Venison recipes

So far the husband has gotten two does - I knew if he drove all the way up there he'd get something!  He usually fills up a couple freezer with deer meat every year, so we are counting on him!

I love venison.  I know a lot of folks don't, but I think it is wonderful - it is so lean and rich, and really good for you.  What could be more organic?  Or free range, whichever it would be! 

We process the meat ourselves, and while that may seem gross to some, there is really a sense of satisfaction when I look at all those white packages in the freezers and know it was a family production.  The Hunter cuts everything to order for me, and as he is cutting I start washing the meat and sorting it into "dinner portion" packages, and then wrapping, labeling and freezing it.  We grind our own venison burger too, and it is much better than a ground beef burger.  I know my bias is showing, but it is just so good. 

I will admit - I am not really picky about food - we try to eat reasonably healthy, not too many snacks, good balanced meals, but I don't worry about organic or anything like that.  But, at the same time, it does feel good knowing that I know EXACTLY where this meat came from, and I had a part in getting it to our table.

Other than frying it up in some gravy, I mean.

And now, since I know you are asking, here are a few of my favorite venison recipes:

VENISON AND NOODLES


Brown a venison roast in dutch oven with a little oil and salt and pepper. Personally, I think venison is always better if it is cooked with a little bacon grease. Then put dutch oven in oven with a couple cups of water and cook at 325 for a few hours. Check ever so often to make sure it is not getting dry, add more water, occasionally beef broth. Cook until it is tender enough to shred. Cut/shred into bite-size pieces. Put back in the broth.

Cook a package of Reams Frozen Egg Noodles (probably extra wide) per directions. Add the cooked noodles to the meat and broth. Add more broth if necessary. Bake some more, stirring ever so often, until it is all nice and baked up. Should be juicy, but not soupy.


CROCKPOT BARBECUE SANDWICH

Since this is in the crockpot all day, it could work for putting it on before school and then keeping warm until dinner.

Put one roast (3-4 pounds) in crock pot with a cup of water, salt and pepper. Cook on low all day, until it is tender enough to shred. Shred with two forks. Put back in crockpot with barbecue sauce (we use Mauls Original). Cook until hot and then serve on buns. This also works well with a beef or pork roast.


VENISON NUGGETS

Steaks, cut into bite-sized pieces (however many your family will eat)
Flour and crushed Saltine crackers, enough to cover the amount of nuggets you are making. This is not scientific, just eyeball it.
3 eggs, beaten with ¼ cup water
oil for frying

Dredge nuggets through flour, then dip in egg mixture, then coat in mixtures of flour and crackers. Set all pieces on a wire wrack to dry as they are coated. In a large skillet (I use an electric one) heat ½” or so canola oil to 350 (pops when you flip a drop of water in) and lay the nuggets in, one at a time. Cook until the bottom starts to brown, then turn over individually. Don’t crowd them in the pan, or the coating will come off, cook in batches if needed. Cook until brown all over and crispy (only takes 5-6 minutes) and drain on plate with paper towels. Splash some Frank’s Redhot sauce on them when you serve. Oh, yum!

VENISON STROGANOFF

1 lb package venison stew meat and flour to coat
8 oz sour cream (note – you can use light, but don’t use fat free. It leaves little white grains in the sauce and looks gross)
2 cups beef broth (I just make it with boullion cubes)
1 8 oz package white mushrooms, washed and sliced
½ medium onion, diced
1 tsp. Minced onion (or two cloves minced)

Dredge meat in a little flour, then brown in a few tablespoons of bacon grease, or canola oil. Add in onions and garlic, stir until onion becomes transparent. Add broth, 1 cup at a time, scraping the brown stuff (fond) off the bottom of the pan as you do. Add the other cup of broth if needed. Add mushrooms and cook until they start to get soft, then turn heat to low, spoon in sour cream and stir gently until heated through. Serve with egg noodles.


Enjoy!