. And the table is always filled with ten different varieties of pie, and everyone eats until they can’t breathe. And then uncle so-and-so turns on the football game, but no one watches it because they are too full to stay awake. So the entire family sleeps through Thanksgiving Day football while grandma washes the dishes in her very special, no one can help, way. And then everyone awakes from their post-turkey slumber to eat the rest of the ten pies.

Then there are the small, more simple family traditions. One of my family traditions was tenderloin steak and eggs the morning after a successful deer or elk hunt. My dad would remove the hide, quarter up his animal to hang, and then put the tenderloin and backstrap in the fridge. In the morning, he would fry thinly butterflied steaks of tenderloin with medium eggs. I always loved that tradition, and shared it with my extended family once I married.

Now, at our house, we keep around about ten bags of those thinly sliced butterflied tenderloin steaks for a quick Saturday morning breakfast, or a quick Monday night dinner. I always think of it as my go-to meal when I don’t feel like cooking, but every time I eat it I wonder why I would consider it a go-to when, even in its simplicity, it is one amazing meal.

There really isn’t much to say about this meal other than it is delicious, simple, and always a crowd pleaser. I often prepare deer or elk in a way that enhances the flavors of the meat, but while enhancing those same tactics can somewhat simultaneously camouflage the flavors of the meat. When I make meals covered in sauce or cheese or some other delicious topping or wrap bacon around the entire thing, I pick cuts of meat that sometimes can’t handle being served solo. They might be a little too tough and need some tenderizing or breaking down. They might really have that “gamey” flavor going on for one reason or another. But tenderloin is tender and exquisite enough to stand on its own, and I truly appreciate a beautifully cooked slice of elk or deer tenderloin. It is ripe with the natural juices of the meat, melt in your mouth tender, and very lean. It is a true treat, and one you should feel incredibly lucky if someone will share with you.

For this simple, four ingredient breakfast, you simply need a couple of thinly sliced, butterflied tenderloin steaks. I should add that backstrap is great this way too, so don’t go throwing that away! Anyway, you will also need a couple of eggs for frying up, some steak seasoning, I personally LOVE Montreal Steak Seasoning and put a dash of it on everything, and some butter.

ElkSteakandEggsMeatTo thinly butterfly the tenderloin, I use a very sharp filet knife and cut slices about a half to three quarter inches thick. I then butterfly those pieces, meaning I cut the thin slices in half almost all the way through. Leave a small section of the meat slice still attached and “butterfly” the steak open. I freeze three or four steaks in a vacuum sealed bag, which is a perfect meal size for two people. Having a couple of bags of the thin sliced steaks is great for several reasons, with two of them being they stack and store great in the freezer, and they also thaw extremely quick. You can pull a bag out and throw it under running water in the sink and have dinner meat ready to use in about five minutes.

Liberally season the tenderloin steaks. There is no need to add salt when using steak seasoning, because the seasoning is a blend of coarse salt, black and red pepper, garlic, coriander, and dill seeds. Preheat a non-stick pan to medium-high heat, and once the pan is hot, drop the steaks in. As with cooking most steaks, you should let the meat come to room temperature before starting, this will ensure even cooking of the steak, and also remember to not disturb the meat once you set it in the pan.

The steaks cook extremely quick! I am talking, like 45 second here if you like a medium-rare cooked steak. Many people say to not overcook your wild game steaks, and I am a big promoter of that as well. I remember ordering buffalo in a restaurant, and at that point in time I was definitely a beef girl and not super adventurous on the culinary front. The waiter suggested I order my meat medium rare, at the most! I was incredibly weirded out, and slightly uncomfortable. I always ordered my meat well-done. The waiter explained that with meats like buffalo, venison, or elk being so lean that they were especially dried out when cooked above medium-rare, and therefore lost most of their flavor and juiciness. I reluctantly followed his suggestion, and haven’t gone back since. So, my suggestion on this steak to you is a cooking time of 45 seconds per side.

ElkSteakandEggsCookingOnce the steaks are cooked, let them rest for a few minutes while the eggs fry. Drop a pat of butter in the pan, this will help keep the eggs from sticking, and drop the eggs in the pan. I use the same pan I cooked my steaks in for the eggs, because I like the flavor the steak juices add, but you can get a new clean pan too. Sprinkle a dash of the Montreal steak seasoning on the eggs (see, I told you I put it on everything!), and allow the eggs to cook. Everyone likes their eggs cooked differently, it is probably the number one question you get at a diner, “How would you like your eggs done?” So, for sunny-side up eggs, cook the egg for a minute, reduce the heat, then cover with a lid and cook an additional four minutes. The steam will finish the egg tops. Four minutes will result in a runny yolk, five minutes will give a medium finished yolk, and six minutes yields a hard yolk. For over easy eggs, start the same as the sunny side, but after the minute of cooking you flip the egg instead of covering with the lid. Cook for a minute more, resulting in a very runny yolk, and then, as before, the longer you cook the egg the more solid the yolk will become. I like a runny yolk for dipping steak slices in, but that is just how I “like my eggs done.”

And…well, that is it. Steak and eggs breakfast in just four ingredients. Enjoy

Happy Hunting!

ElkSteakandEggsFinalPlate

Share This:

Elk Tacos in Cheddar Cheese Shells!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

ElkCheddarTacosFinalPlate“I didn’t get this physique by not eating tacos.” ~ Jon Tester

I love tacos, but you know what the biggest problem with the taco is? Each time I take a bite into my crunchy shell overflowing with juicy, greasy meat, and diced up lettuce, tomatoes, onions and shredded cheddar cheese with a dollop of salsa and sour cream on top, my entire taco falls apart. The shell crumbles into about four different pieces, the insides spill all over the table top, and I get just a bit angry. Actually, while eating tacos, I can feel myself pass through the five stages of grief. Once my taco shell has fallen into an irreparable state, I immediately enter the state of denial. “My taco shell is not broken!” I reason. ” I can fix this, I just have to hold all the pieces together and it will still seem like a taco.” As I attempt to wrap my hands around the shattered taco shell, quickly crumbling into smaller pieces, and hold all my taco fixings in place, I become angry, the second state of grief. “Stupid taco!” I yell. “I didn’t want to eat tacos anyway.” Then I quickly enter the third stage, bargaining, and think, “Maybe I can make a taco salad instead. It won’t be the same, but it could be close.” The fourth stage, depression, hits next. “I never can eat tacos correctly. I don’t even know why I try.” And finally, I accept that my taco is indeed broken and no more. See, five stages of grief in a single taco shell.

The grief associated with eating tacos is hard to avoid; however, I have discovered a cure for the taco predicament. Instead of using a corn or flour tortilla shell, I have started making cheddar cheese shells. Haven’t had one yet? They are fantastic, super easy and quick to put together, and definitely solve the dilemma of the crumbling taco shell.

ElkCheddarTacosShellsRawStart with preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Pull out a cookie sheet and liberally spray it with cooking spray. You could also put down a sheet of parchment paper. To save you time, I tried aluminum foil and that was a disaster. So, either coat the sheet with cooking spray or a sheet of parchment paper, and no aluminum foil. For this recipe, I would suggest using pre-shredded cheese. You could shred your own, but the shells hold together a bit better with the pre-shredded bagged cheese. I am sure the reason has to do with whatever they add to the cheese to keep it from clumping together in the bags makes the shells melt together just right, but I don’t know that for sure. Also, I used cheddar cheese for this recipe, mainly because a mild cheddar sounded like a great pairing with the elk burger, but you could use pretty much any type of cheese: parmesan, Monterey jack, or provolone. It really is your choice.

