|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 9, 2014 22:17:28 GMT -5
Hi everyone! I have a friend who recently gave me a bunch of very nice venison from deer that was actually harvested off my property. According to other people I know in the area, his venison is very high quality. I have a mixture of 12 pounds of ground venison, tenderloin, and cubesteak with green pepper, each pound individually vacuum sealed and frozen. He would be very happy if I ate and enjoyed this gift, so I don't want to disappoint him.
That said, here's my backstory: I am not generally much of a meat eater, I cook it at home even less, and I don't like beef at all, so this is a challenge for me. Let me also say that I haven't eaten venison in many, many years, but I do not have good memories. Even after that history, though, I am always willing (and hoping, in this particular case) to change my mind. If all else fails, my husband will probably like it.
So, after much ado, does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do with some of this largess?
|
|
|
Post by cinnabar on Oct 10, 2014 0:24:17 GMT -5
drool, drool, drool, Venison burger is great for meatloaf, meat balls, tacos , chili......... Tenderloin .,,,so you're not much for beef, eh? slice or cube and add it to the Roasted barley soup from DOH . fab Cube steak. not sure of it being already with the peppers. but, sauerbraten, stir fry or curry or Moroccan dishes come to mind.
The bad memories of venison usually come from , bad meat, not cleaned well or gamey tasting. If it is well trimmed and not old it is very tasty. Cooking it a little to long will cause it to be dry and tough. It has about nil for fat content so you need to be gentle with it and add butter, bacon grease or other oil or water/wine . If grilling use a good marinade.
I like to take steaks(including tenderloin) and soak them in plain water in the fridge for a day. Drain off the water(repeating once will not hurt it, I have done this for several days and it was real tender) and then marinade and/ or cook. The water will get the game flavor out of it while tenderizing it. When I cook venison you know it is not beef ,because the texture is so fine, it is not fatty and it takes well any seasoning you care to use.
I usually pan sear venison as I can keep an eye on it so as not to overcook it.
Sounds like a deal to me.
cinnabar
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Oct 10, 2014 2:44:31 GMT -5
Make chili and serve it with rice, and cheese and sour cream for topping. The recipe I use will use up ground venison and cubesteak and the green pepper is perfect in chili. I make a large batch and freeze different size jars of it.
Here's my chili recipe:
Chili
First: Sauté in a 4 or 5 quart pot, until meat is almost all brown:
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained 1 lb. chuck steak, cubed 1 or 2 (per preference) medium onions, chopped 1 Bell Pepper, diced (red or yellow preferred) 2 or 3 (per size & preference) cloves garlic, chopped
Then: Add one at a time to 1st mixture and cook over medium heat. (see note below if using crock-pot), stirring occasionally for about ½ hour (1 hour in crock-pot on high).
1 (28 oz/1 lb, 12 oz) can diced tomatoes, do not drain 4 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, do not drain, +1 can of water 1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste 1 (15 ¼ oz) Can Whole Kernel Corn, do not drain 2 ½ tsp. oregano 2 ½ tsp. cumin 3 tsp. salt (be careful not to over-salt) 3 Tbs. chili powder 3 Tbs. cider vinegar (I add about 30 or 40 minutes before done though anytime is fine)
Final Step: Mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and add to chili to thicken. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
4 Tbs. cornstarch 5 Tbs. water
Note: When using crock-pot, do first ingredients in pan. Place remaining ingredients in crock-pot on high. When first ingredients are ready (meat browned) add to crock-pot. Cooking for several hours in a crock pot really makes this a good chili!
|
|
|
Post by vaporvac on Oct 10, 2014 13:34:34 GMT -5
Mach12, You have to change your mindset now! Just substitute Twell for slow-cooker!
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 10, 2014 16:17:37 GMT -5
Awesome. THanks for the ideas and the specific hints on dealing with venison, Cinn. I hadn't heard of the soaking technique.
Your chili recipe looks great, Mach12, and perfect for a fall dinner.
I have high hopes that either my tasted buds have changed over the years or that the old bad memories were due to poorly processed deer. Tomorrow will be my first try, and I'm thinking meatloaf, since that is the only way I actually like beef, albeit rarely. Next is going to be chile, and then…?
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Oct 10, 2014 16:41:58 GMT -5
Mach12, You have to change your mindset now! Just substitute Twell for slow-cooker! Wait a minute - I just read an ad on eBay that said it's a slow cooker! I know that's true because they correctly identified it as sitting over the warming oven.
