Deer Hunting = Locally grown, free range, hormone and antibiotic free meat.
The first deer I ever killed was an incredible learning experience. I was hunting with my father-in-law, who hadn’t hunted since he was a kid. Neither of us had any real experience gutting a deer. I read everything I could find on how to field dress a deer. I managed well enough, but where I … Continue reading “Let a Hitch Hoist do the heavy lifting on your deer”
Venison can be a temper-mental meat to cook. An over cooked roast will give your jaws a work out. An over grilled back strap could be sliced up for hockey pucks. If you have never cooked venison before, start with something easy and foolproof. You can’t go wrong with a crockpot. Low and slow, with … Continue reading “Simple Slow Cooker Venison Meals”
Deer fat. It doesn’t taste particularly good. To us humans anyway. Yet some deer will have a lot. I’ve pulled almost 20 pounds of almost pure fat off a large deer that seemed to be bulking up for a rough winter.
Cooking on cast iron brings to mind nostalgic images of cowboys cooking over an open fire, stars shining, someone strumming a few guitar chords as the day winds to an end… Ok, hold on. I never ONCE saw anyone try to clean one of those pans in those old westerns I saw as a kid! … Continue reading “Cooking with Cast Iron Pans”
A meat/food slicer is one of those tools that can be hard to justify purchasing. If you are just starting out hunting, there are way more important things you should be spending your money on, namely the gear you will be using in the field. But after a few years, your gear needs tend to … Continue reading “Use a food slicer to expand your venison options”
Nitrites and nitrates in curing meat have gotten a bad rap over the years. For everything you read out there telling you to avoid it, you can find just as many articles telling you it’s safe. I’m not going to go on here about what is right or what is wrong. What I will tell … Continue reading “Using Nitrites in Curing Meat”
The tenderloin of the deer is located inside the abdominal cavity. It is the most tender part of the deer. But I’ve still had some that was as tough as rubber. The loin, aka the backstrap, is the long muscle that runs along the deer’s spine. This is the second tenderest/most desirable cut of meat … Continue reading “How to Tenderize Venison”
When working with wild game, a common technique to “enhance” or “adjust” the flavor is to brine it. This is actually true with a lot of commercial meat as well, it just happens before you see it. For the most part, brining is soaking meat in a salt water/seasoning mixture for some time period. For … Continue reading “Brining Venison – Add flavor and tenderize in one step.”
I have been a fan of corning venison for years. I love the flavor, and I love the options braising it and smoking it. Another reason to corn venison is if you have some gamey meat. If you shot a buck that had a little funk, there is no better way to remove gaminess. And … Continue reading “Dried Corned Venison”
When I started hunting, I read tons of books and magazines about hunting. As I refined my tactics over the years, and settled into my own hunting property, I became much less interested in how to hunt deer, and more focused on what to do with deer after I’m lucky enough to harvest one. One … Continue reading “Book Review: Making The Most of Your Deer”
When it comes to deer hunting, there are probably a few billion books out there on how to do it. When it comes to wild game recipes/cooking venison, the numbers are up there too. When it comes to butchering a deer, there are maybe five. Maybe I exaggerate a little, but you get my drift. … Continue reading “Book Review: Gut It. Cut It. Cook It. The Deer Hunter’s Guide to Processing & Preparing Venison”