ElkCheddarTacosShellsCookedOn the baking sheet, spread a half cup of cheese into an evenly filled circle. I made my tacos about six inches across, so with an eight ounce bag of cheese you can make four shells. Place the sheet in the preheated oven and set the timer for six minutes. The shells take between six and eight minutes to cook. I set the timer at six, and then that way I can decide if they need a little longer. They cook pretty quick, so you have to keep an eye on them. You will know they are finished when the edges of the shells are turning brown and crunchy and the center is bubbling. Pull the shells out of the oven and allow them to sit for a few seconds, maybe twenty to thirty, just so they are set enough to handle. Once they have quit bubbling, use a spatula to carefully remove them from the sheet.

To form the shells, set a long handled wooden spoon between to cans. Drape the shells over the handle and allow gravity to work its magic. The shells should start to form around the spoon, making a nice taco shell. Sometimes I am too hungry to wait, and I will just form the shells with my hand and kind of balance them on my plate. They don’t look as pretty, but it works too.

Okay, so the shells are done. Now onto the meat! I used elk for my tacos, but you could easily make this recipe with deer or pronghorn. It would also work with upland game birds like pheasant or turkey. For my elk meat, I ran about 3/4 of a pound of elk steak through the meat grinder with a 1/4 pound of bacon ends, which you can find at most grocery stores or butchers. You could also use plain old bacon, but bacon ends tend to be cheaper. I use bacon ends because it adds a really nice amount of fat to the meat and you also get a hint of bacon flavor, which is great when you are making burgers, meatloaf, and even these tacos. It isn’t an overpowering bacon flavor, just the hint.

ElkCheddarTacosMeatStart a pan over medium-high heat, add a drizzle of oil and soften some diced onions for a few minutes. Once the onions are soft, I add the meat. When the meat is about half way through cooking, I add my taco seasonings. My absolute favorite taco seasoning is Bolner’s Fiesta Brand Extra Fancy Taco Seasoning. Bolner’s Fiesta Products, located in San Antonio, are some of my favorite seasonings to cook with. I also really like their fajita seasoning, which I flavor burgers with all the time, and their jalapeno pepper powder is great on fries. You can use any type of taco seasoning though, and you could even make your own and add that. I start out with about two tablespoons of the taco seasoning, let the meat finish cooking, taste it, and then add more if needed. I also add salt and pepper to taste at this point.

With the meat cooked and the cheese shells ready to go, all that is left to do is fill your tacos! Everyone styles their taco a little differently, but some suggestions for toppings include: lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, salsa, avocadoes, guacamole, sour cream, radish slices, cilantro, jalapenos, onions, and lime wedges.

If you haven’t tried a taco with elk, I suggest you get started making some tacos! And if you haven’t tried one with a cheese shell, you should get started on that too! The cheese shells hold together beautiful, but also still provide the crunch of a corn shell. They also ensure that every bite has the perfect amount of cheese! Super delicious!

Happy Hunting!

Print
Elk Tacos in Cheddar Cheese Shells!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

4

Elk Tacos in Cheddar Cheese Shells!

Ingredients

  • 8oz bag shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 pound elk burger
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons Taco Seasoning - or one packet
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

    For the Cheddar Shells
  1. Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
  2. Evenly spread half a cup into a six inch circle. An 8oz bag should result in four cheese shells.
  3. Place in oven for six to eight minutes, pulling when the edges are brown and crunchy and the center is bubbling.
  4. Allow the cheese to settle for a few second, ten to twenty, and then drape the shells over a wooden spoon placed between to cans. Gravity will pull the cheese into nicely shaped taco shells.
    For the Taco Meat
  1. Preheat a pan to medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
  2. Once heated, drop in a medium diced onion. Soften the onions for two or three minutes.
  3. Add the pound of elk burger.
  4. About half way through cooking, add two tablespoons of taco seasoning.
  5. Once the meat is finished cooking, taste to see if more seasoning is needed and for salt and pepper.
  6. Garnish the tacos with lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, salsa, avocado, guacamole, sour cream, jalapenos, onions, cilantro, radishes, lime wedges, or whatever else your heart desires. Enjoy!
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/elk-tacos-in-cheddar-cheese-shells/

 

Share This:

When that Dog’s too Old to Hunt

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Hunting, Upland Game Hunting

MountainSunriseMoabOriginalWebsize“We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It’s the best deal man has ever made.” ~ M. Acklam    

I was too young to actually remember it, but every time my dad tells the story of the last hunt with his beloved black Labrador retriever, River, I am instantly transported to that early fall morning so many years ago. I can smell the first breaths of the new day’s breeze, feel the dampness of the morning’s almost forgotten frost, and hear the delicate coos of the morning doves. My dad awoke early, pulled on his weathered leather boots, and packed his day-sack with 12 gauge shot gun shells, Hot Tamale candies, and water. River’s interest was perked when he laced up his boots. As soon as he lifted the wooden stock 20 gauge from the closet her focus shifted from interest to obsession. As she did on every pheasant hunting trip for the previous 10 years, River impatiently lay in the passenger’s seat of the old 1970’s Ford pickup truck. She gently placed her head on my dad’s lap and whimpered and whined with growing force as they headed towards her favorite pheasant spot. As the site drew near, her whimpers and whines metamorphosed into near screams. The dog loved pheasant hunting with a passion.

My dad pulled off the road and into the tall reeds, killing the engine and climbing out to get his gun from behind the seat. River remained seated. Her screams had quieted. Upon opening the passenger side door, River slowly wobbled to a standing position, and then against the offerings for assistance, jumped from the seat and landed feebly in the dirt. Her legs slightly buckled and she struggled to maintain her balance. However, after a quick shake from ears to tail, she brushed aside her age and pushed out into the thick reeds in search of birds.

My dad slowly followed behind as River struggled to traverse the damp and stubborn foliage. Many times he attempted to call her back, and each time he was unsuccessful. She continued on until she was so exhausted her tail was dragging and her back legs were limping. He tried again to call her back, and was unsuccessful again. Finally, after about an hour she jumped a rooster. The rooster emerged from dark, dense brush with ferociously flapping wings and loud squawks. My dad fired a single shot, but was too late and missed. The bird coasted above the reeds until he disappeared from sight.

River had laid down in the dirt at the site where she had jumped the rooster. She was panting, her tongue hanging long and heavy. Her eyes were exhausted, but he said there was just a hint of a smile in them. She couldn’t get up to walk anymore. He had to carry her back to the truck. It was her final pheasant hunt, she was too old and tired, but it ended in the only way it can for a bird dog: working until you can work no more.

JerkPheasantDogsI have only ever owned bird dogs. I can’t say I know how to train them or even teach them simple tasks like retrieving birds. It’s weird, but they have just always kind of known what to do. I am sure if I actually learned how to work with them and taught them how to “be” a bird dog they would be astonishing hunters. But I myself am just an amateur, so we work together. Just because we lack the professional skills and training does not mean we lack the same passion or working drive found in the technically trained.