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Oct 10, 2014 17:23:11 GMT -5
Chipperhiker. When you make your next meatloaf try using Frito's corn chips instead of crackers, bread crumbs or whatever you normally use. Back in the 70's when we were poor the first time (my retirement is the second time) I was mixing up a meatloaf using the Betty Crocker cookbook recipe and it called for saltines. I thought we had some so got to that point in the recipe and discovered an empty cracker tin. I looked around and there on top of the refrigerator was a bag of Fritos so I substituted, figuring enough ketchup could fix most any meatloaf. It was awesome and has been a favorite since. I've used them making meatballs, too, also very popular. Necessity is the mother of invention...
On the venison, if it was handled properly and was from an area where the deer had a good diet it should be just fine. I grew up on venison and it was always great but it had been handled properly. The first time I had venison that someone hadn't properly cleaned and cooled out it was a shocker - and the worst stuff I ever tasted. Horrible. Hopefully whoever processed the meat new what they were doing. It has a wild flavor but shouldn't be offensive.
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 10, 2014 19:43:16 GMT -5
Well, mach12, that sounds just odd enough that now I HAVE to try it! I was just looking for a reason to go to the store, and now I have one. Thank you! As for the deer itself, if grazing my unsprayed fields, browsing seedlings and eating this falls' apple and acorn crops qualifies as a good diet, then I think I'm OK. I like your description of the flavor - wild, but not offensive. By the way, I can't seem to figure out how my stove's warming oven works...
|
|
|
Post by karitx on Oct 11, 2014 8:06:55 GMT -5
I'm not a venison expert by any means, but someone once gave us some summer sausage that was made of a mix of ground venison and pork and it was wonderful. So if you don't care for the flavor of the ground venison, maybe you could find someone to sausagify it for you.
|
|
|
Post by Chuckie on Oct 11, 2014 12:05:07 GMT -5
I'm not a venison expert by any means, but someone once gave us some summer sausage that was made of a mix of ground venison and pork and it was wonderful. So if you don't care for the flavor of the ground venison, maybe you could find someone to sausagify it for you. Started to post my summer sausage recipe here, but decided to post separate so folks could find it @ a later date. This stuff is to DIE for; we make up about 20#'s around Christmas time, make it into HALF pound rolls. Monkey then wraps it tightly in first plastic wrap, secondly tinfoil, and then wraps Christmas paper around it, twisting the ends & tying with bright Christmas ribbons. Folks eyes really light up when they see us traipsing up the sidewalk @ Christmas time, carrying a basket w/our summer sausage, home smoked cheeses, flat breads Monkey makes, and a bottle of wine in the middle. Watch for recipe post to follow. CHEERS! Chuckie
|
|
|
Post by karitx on Oct 11, 2014 14:03:44 GMT -5
I'm not a venison expert by any means, but someone once gave us some summer sausage that was made of a mix of ground venison and pork and it was wonderful. So if you don't care for the flavor of the ground venison, maybe you could find someone to sausagify it for you. Started to post my summer sausage recipe here, but decided to post separate so folks could find it @ a later date. This stuff is to DIE for; we make up about 20#'s around Christmas time, make it into HALF pound rolls. Monkey then wraps it tightly in first plastic wrap, secondly tinfoil, and then wraps Christmas paper around it, twisting the ends & tying with bright Christmas ribbons. Folks eyes really light up when they see us traipsing up the sidewalk @ Christmas time, carrying a basket w/our summer sausage, home smoked cheeses, flat breads Monkey makes, and a bottle of wine in the middle. Watch for recipe post to follow. CHEERS! Chuckie I will be happy to send you my address.
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Oct 12, 2014 21:11:12 GMT -5
I had to do some digging but knew I an extension bulletin on venison with a bunch of recipes around here somewhere. Finally found it. Mine is an older (October 1961) copy of the Oregon State University Extension Bulletin 800, so I searched on that and came up with a newer version, which they have all marked up as out of date and it refers you to the university catalog. The catalog now shows a Pacific Northwest version, PNW 517, Big Game From Hunt To Home. (The new publication has photos showing how to properly dress out a deer that some may find graphic). The old bulletin 800 has a lot more recipes and from what I can see the change is to cleaning and dressing procedures. The recipes are still good and it's too bad they didn't move them to the new bulletin but you can still read them just fine in the old bulletin. I used the search term: extension bulletin 800 Oregon State University. I haven't hunted in years but the recipes are also great with lamb, which was the second most commonly available meat when I worked in Egypt and the Middle East. Chicken was the most available. Cooking ranges were gas and almost all of them had built in rotisseries in the oven. No CWTGTO though.