Bird dogs are a different breed from other dogs. They all have different personalities. Some, like the Labradors, are lovers and goofs. They seek reassurance they are pleasing you, even when they aren’t quite sure how to do so. Some, like Chesapeakes, are stubborn, protective, and extremely loyal. Despite their loyal nature, they do what they want to do, regardless of your desires for them to act otherwise. While they all have differing personalities, they share a very unique and common trait. They are designed for bird hunting.

At a basic level, it is quite easy to spot the bird dog. They seem to spot birds out of nowhere, their ears perking up and eyes sharply focused in search of the slightest movement. They hear every quack, whistle, coo, squawk, crow, and peep. They find pure satisfaction in dropping anything, a ball, a toy, a bird, a dead frog, whatever, at your feet. Their faces say, “Aren’t you pleased? Let’s do it again!” If nothing else, when you are around them you notice “Dang, that dog really likes birds.” It’s just a thing about them.

At a deeper level, the bird dog is much more than simply a lover of birds and retrieval. A bond is created between bird dog and hunter, and it is a unique one. Hunters and bird dogs work together, both for the common goal of finding a bird, and this work must be accomplished without traditional communication. Hand signals, whistles, even glances are the language between hunter and dog. And this language is exclusive to each hunting pair, and is created from hard work, understanding, and consistency. But the key ingredient to this bond is trust. An unbreakable trust is built between hunter and dog.

BrushPhotowebsizeIt is an odd relationship to have with an animal. In a way, it is like a marriage. The relationship’s foundation is composed of this common goal: bird hunting. But like any relationship worth having, it must be fed through hard work, time, and even struggle. And if the bond is built correctly, the payoff is worth the sacrifice.

When I was just 21, my little yellow lab, Ryah, entered my life. We were instantly a good fit. She was independent enough that I could be a flaky twenty-something year old and she would remind me to do things like feed her or let her outside. But she was instantly loving and cuddly. Nothing cures a broken heart or the depression of trials at work like a soft dog head on your lap with a listening ear.

While our bond was nothing short of amazing, Ryah was a bird dog at heart and she needed to exercise that desire. My husband starting taking her out when she was about a year old. He had never pheasant hunted before and Ryah had no idea what she was doing. They were two lost hunters trekking through the reeds of the wetlands, stumbling and tripping the entire way. Their first season was pretty uneventful, but at night after they returned from yet another unsuccessful day, I noticed my puppy was a bit more serious and slowly her place at my feet was inching towards his feet. By the end of the second season, they were bird hunting pros, and my feet were no longer Ryah’s resting place. Her place was now at the feet of my husband. Their bond was unbreakable. Ryah and I still shared a special relationship, but it was more of a caring and supportive one. Their relationship had quickly evolved to a mutual need for one other, with Ryah constantly working to see what was needed of her to help accomplish the goals of the team.

Now Ryah is 13 years old. I know she is too old to hunt, but like my dad’s dog you can’t just tell the old dog they can’t go anymore. And she has yet to have that breakdown point of being so exhausted she can’t walk back to the truck. So, what do you do when that dog is just too old to hunt? I find it is our duty as the owners of a bird dog to pay Ryah back for our her hard work and her commitment to our relationships. So, when that old dog is too old to hunt, take her out anyway. Even if it just means riding in the bed of the truck. Fill her bowl with just a little extra bite of food, she earned it. Let her sit out in the sun on the porch and relax in the hug of a warm day. She spent years silently communicating with us, watching our every movement in order to decipher what her next move should be. Now I am trying to listen a little better, and give that old dog whatever it is she needs.

EndofPheasantSmaller

Share This:

Smoked Salmon Dip: Perfect for Any Occasion!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Fish Recipes

SmokedSalmonDipLandscape
“My life is what a salmon must feel like. They are always going upstream, against the current.” ~ Laura Schlessinger

I am guilty, just as everyone else, of forgetting the simple things in life. We all get so wrapped up in work, and kids, and chores, and well, just life. Things get crazy, and we forget to appreciate the little things. We also complicate everything by making things more difficult than they have to be. It’s a wicked cycle, and difficult to kick. I fall in to this deadly spiral even with writing this blog. I will start thinking about recipes to try or tips to research, and I get so wrapped up in the idea that everything has to be complex and difficult that I forget to include the simple things! The simple things are just as important as the big things. So, in honor of the simple life, I am sharing my favorite throw together in a pinch smoked salmon dip.

Last fall, my family ventured to the San Juan Islands in Washington. The trip was amazing, and resulted in a plentiful harvest of Dungeness crabs and pink, or humpback, salmon. We also even caught a king salmon. It was a trip I will always remember. The weather there is starkly different from the deserts of Utah, with the mornings usually hosting a blanket of light fog resting over the calm, Pacific waters and the afternoons filled with a light, salty breeze and beautiful sunshine. The temperature is perfect for t-shirts and jeans with a light jacket, and sitting out all day is easy.

SmokedSalmonDipWhalebyRock SmokedSalmonDipFish

The animals, of course, are drastically different from my home turf. The sounds of the San Juan Islands are home to several pods of orcas, harbor seals, minke whales, and Dall’s porpoises. The islands themselves house Columbia black tail deer, red fox, bald eagles, and over 23 species of butterflies. Needless to say, it is an amazing place and I recommend visiting whenever you get the chance. While we were there, I posted a quick blog about how to travel to the islands and find lodging. You can find that information here: A Desert Girl Heads to the Pacific Northwest.

SmokedSalmonDipPole We were fortunate to have a freezer in our lodging accommodations, and we certainly utilized it. We were able to clean and store our humpback salmon catch in order to transport it back to Utah. I have made a lot of different recipes with the salmon we caught, and I also made a batch of smoked salmon. Smoked salmon is one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon. The salmon takes on this sweet but smoky flavor and it also stores well. I like to flake it over salads for a quick lunch, stir it in with some asparagus or leeks for a fine omelet, add it to dips such as this one, and of course just pull a chunk out and eat it plain. It is so good!

Okay, so on to this simple recipe. This works easiest with a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you could use a hand mixer or stir it by hand. Those two methods just take a bit more time, but are completely doable. Before you start, set out an eight ounce block of cream cheese and allow it to come to room temperature, about fifteen minutes or so. Using cold cream cheese will result in chunks in the dip, which aren’t so great. Room temperature cream cheese will create a smooth, well mixed dip. So, into the food processor drop the entire block of cream cheese. Scoop in half a cup of sour cream. Pulse the machine once or twice to mix together the cheese and sour cream. Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and run the food processor until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

How much smoked salmon you add is entirely your choice. I like my dip to be full of bigger chunks of salmon, so I add in between six and seven ounces of salmon and I pulse it very minimally. If six ounces of fish is too intense for your liking, go with only four ounces of salmon and run the food processor until the salmon is broken down. I wait until after I have my salmon added to add in the dill, salt, and pepper. All of these should be based on tasting. Some smoked salmons are more salty than others, so be sure to taste as you add these ingredients in order to get a good balance of the dill with the sweet and salty flavors. I am a pretty big dill fan, so I tend to add at least a tablespoon of fresh minced dill, sometimes a little more. If you like a little kick in your dip, add a teaspoon or two of fresh prepared horseradish. You could also do a couple drops of Tabasco sauce.

SmokedSalmonDip

Once the ingredients are all mixed together, spoon the dip into a bowl and surround it with crackers, vegetables, and breads. For vegetables, I will pretty much dip anything in smoked salmon. I have done the traditional basics of carrots, celery, and cucumber slices. I have also gotten a little fancier and included radishes, endives, cauliflower, bell peppers, and slices of hot peppers like jalapenos. This dip would also make a great sandwich spread. Maybe a couple slices of whole grain bread with smoked salmon spread and cucumber slices? Mmmm…sounds good to me!

Happy Hunting!

Print
Smoked Salmon Dip: Perfect for Any Occasion!

Category: Fish Recipes

Smoked Salmon Dip: Perfect for Any Occasion!

Ingredients

  • Four to Six Ounces Smoked Salmon
  • Eight Ounces Cream Cheese
  • 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill, Minced
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
    Optional Ingredients:
  • 1 Teaspoon Fresh Prepared Horseradish
  • Tabasco Sauce

Instructions

  1. Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature, about fifteen minutes.
  2. In a food processor, pulse together the cream cheese and sour cream.
  3. Add in the lemon juice, and combine until smooth and creamy.
  4. Drop in chunks of smoked salmon and pulse until desired texture.
  5. Add dill, salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Horseradish or tabasco can be added for a bit of heat.
  7. Serve with vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, endives, radishes, peppers. Also serve with crackers or breads, such as bagel chips.
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/smoked-salmon-dip-perfect-for-any-occasion/

Share This:

Sticky Tomato Sauce and Pesto Elk Tenderloin!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

TreeDolores2Websize“All the sounds of this valley run together into one great echo, a song that is sung by all the spirits of this valley. Only a hunter hears it.” ~ Chaim Potok

I can’t express how much I love basil. The scent alone invokes visions of summer evenings sitting on a porch enjoying the colors, sounds, and of course smells of the season. I find that basil makes something as simple as a bowl of plain pasta noodles transform into an elegant, expensive tasting meal. It adds such a different depth to the flavors and aromas of food that I try and think up how to cram it into every meal possible.

Traditionally, I have always served basil pesto in three different versions. First, and most obviously, as a sauce for noodles. I like to use cavatapi noodles with my basil pesto and then add chicken or shrimp. Second, my absolute favorite dutch oven meal is chicken pesto with mozzarella cheese. That meal is so amazing when you are “roughing” it in the outdoors. I always feel like I am at a fancy Italian restaurant instead of sitting in a folding chair in the dirt when I eat that meal. Finally, I am a big fan of basil pesto served as a pizza topping.

As you can see from my basil pesto favorites list, I really like to pair pesto with chicken. I think that pesto is an easy flavor to balance with the light taste of meats like chicken or turkey. There is no fight between the two. They just marry together in a perfectly balanced flavor union.

Well, that all changed last Monday night. I had previously made a stuffed meatloaf from elk burger and topped the loaf with a sauce of sticky, sweet cherry tomatoes. I was preparing these beautiful elk tenderloin fillets and decided that sauce would be amazing on top of the steaks. But the idea of only tomatoes sounded almost too sweet and acidic. What to do? What to do?

Caprese salad is one of all-time favorite salads. I love the mixture of beautiful, red juicy tomatoes paired with the bite and spice of a basil leaf and the oh-so creamy goodness of fresh mozzarella cheese. I figured the flavor profile would pair wonderfully with the sticky tomato sauce from the meatloaf, but would it taste good on top of elk?

StickyTomatoElkIngredientsThe answer is an exuberant yes! So, if you are hoping for a quick, easy meal on a weeknight then this is the recipe for you. And if you are looking to impress and provide an ambiance of elegance then this is also the recipe for you. It is a quick and simple meal that is dressed to impress, and what better way is there to serve up elk tenderloin?

One of the things I like best about this meal is you can pre-make the basil pesto and the sticky tomato sauce. Then, when it is dinner time all you have to do is cook the steaks and heat up the tomato sauce. It also is a recipe that utilizes a lot of items already in the pantry. Pesto is essentially basil, olive oil, nuts, and parmesan cheese. And the sticky tomato sauce is tomatoes, canned tomatoes, honey, and Worcestershire.

StickyTomatoElkBasilPreMix To start, make the pesto. Pesto tastes like it is difficult to make, but in all actuality it is one of the most simple of recipes to execute. Pesto requires four steps. Step one: pull out the food processor. Step two: drop in the basil, your nut of choice, the parmesan cheese, and two to three garlic cloves. Step three: push start and grind everything up for about thirty seconds. Step four: with the food processor still running, drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Viola! Pesto!

So, a few little notes about the pesto. This is a basil pesto, and it is traditionally prepared with pine nuts. At our house, pine nuts don’t agree with everyone so I substitute in walnuts. Pesto is amazingly flexible, and you can use virtually any nut you like. Some of the ones I like to use are almonds if I am looking for a bit more crunch in the sauce, pecans if I want a more hearty flavor, and cashews, well, just because cashews are insanely good. But like I said, this a super flexible sauce you could throw in things like sunflower or pumpkin seeds if you wanted. Get crazy!

Also, you can change the consistency of the pesto to your liking by how much olive oil you add. With this recipe, the pesto is going to sit on top of the steak. So, I pulsed the ingredients for a very short amount of time, in order to leave things more coarse, and added only a half cup of olive oil. When I make pesto as a sauce for pasta, I pulse the ingredients to a much smoother consistency and add in more olive oil. It is all about your personal preference. StickyTomatoElkBasil

Okay, so now that the pesto is complete, it is time to make the sticky tomato sauce. For the meatloaf, I used cherry tomatoes. For this recipe, I decided to go with grape tomatoes. Grape tomatoes are typically a little larger than cherry and a bit less sweet tasting. Either would be fine with this recipe. I went with the grape because I wanted the bigger tomato in each bite.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, put the entire pint of tomatoes and pour in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and coat the tomatoes entirely in the oil. I just use my hands to accomplish this task. Pour the tomatoes on a baking sheet, and put them in the oven for 20 minutes. This creates a great roasted flavor for the sauce.

StickyTomatoElkSauce Once the tomatoes are done, add them to a medium sized sauce pan. Pour in a 12 oz can of diced tomatoes. If you can find the roasted kind they will help develop that rich, savory flavor you are going for, but if your supermarket only carries regular that is fine too. If you can’t find diced, you could also used crushed. I like the texture the diced adds to the sauce better though. Add in the two tablespoons of honey, the one tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and the one tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Stir everything together, turn the heat to medium-low, and let the pot simmer for 15 minutes. As the sauce reduces, it will start to thicken. Sometimes if the tomatoes are overly juicy, I will let the sauce simmer longer. Just get it to the consistency you want for piling on top of your steak.