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 12, 2014 21:18:39 GMT -5
I'll have to go in search of that, Mach12. I made meatloaf yesterday, and it was great. I will admit, however, that I wimped out and made it from 1/3 venison, 1/3 ground beef, and 1/3 ground pork. I didn't notice and particular flavor from the venison, so I guess it was a raging success! Next time I'll be braver and use more venison.
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Oct 12, 2014 21:50:53 GMT -5
I'd say that was a smart approach. It's always a good idea to stick a toe in the water before diving in! It would really be a shame if it wasn't edible and went to waste.
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 13, 2014 11:55:13 GMT -5
So far, so good. I'm liking the leftovers, too.
|
|
|
Post by cinnabar on Oct 13, 2014 16:01:06 GMT -5
Next time I'll be braver and use more venison
When I make meatballs (DH is half Italian so they are Italian flavored) I use half pork and half venison. The extra fat from the pork works out great. With added herbs and spices they are really fab.
I bake them on a broiler pan and all the fat drains away leaving moist not soggy meatballs, then freeze or toss in the sauce.
Bon apatite. cinnabar
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 13, 2014 23:41:39 GMT -5
Looks good, Cinnabar. If you have that much fat draining, would it be worth reducing the pork proportion, or are you using the 50:50 ratio for flavor?
I used pork in my meatloaf for the same goal of adding fat. It seemed to work because it was plenty moist.
|
|
|
Post by cinnabar on Oct 14, 2014 12:15:40 GMT -5
Sometimes the pork itself is fatty-ier than others. Store bought ground pork is mostly fat. If you grind your own pork, say using a butt roast, country ribs or others, it has more meat and you would only need the half and half to compensate for the extra lean venison. I have had next to no fat in the bottom of the broiler and other times up to a cup from meatballs. Beef burger will add more fat yet, even lean chuck, so if you go with 2 fatty meats to 1 lean you may get a bunch of fat. That's why I don't use beef burger in the meatballs at all when using venison. Never had dry meatballs from this method of baking them. Good luck, cinnabar
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 14, 2014 19:53:09 GMT -5
I see. The beef I ended up using was only 7% fat, so it didn't add much. The pork didn't specify, but there was almost no free fat after baking, so it wasn't too bad, either.
Your baking method is really versatile, so you can use whatever cuts you have available without worrying about sogginess. Nice.
|
|
|
Post by 58limited on Oct 15, 2014 14:46:17 GMT -5
"...does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do with some of this largess?" Send it to me Seriously though, as others have mentioned I'd use it for meatballs, chili, burgers, meatloaf, Salisbury steak, burritos, tacos, etc.
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 22, 2014 18:55:57 GMT -5
I'm deciding what to do with this weekend's venison ration. I've defrosted tenderloin and cube steaks for my latest adventure. I'm thinking chili...
|
|
|
Post by cinnabar on Oct 22, 2014 18:58:43 GMT -5
ooo, ooo, stir fry
|
|
|
Post by mach12 on Oct 23, 2014 17:38:14 GMT -5
I get daily recipes in my email from WebMD and a Southwestern Steak and Pepper recipe just posted that looks like it would be awesome with venison. Southwestern Steak and Peppers
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Oct 24, 2014 23:11:15 GMT -5
Sounds interesting. It looks like something my husband would really like. He's a steak fan. As for myself, I'm still in "disguising the venison' mode, but maybe eventually I'll get brave.
|
|
|
Post by chipperhiker on Nov 2, 2014 20:16:07 GMT -5
So this weekend we made broiled venison tenderloin. We dried them, then sprinkled them liberally with Buck's seasoning, a locally made seasoning mix, and let them rest while we preheated the broiler for about 15 minutes (and it was blazing hot by that point). We cooked them for 60 seconds on the first side and about 30 seconds on the second side. It worked well, and they were honestly the tenderest meat I've ever eaten in my life. I'm still getting used to the flavor, and I will never be a big meat eater, but they were good. After our tenderloin dinner, we made chili in the deep well using the cubesteaks that we cut into chunks, and they worked out beautifully - just chunky enough and yet nice and tender. After leaving it to CWTGTO all night, I lit the t-well burner for an additional 7 minutes of gas this morning, and when we came inside around 5 pm after working outside on a cold, blustery day, it was so wonderful to have a good hot meal waiting for us. Love this stove, and the venison is turning out pretty well too. Thursday a neighbor brought us locally caught walleye, and I already know how wonderful that is. We've got some good people around us.
|
|