Okay, now for the steaks! I used tenderloin for this recipe, but you could use other steak cuts as well. I let my meat sit on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes so it can come to room temperature. Removing the chill off the meat will help to guarantee more even cooking of the steak. Season both sides with a good amount of salt and pepper. Preheat your skillet to medium-high and settle in the steak. Once you have touched the steak to the pan, do not mess with it. My steaks were about one inch thick, so I let them go for a minute to a minute and a half per side. This resulted in medium-rare steaks. I have said this before, so please excuse me if you have heard it like a billion times, but I like my steaks to be on the rare side. Wild game is better when it is not overcooked.

So, after the steaks have cooked for a minute on each side. place a thin slice of mozzarella on top of each steak. Turn the broiler on to high, and slide the entire pan into the oven. Cook until the mozzarella has melted, which takes about a minute or two. Two quick things here! One, make sure your pan is one that can go from stove-top to oven. If it can’t, you will need to place your steaks on a baking sheet to melt the cheese or you could cover the pan with a lid on the stovetop. Two, if you do use the broiler, DON’T WALK AWAY! You can go from nicely melted mozzarella to blackened mozzarella very quick! Just keep close so you can watch the melting process!

StickyTomatoElkFinalPlate

To finish the steak, place a spoonful of the basil pesto on top of the melted mozzarella and then a heaping helping of the sticky tomato sauce. What you will find on the end of your fork is a bite filled with the aromatic, spicy basil and sticky, sweet tomato covering juicy bites of steak. Man oh man is this a good one!

Happy Hunting!

Print
Sticky Tomato Sauce and Pesto Elk Tenderloin!

Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

Sticky Tomato Sauce and Pesto Elk Tenderloin!

Ingredients

  • Four elk tenderloin steaks, cut to an inch and half thick
  • 4 thin slices mozzarella cheese
    For Basil Pesto
  • One cup basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
    For Sticky Tomato Sauce
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • 12 ounce can diced roasted tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

    For Pesto
  1. In a food processor, place cup of basil leaves, two whole garlic cloves, and walnuts. Pulse until desired consistency. I prefer to leave this a bit more chunky for this recipe.
  2. Add parmesan cheese, pulse a few times to mix in.
  3. With food processor running, drizzle in the half cup of olive oil. If you would like the sauce to be a bit more thin, add more olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
    For Sticky Tomato Sauce
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour a little olive oil over the grape tomatoes, place on cookie sheet, and roast tomatoes for 20 minutes.
  2. Once tomatoes are roasted, add to a medium size sauce pan with diced tomatoes, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard. Stir until combined and simmer for 15 minutes. Reduce sauce until desired consistency.
    To Assemble
  1. Set steaks out and allow to come to room temperature, about ten to fifteen minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. In preheated pan over medium high heat, place steaks. Cook for 2 to 2 and half minutes, depending on how well done you would like your steak. Flip and cook second side for additional 2 minutes.
  3. Place mozzarella on top and slide pan in oven under the broiler, which should be set on high.
  4. Allow to broil for a minute. Remove once mozzarella has melted.
  5. Place spoonful of basil pesto and sticky tomato sauce over the steak.
  6. Enjoy!
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/sticky-tomato-sauce-and-pesto-elk-tenderloin/

Share This:

Gearing up for the Spring Wild Turkey Hunt? Tips for Getting Ready!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Hunting

TurkeyOutdoorShot“When I was younger, I used to drive up to a bunch of turkeys, roll down the window and say something. They’d all gobble back at once.” ~Levon Helm

I am just going to straight out say it, turkey hunting is a blast! (Man, I pun a lot!) During the winter, I wait for turkey season with bated breath, trying to contain my desire to head out by convincing myself turkey hunting isn’t that fun. Then the spring hits. I can no longer persuade myself into thinking I have better things to do than turkey hunt. As the weather gradually warms and trees sprout their tiny leaves, my excitement builds and builds. By the middle of April, I can hardly contain the desire to get outside and search for toms!

I think I like the wild turkey season because it is kind of the awakening from hibernation. The days are growing longer, plants and animals are emerging from winter’s slumber, snow, melting off the mountain peaks, is draining into and filling the meager flowing streams. It is like something is saying, “Hey, wake up! Let’s go!” Turkey season is kind of my kick in the behind to remember to wake and get going. And no one says that more prominently than a gobbling tom.

In Utah, the wild turkey spring hunt opens May 2nd. Here are a few tips to get ready for a great month of tracking down toms.

Start with Scouting for Birds

Scouting is always a good idea for any hunt. Scouting not only assists in identifying the location of game, but it also helps you learn the patterns and habits of an animal, what they are eating, when and where they are moving, if they are solo in the area or in a group, mating habits, and so much more. It is a very beneficial practice, and the more time you invest the better your odds for a successful hunt.

Turkey scouting is a bit different from deer or elk. With bigger game, it is ideal to start scouting months in advance. Turkeys vastly alter their eating patterns between the winter, fall, and spring, so there is not as much benefit to scouting for your tom during the winter when you have a spring hunt. You can always start earlier if you desire, as their is no harm in following the flock across its seasonal feeding grounds, but typically heading out two to three weeks before the start of the hunt will suffice with turkey.

In the spring, turkeys move to the blooming green fields and blossoming plants of creek beds. A great starting point for scouting is to get high above fields and openings to glass for birds. Turkeys breed during the spring, and depending on the timing of your state’s season, the toms and hens will be flocked up in the full swing of breeding, or maybe the hens will be grouped up and the toms will be hanging on the outskirts as the breeding time starts to end. Either way, during the spring hunt locating a group of hens is a great way to pin point a harvestable tom.

Besides glassing, birds can also be located by listening for gobbles. Start your day early to listen for the early morning tom gobble. Turkeys typically gobble at first light and right before sunset. This can help you identify where the toms are roosting in the evenings, giving you a great idea of their location each morning. Roosting locations for turkeys are determined by the terrain. Toms typically roost in high trees, the type dependent on the region you live in, and prefer the older, larger trees as they provide better protection from predators. If the area is devoid of trees, turkeys will also roost about 2/3’s up the hill on north-east or east facing slopes.

Other tips for locating turkey include scouting for tracks, droppings, or strut marks. This can be done by driving dirt roads in the area you are hoping to hunt and looking for tracks crossing the road. It also might take actually putting your boots on the ground. If you decide to head out on foot into an area you are hoping to hunt, try and disturb the area as little as possible. Stop often to listen for birds and glass ahead of where you are traveling. You don’t want to accidentally jump your bird too early before the season and push him out of the area. While walking, look for signs including droppings, feathers, and dusting areas. All these signs can help you identify roosting and feeding areas.

One final tactic you might employ is to set up a game camera. Set the camera up on a suspected feeding area. This will provide not only information about the size and types of birds frequenting the area, but will also give you an idea about the times of day they like to visit the feeding grounds. For tips on setting up a game camera, you can visit my blog page: Tips for Setting up Game Cameras.

Practice Your Calls!FlyingTurkey

Like most animals that live in large groups, turkeys have a very large vocabulary for communicating. The most identifiable call for turkeys is the gobble of a tom. Ask any five year old what a turkey says, and they will answer “Gobble, gobble.” However, the gobble is just the beginning of a long list of turkey sounds, including the clucks, purrs, assembly calls, cuts, yelps, and cackles. Each sound is unique and used for a different reason.

When using turkey calls during hunting, it is important to not only use the proper type of call but to also administer the correct cadence and tone. This can only be accomplished through practice, practice, and more practice. There are a variety of calls available on the market, including push button, box, slate, diaphragm, wing bone, and camo glove calls. What works best for you depends on your skill level with the call and also what you are attempting to use the call for. Probably the easiest call to start out with is the box call, however it has a limited range on the types of sounds you can create. More advanced calls include a diaphragm or slate call. These calls require more practice to master, but give a greater range of sounds.

If you are just starting out with calling, I would highly suggest visiting a website and begin with just listening to the different sounds turkeys make. A great one is here: National Wild Turkey Foundation.. I also watch hunting shows, as this not only allows me to hear the sounds but gives a visual on how to set-up for calling, how to use different call devices, and how the birds react.

Well, all there is left to do from here is PRACTICE!

Get Your Gun Ready

First things first, make sure your gun is in working order. You also might want to give it a quick spit shine if you didn’t already clean it after the last time it was used. After you know everything is good to go, I suggest following three simple steps to ready for the hunt: select your ammo, sight the gun in, and pattern your shot.

When selecting ammo, you want to research a choke and shell combination that works best for you. Everyone has a different preference, and every gun works a little differently with different chokes and shells. A common turkey hunting gun is the 12 gauge. The 12 gauge offers a bit better range than a 20 gauge; however, it also offers a better kick to your shoulder too! I have used both when hunting turkeys, and to be honest I usually prefer the 20 gauge because it is a little easier to pack around. I also will admit, the shot used for turkey in a 12 gauge makes for a very sore shoulder the next day, and if I can avoid that it is a successful hunt in my mind.

BrandonTomA good choke to start out with if you are shooting a 12 gauge is a full choke. They also sell a turkey choke, designed specifically for turkey hunting. With smaller game birds, such as ducks or pheasant, a wide spread pattern is ideal since more than likely the bird will be in flight. Turkeys require a harder hit, and when aiming for a tom most tend to aim at the head. Since the area you aiming for is about the size of your fist and you are looking for the most knock-down power possible, a full choke is a good choice since it creates a tighter collection of pellets.

For shells, a good place to start is either a #4 or #6 shot. It is difficult to offer solid advice on shot size, as everyone has a different preference and this is usually based on the patterning they are getting during practicing. I think a #4 or #6 is just a good starting point for a beginner looking to figure out their personal style and how their gun handles.

After selecting the choke and shot, it is time to sight in the gun and get some patterning going. To sight in the gun, start fairly close to your target, about 10 yards. Since you are not overly concerned at this point with how the gun is patterning and instead are looking to make sure it is aiming straight, I would suggest using a smaller shot, something you might use on a pheasant or duck. These smaller shots create SOOOOO much less kick, and who wants to get their shoulder all sore just to see if a gun is shooting straight? (Not me.)

Once you have sighted in your gun, start patterning. Select the shot size you think you want to start with, set up about 25 yards for a new, clean target and get started shooting. Check how tight your patterning is. You can do this by drawing a 10 inch circle around the shot and counting the number of pellet holes in the paper. Ideally, you are looking for 18 or more pellets within that circle. Less than that and you are probably creating an opportunity for a sad hunt missing lots of turkey.

If you are satisfied with the patterning at 25 yards, move back 10 yards more and start with a fresh target again. Check the tightness and then move back another 10 yards. Repeat the process until you have selected a load you are comfortable with. This practice will also give you a great idea about the range of your gun. If you aren’t getting a tight grouping at 50 or 60 yards, you probably shouldn’t be taking that shot. Patterning is an important step to not miss before the opening morning of turkey season, it gives you the best opportunity to combine your gun with a choke and shot load that create a consistent shooting pattern. And consistent shooting patterns lead to more kills and less injured birds. And less sad faces.

Prepare Those Miscellaneous Items

If you have done your scouting, practiced your calling, and got your gun, you have covered all the major items in preparing for the spring turkey hunts. Everything else are just gravy items at this point. So, a few extras you might want to prep in assistance for an even more enjoyable hunt include:

  • Get your camo ready to go! On top of having excellent hearing, turkeys have superb vision.  You could say they have an “eagle eye.”  They can detect even the slightest of movements.  It helps, immensely in my opinion, to wear proper camo.  When I go out turkey hunting, I dress from head-to-toe in camo.  It makes for a hot day, and I really wish that I could not do it, but I find that it is necessary if you want to get close to a bird.  By head-to-toe, I mean I wear a hat, a face cover, long sleeved shirt, pants, and even brown shoes.  Anything you can do to help you blend in to your surroundings will help with turkeys.
  • Get your decoys ready to go! Decoys have their place.  I usually sneak out before the sun is even thinking about coming up over the hill and place my decoys.  I have had mixed results with them.  Sometimes an overly zealous tom has rushed in and started strutting his stuff for my fake flock, and other times the birds have spent their time playing shy just out of sight.  I try not to get too attached to hunting near my decoys, because I have found if I do that then I spend all day sitting in a spot where obviously the toms aren’t interested in what I am selling.  So, like I said, I set them up before first light, so I don’t create any disturbances, and then I kind of feel out how the day is going before I commit to how, or even if, I am going to use them that day.
  • Make sure there is room in the freezer! May as well think positively before you head out on your hunt.  Make sure there is room in your freezer for the big tom you are going to bag and bring home!

Well, hopefully this has been helpful.  I would love to hear what other people do in preparation for their spring turkey hunts.  Comment below!

Happy Hunting!

Share This:

Elk Steak Smothered in Blueberry Balsamic Reduction and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce!!! Rich and Delicious!

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Elk Recipes, Wild Game Recipes

BlueberryElkFinalPlate“I love berries. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries, anything with an ‘errie’ in it!” ~ Jordin Sparks

Have you ever eaten something that was so good you couldn’t stop thinking about it? And then when you returned home to try and re-create the experience, all you could do was cry at the pathetic attempts you made that resulted in utter culinary failure? And then you spend the rest of your life telling people about how amazing this particular food was, but you can’t, for the life of you, figure out the secret ingredient? And everyone around you becomes annoyed with the “greatest meal ever” story? And you spend a lot of time crying about it?

About six years ago, my sister, brother-in-law, husband, and I headed out to a Valentine’s Day dinner at a local up-scale restaurant. The menu was prix fixe (See, I told you it was a fancy place. I didn’t even know what prix fixe was until that dining experience. And I had to look it up to make sure I understood what it meant.) and we were treated to an impressive spread of lobster tails and filet mignon drenched in the most amazing sauce I have ever tasted. The meal itself was great, but that sauce! Oh that sauce! The chef called it a beurre rouge, and true to the beurre rouge (French for red butter) it was definitely a wine reduction with a smooth buttery finish, but instead of having a creamy, light color it was a deep, dark color. It was rich, and tangy, and savory all at the same time. I had never had such a delectable moment in a single bite. My sister and brother-in-law loved it so much they actually ordered two meals just so they could eat an entire second filet with that sauce. It was a sauce designed for creating a “greatest meal ever” story. And that is exactly what happened.

Upon returning home, we tracked down the chef through a friend, but when we attempted to contact him, he had up and quit never to be seen again.  My brother-in-law and I both made failed attempt after failed attempt to re-create the sauce. After each defeat, we would call each other and trouble-shoot what went wrong. We tried different wines for the reduction. That failed. We reduced every type of vinegar we could find at the store. That failed. We added herbs. We removed herbs. We tried raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, no berries. Nothing worked. Soon, everyone around us became annoyed with the “greatest meal ever” story. And we cried. It was sad.

Fast-forward six years, and I was still reminiscing about that sauce. I had given up on the idea of ever tasting it again, and instead accepted that I could only think about the “greatest meal ever” and hope that was enough. In an unrelated cooking experiment, I decided that blueberries sounded like a fantastic pairing with elk meat. I set out to create a blueberry reduction to top my steak. I started with a simple beurre blanc base, which is butter and shallots. I dropped in my pint of blueberries and watched as the berries popped and a sauce started to form. I added in my balsamic vinegar and some dry red wine and reduced the entire mixture. Then I thought an herb would add a nice flavor. I ventured to the garden and cut some thyme. When the spoon met my lips, I almost gasped. I was back in that fancy, up-scale restaurant drenching my bite of filet in the best sauce ever. I couldn’t believe it! I called my other frustrated diners who had also resigned from the search for that perfect sauce from the “greatest meal ever.” We were moved to tears. Okay, that is an exaggeration, but we were really excited! Our search had ended and it was delicious!

So, after all the hype this sauce has from that story, I hope that you are excited by it as much as my family. This recipe is quick and simple. It is a great meal for a quick weeknight dinner or a ritzy, weekend dinner party with friends.

Ingredients for making the blueberry balsamic reduction sauce include a pint of blueberries, a shallot, red wine of your choice, balsamic vinegar, and fresh thyme.
Ingredients for making the blueberry balsamic reduction sauce include a pint of blueberries, a shallot, red wine of your choice, balsamic vinegar, and fresh thyme.

To start, I get the sauces going. So, pull out a small sauce pan and heat it over medium heat. Drop in two tablespoons of cold butter and allow it to melt. Once fully melted, drop one minced shallot, and cook until the shallot is softened, which takes about three minutes. Just a little comment here, watch your shallot because you don’t want it to burn and it is easy to get the butter too hot. I am one of those people who turns the stovetop too hot in the beginning and doesn’t notice until I burn my garlic or onions. So, just keep on eye on it.

Simmer the blueberries until they pop. This will create a vibrant, colorful sauce.
Simmer the blueberries until they pop. This will create a vibrant, colorful sauce.

Once the shallot has softened, add the pint of blueberries and allow them to slow cook for five minutes. They should start to pop and a vibrant purple sauce should start to form in pan. The heat should be on medium. Once the berries look broken down, add half a cup of balsamic vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the sauce to half, which takes around five minutes. Then add in a half cup of red wine and the fresh thyme. I used a pinot noir this time, but I have used cabernet or merlot in the past. If you aren’t a person who cooks with wine, you could also just add a half cup of water. Allow the sauce to reduce again by half, which should take another five minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Sauce number one is now ready to go!

Ingredients for the gorgonzola cream sauce are simple. They include butter, a shallot, heavy cream, and gorgonzola cheese.
Ingredients for the gorgonzola cream sauce are simple. They include butter, a shallot, heavy cream, and gorgonzola cheese.

For the second sauce, in a small sauce pan heat two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced shallot. I know, I know, it starts exactly the same as the first sauce, but here is where the similarities end. Once the shallot has softened, add a cup of heavy cream. Bring the cream to a very light boil, almost more of a simmer, and allow the liquid to reduce by half. The cream should become thick and, when tested, coat the back of a spoon. This reduction takes about five minutes. Once the sauce is to a consistency you like, add a half cup of crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sauce number two is now ready to go!

Alright, so it is time to cook the steak. I used elk for this recipe, but these sauces would also pair great with deer, pronghorn, or buffalo. For the cut of meat, I used the infraspinatus muscle, which is found in the shoulder of the animal. When purchasing beef from the super market, this cut of meat is commonly called a flat iron steak. The flat iron is a good steak for grilling, so I use it quite often. Of course, you could also use backstrap or tenderloin for this recipe.

BlueberryElkSteakI cut the steak about two inches thick across the grain and let the meat sit at room temperature for about fifteen minutes before I cook it. Letting the meat sit before cooking takes the chill off it, and this allows for more even cooking of the steak. Salt and pepper the steaks before placing them on a large, preheated pan. I heat the pan to medium-high before setting the meat on it so it will develop a nice brown crust. Once you have set the meat on the hot pan, don’t mess with it. At first touch, the meat will stick to the pan and if you move it around you end up with ripped meat. Nobody wants ripped meat.

Allow the first side to cook for four minutes. Flip and cook the second side for an additional four minutes. While the meat is cooking, preheat the broiler to high. After the second side has finished cooking, I place the entire pan under the broiler for an additional minute. If you don’t have a pan that can go from stove-top to oven, you can also remove the meat from the pan and tent it with aluminum foil to allow it to finish cooking. The times I have listed for the meat allow for a two-inch cut steak to come out at about medium-rare. If you like your meat less or more done, adjust the times by a minute. For example, if I wanted a rare steak I would only allow the steak to cook for three minutes per side and then finish with the minute in the broiler. In my experience, most wild game is better when cooked on the rare side. I find the “gamey” flavor people tend to dislike about wild game comes out when the meat is overcooked.  Placing the meat under the broiler or tenting it creates a super juicy steak.

Alright, so, time to plate this steak up! Take your steak of choice and drench that bad boy in the blueberry balsamic reduction. Make sure to get a good spoonful of the whole berries as well as the sauce. Second, drizzle just a bit of the gorgonzola cream sauce over the top of everything. If you are looking for a bite of heaven, cut off a bite-size piece of steak that is drenched in the blueberry sauce and has a dollop of the cream sauce on top. Oh man! The blueberries, thyme, and gorgonzola cheese are a winning combination!

For sides, I recommend sautéing up some asparagus. I put my asparagus in the oven on 375 for about 15 minutes with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. I suggest asparagus because the gorgonzola cream sauce is superb on top of it! I also made roasted red potatoes for the same reason. That cheese sauce is probably good on any vegetable, but it was great on the asparagus and potatoes.

Well, I am now officially hungry! And drooling just a tad!

Happy Hunting!

Print
Elk Steak with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Elk Steak with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction and Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Ingredients

    For Blueberry Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Shallot, Minced
  • 1 Pint Blueberries
  • 1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Red Wine
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, Minced
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
    For Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 Shallot, Minced
  • 1 Cup Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 Cup Gorgonzola Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 4 Elk Steaks, Cut to 2 inches Thick

Instructions

    For Blueberry Sauce
  1. Heat a sauce pan over medium-low heat and melt butter. Once melted, add shallots and cook until softened, about three minutes.
  2. Pour in pint of blueberries and simmer over medium heat until berries have popped and sauce begins to form, about five minutes.
  3. Add balsamic vinegar and bring to boil. Reduce sauce by half, about five minutes.
  4. Add red wine and fresh thyme. Continue to reduce sauce, again by half, about five minutes.
  5. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve over steak.
    For Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
  1. Heat butter in saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots once butter has melted. Cook until shallots are soft, about three minutes.
  2. Add heavy cream and bring to a very light boil. Reduce cream by half or until it has reached your desired consistency.
  3. Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.
    For Steaks
  1. Allow steaks to rest until coming to room temperature, about fifteen minutes. Salt and pepper generously and place in pan over medium-high heat. Cook each side for four minutes to reach medium rare doneness.
  2. Preheat broiler. Allow steaks to finish in the oven for one minute.
  3. If you do not have a pan that can move from stove top to oven, tent the steaks under aluminum foil and allow to rest.
  4. Top each steak generously with blueberry balsamic reduction and drizzle with gorgonzola cream sauce. Enjoy!
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/elk-steak-smothered-in-blueberry-balsamic-reduction-and-gorgonzola-cream-sauce-rich-and-delicious/

Share This:

Jamaican Jerk Pheasant with Coconut Rice

Published on by lynzmarshall@yahoo.com Category: Wild Game Recipes

JerkPheasantOutdoorPic “Jerk is Jamaica to the bone, aromatic and smoky, sweet but insistently hot. All of its traditional ingredients grow in the island’s lush green interior: fresh ginger, thyme and scallions; Scotch bonnet peppers; and the sweet wood of the allspice tree, which burns to a fragrant smoke.” ~Julia Moskin

I am a bit addicted to cooking shows. They are my background noise if I am home alone, my guilty pleasure before I go to bed, and maybe a little bit of an obsession. Just a little. Alright, I watch a lot of cooking shows, it is probably a big obsession and not a “little bit.” I like all the cooking competition shows, like Top Chef and Chopped, and the half-hour shows with the chef’s, like Giada and Bobby Flay. I even sometimes watch Cupcake Wars, but I don’t like to admit that one to everyone. Anyway, I am a food show junkie.

One of my favorite spots to catch up on my food shows is the gym. I know, it is very counter-productive. I hop on a stationary bike or the treadmill, turn on Chopped, and have dinner planned and ready to eat before I even finish my workout. I am pretty sure I gain weight by exercising because I want to make EVERYTHING I see on the cooking shows. My last gym trip led to the idea of Jamaican Jerk Pheasant. I was watching Choppped, of course, and the contestant was working with chicken. He created a stove-top Jamaican Jerk. The judges said the flavors were amazing, they could “really taste the sweet and heat,” and they were impressed he developed so much taste out of the ingredients without marinating or slow cooking the meat. I had never had Jamaican Jerk Chicken before, but the judges persuaded me that I needed to. Their comments about slow cooking the meat really hit me. Pheasant can be a bit tough and while I love a cracker battered and fried piece of pheasant, I was interested in utilizing the pheasant in a recipe where slow cooking would help tenderize the legs. Jamaican Jerk sounded like the perfect recipe.

Traditional Jamaican jerk is grilled over fresh green wood, and in the Caribbean this is commonly from a pimento tree. The trees are portioned into chunks about the size of charcoal and heated under a large metal grill. These chunks are kept very hot throughout the process. A second layer of wood is added, this time in the form of logs. The meat is placed directly on the logs and sheet metal is laid over the top. Here the meat slow roasts for over two hours, the entire time absorbing the oils from the pimento wood and tenderizing.

Before cooking, the meat is marinated with a sweet and spicy mixture. The ingredients can vary, but traditional ones include allspice berries, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, green onions, and fresh ginger. The final product results in a smoky, moist, somewhat sweet, somewhat spicy dish that is a unique dining experience. And pheasant makes it all the better!

JerkPheasantMarinade As with most dishes requiring a marinade, you have to be an advance prepper for Jamaican Jerk Pheasant. The meat will need to sit and soak flavors for at least twelve, if not twenty four hours. I try to start marinating the meat the night before. So, in a large blender or food processor add cinnamon, thyme, green onions, soy sauce, brown sugar, nutmeg, garlic, pineapple juice, and a scotch bonnet pepper. If you can’t find a scotch bonnet pepper, you can use a habanero. If you don’t like that much heat, which not everyone likes to feel the burn, you can substitute a milder pepper such as a jalapeno. If you don’t want any heat, tell the peppers to get lost! I like the combination of the sweet and heat though, so I added the habanero. At this point, I should also add that the marinade is very hot! And by hot I mean make your eyes burn and your nose run hot. I am not always a smart person. I seldom remember to use gloves when working with peppers. I think I secretly like to test if I can handle the pain, but when, and it will if you aren’t careful, this stuff accidentally ends up in your eye because you didn’t use gloves and you then rubbed your eyes afterwards, you will wish you had used gloves. And probably contemplate a trip to the ER for an eye flushing. Seriously, it hurts. Be careful.

JerkPheasantRubPulse everything together and grab a large Ziploc freezer bag, you know, the ones that seal really tight. A trick I use is to suck the air out of the bag so all of the meat is touched by the marinade.  Pat the pheasant legs dry and rub them with a slice of lemon. Sprinkle creole seasoning over each piece, give everybody a little massage, flip and repeat. Now, drop everyone in the Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the top. Give the bag a good shake, make sure everything is coated good, and lay it in the fridge. I like to use the bag because I can usually push everything around so all the meat is sitting in the marinade, and it makes it easy to shake everything up every couple hours.

JerkCrockpotPheasant Okay, fast forward twenty hours and pull out the crock pot. Pour the pheasant legs and marinade into the pot and turn it to low. Let everything cook for at least six hours. And….yeah, that is really all there is at this point. Sit and wait.

Okay, fast forward six hours and preheat the broiler. Pull the legs from the crock pot and lay on a baking sheet. Make sure it is a rimmed baking sheet because this can get juicy and messy! Place the sheet on the middle rack under the broiler for three to five minutes. The pheasant should get slight browned and maybe even a little crunch on the outside.

Take the marinade from the crock pot and heat it up over the stove. Let it simmer for a bit and reduce down. Once you have reduced the sauce and broiled the pheasant, brush the sauce over the legs. You can also serve a little on the side for dipping. I like to serve Jamaican Jerk Pheasant with coconut rice and black beans. There is a great recipe for coconut rice at this blog: http://www.immaculatebites.com/caribbean-rice-and-beans/. It is very quick and simple and pairs great with Jamaican Jerk.

JerkPheasantFinalPlate

Print
Jamaican Jerk Pheasant

Jamaican Jerk Pheasant

Ingredients

  • 6 to 8 pheasant legs
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup Creole seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
  • 3 green onions, diced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper

Instructions

  1. Pat pheasant dry and rub with lemon. Sprinkle creole seasoning and massage on pheasant legs, flip, and repeat. Set pheasant aside.
  2. In blender or food processor, pulse together cinnamon, thyme, green onions, soy sauce, brown sugar, nutmeg, garlic, pineapple juice, and pepper. Be careful about letting the marinade get on your hands, it is very hot!
  3. Pour the marinade and pheasant legs in a large Ziploc bag. Place in fridge for 12 to 24 hours.
  4. Set crock pot to low and add marinade and legs. Cook for 6 to 8 hours.
  5. Preheat the broiler. Place the legs on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until legs are slightly browned. Pour marinade into a sauce pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Serve legs with sauce.
Powered by Zip Recipes
http://box5431.temp.domains/~huntint9/jamaican-jerk-pheasant-with-coconut-rice/

Share This: