The Venison Cookbook: Venison Dishes from Fast to Fancy

Working with Venison

The term venison is broadly defined as the meat from any game animal, including not only the deer and its relatives, but also bear, antelope, wild boar, peccary and more. For the purposes of this cookbook, however, venison refers to the more customary group of deer, elk, caribou and moose meat.

One of the prime benefits of venison is its low fat content. With only 3.6 grams of fat in a 4-ounce piece of meat*, venison is one of the healthiest meats available today. In addition, wild venison has not been injected with preservatives, hormones, antibiotics or other substances associated with certain health risks.

How do deer, elk, caribou and moose venison differ from one another? Before I answer that question, I’d like to mention a factor that has a huge effect on the taste of any game meat, and that is proper field-dressing and butchering (see pages 115-119 for more information on field care). Whether the animal ate luscious farm-country corn, scrappy wild grasses from the plains, or berries and lichens from the tundra, if the downed animal was left to sit afield for a day or even several hours before being field-dressed, the meat will not be at its prime. With that said, I will tell you that I and many other wild-game cooks feel that moose is one of the finer venisons. However, elk ranks close to the top as well, and there can be quite a heated debate about which meat is better. Some die-hard venison aficionados even swear that whitetail venison is the best-tasting of all. I’ll let you be the judge.

The most significant difference between venison from various species is the size of the cuts. For example, a loin medallion from a deer will be 2 to 4 inches across, while one from a moose averages 5 to 8 inches across. Many venison cuts resemble comparable cuts of veal in size; in color and texture, however, they resemble beef.

Over the years, one of the questions I have been asked most frequently is, Is there a secret to cooing venison? My answer is always the same: No, but there are some important tips—in and out of the kitchen—that will help you serve better-tasting wild game. Here are my number-one tips; follow them and you’ll be able to prepare venison that your family and guests will have a hard time distinguising from the tastiest cuts of beef or veal.

To save space in my freezer, I prefer to bone as much meat as possible. The only cuts that aren’t boned are ribs and the rack of venison. Boned cuts make attractive table fare and are easy to carve.

Most roasts come from the top round and bottom round portions of the hindquarters. If a boneless portion is too flat to cook as a roast, turn it into a rolled roast. Roll with the grain of the meat so that when the roast is carved, slices will be across the grain. Keep the ends as even as possible. Use strong kitchen string to tie the roast, tying the ends first and spacing the ties evenly, about one inch apart. The ties should be tight enough to eliminate pockets where juices can collect and spoilage can start.

When cooking a venison roast with dry heat, you’ll need to add additional fat to keep it moist. Since larding—threading strips of fat into the interior of the roast with the aid of a special needle—is not commonplace anymore, simply wrap bacon or pork fat around the roast.

Always remember that venison should not be overcooked. I find that venison is most tasty when rare (130° to 135°F). If it is cooked to 150°F, it will be medium-well, and this is starting to get overcooked in my opinion. It is not often that you find a large cut of well-done venison that is tasty. When cooking a large piece of venison like a roast, a quality meat thermometer is a crucial piece of equipment.

Steaks are usually cut from the top sirloin, top round and sirloin butt sections; medallions and kabobs often come from the loin and tenderloin. They should be cut about an inch thick and trimmed of all fat and connective tissue. In general, these tender cuts should be cooked over high heat for a very short time. Most often, they are best when sautéed or grilled over high heat for one to two minutes on each side.

Stew meat is taken from the sections of the animal that do the most work: the neck, shoulder and lower legs. Meat from the bottom round and eye of round also makes good stew meat. Because stew meat is tougher, it must be cooked at a low temperature with moist heat for a long period of time.

Stir-fry strips and cutlets of venison can come from the top round, sirloin butt and loin sections. They should be cut to quarter-inch thickness. Strips should be cooked over high heat for about 30 seconds. Cooking time for cutlets will vary depending upon whether they are breaded and fried or simply sautéed, but generally these thin cuts are cooked no longer than one minute per side.

Ground venison is most often processed from the forequarters, shoulder, neck, flank and shanks. I prefer to have no fat added to our ground venison, especially when it is made from moose, caribou or elk; however, we sometimes add 5% pork fat if the animal was taken from poor habitat, if field-dressing was delayed, or if the meat was in transport for a long time. Since most recipes for cooking ground venison provide plenty of flavor and added moisture, there is no need to add fat. However, for recipes like grilled hamburgers, a little added fat helps make the meat juicy. Ground venison for chili, casseroles and the like should be browned over medium heat, to let it cook gently.

Each recipe includes the number of servings you can expect. I generally allow between 4 and 8 ounces of venison per person. It’s often helpful to get a quick glimpse at the amount of time required to prepare a certain recipe, so I’ve also included prep and assembly time, marinating time where applicable, and cooking time. I hope you’ll find this helpful.

* Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

starters

My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart;

My heart’s in the Highlands, a-chasing the dear.

Robert Burns (1759-1796)

ne year , after taking a seven point buck on opening morning, I developed a bad case of cabin fever. So a few days later, I decided to fill my doe tag. I took a yearling. When i butchered it, I ended up with only a small amount of meat. Since my husband, Peter, and I were having a post-Thanksgiving dinner party the next evening, I decided to use the meat to create some interesting appetizers.

The next day was spent making a delicious venison tartare (with minced onions, chives and fresh garlic), venison on crackers (paper-thin slices of seared venison, topped with a shaving of gruyère cheese and sliver of white onion), and fondue chunks to be served with several sauces and dips. Lastly, I created venison finger rolls: small venison medallions dipped in Parmesan bread crumbs, sautéed, and wrapped around scallions. Our guests raved about the tenderness and flavor of the meat. Even people who normally don’t eat venison enjoyed it. That evening I learned that using venison for finger foods or more formal starters can be fun and delicious, particularly when the meat is from a young deer.

VENISON CARPACCIO WITH MUSTARD SAUCE

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 25 minutes

♦ ½ cup olive oil

♦ 2 cloves garlic, halved

♦ ½ lb. venison eye of round, well trimmed

♦ ¼ cup Dijon mustard

♦ 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

♦ 3 tablespoons Horseradish Cream Sauce (page 82)

♦ 1 tablespoon drained and rinsed capers

♦ Freshly ground pepper

Combine oil and garlic halves in small glass bowl. Let sit while preparing the venison.

To ensure top flavor, remove all fat, tallow and connective tissue from the venison. Place meat in small baking pan and place in the freezer to firm up. Do not freeze the meat through; it should feel crunchy but still yielding when pierced with a knife.

When venison is firm, slice paper-thin with electric meat slicer.* It is very important to slice the venison as thin as possible. Fan the slices on a cold platter.

Remove garlic halves from oil. Whisk mustard into oil until completely combined. Add mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. Drizzle the mustard sauce over the venison. Alternate patterns with the horseradish sauce. Garnish with capers and freshly ground black pepper.

*An electric meat slicer is similar to the ones used in delis, in which the meat is fed into a spinning blade. Look for one labeled for home use.

Note: Carpaccio slices may also be cut Into strips and wrapped around breadsticks, as shown in photo. Serve sauces on the side.

TEX-MEX EGG ROLLS

Serves: 8 (2 egg rolls each) Prep Time: 10 Cooking Time: 25 minutes

♦ 1 lb. ground venison

♦ 1 medium onion, finely chopped

♦ 2 cloves garlic, minced

♦ ½ cup medium salsa (preferably a smoother type such as Pace Picante)

♦ ½ teaspoon chili powder

♦ ¼ teaspoon cumin

♦ Salt and pepper

♦  cup shredded Cheddar cheese

♦ 1 package egg-roll wraps

♦ Vegetable oil

♦ Sour cream and guacamole for serving, optional

In large skillet, cook venison, onion and garlic over medium heat until venison is no longer pink and onion has softened, stirring occasionally to break up meat. Drain grease. Add salsa, chili powder, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add cheese and stir until mixed thoroughly. Lay 1 egg-roll wrap on work surface; cover remaining wraps with plastic to keep them from drying out. Place a large spoonful of venison mixture on center of wrap and roll as directed on package. Place filled egg roll on platter and repeat with remaining ingredients.

Heat 2 inches oil to 375°F in deep fryer or large pot. Fry egg rolls, two at a time, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel-lined plate. Serve with sour cream and guacamole.

Kate’s

Cooking Tips

Each fondue set contains a pot for the sauce or oil, a stand in which the pot sits, and a burner underneath the stand. For deep-fried fondues, an enameled cast-iron or metal pot is best. If you use this set for dessert or cheese fondues, remember to keep the heat low. Pottery fondue dishes are suitable for cheese fondues but cannot withstand the high heat needed for deep-frying. For dessert fondues, a small fondue pot with a candle burner is adequate to keep the sauce warm.

Keep an eye on the oil when serving the Far East Venison Fondue. Each time meat is added to the pot, the temperature of the oil is reduced and a little oil is lost If there are many fondue participants, let the oil temperature rise again in between batches, and replenish if necessary with additional hot oil.

FAR EAST VENISON FONDUE

Serves: 4 to 8, depending on other dishes served Prep Time: 10 minutes Marinating Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 1 to 2 minutes per chunk

Afondue party is an ideal way to entertain guests and, as host, a way to enjoy the party, too. I remember how popular fondue was at parties when I was growing up in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Each guest had his or he own long, color-coded fork-and if you lost your bread in the cheese, it meant you had to give your partner a kiss. As gawky, eager-eyed teenagers, my sister and I waited with bated breath for the next person to lose a chunk of bread-just to see another one of out neighbors kiss!

Although fondues are not as common nowadays, I still include them in family gatherings. Here’s a recipe using chunks of tender venison loin. An Oriental salad makes a nice accompaniment to this fondue.

♦ 2 lbs. venison loin, well trimmed

♦  cup low-sodium soy sauce

♦  cup dry sherry

♦ 2 teaspoons brown sugar

♦ 1 teaspoon ground ginger

♦ 3 cloves garlic, crushed

♦ Sauces for dipping: Mustard Sauce, Horseradish Cream Sauce, Garlic Sauce and/or Spicy Far East Dipping Sauce (pages 82-83)

♦ Vegetable oil

Pat venison dry and cut into ¾-inch cubes. In large bowl, stir together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Add meat and toss to coat. Cover bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

When almost ready to serve, remove venison from marinade, discarding marinade. Pat venison dry and arrange in serving bowl; set aside. Place dipping sauces in amply sized serving bowls, with a serving spoon in each; set aside. Pour enough oil into the fondue pot to fill it one-third full. Transfer oil to a saucepan and heat to 375°F on stove over medium-high heat, checking temperature with deep-frying thermometer. Carefully pour hot oil into fondue pot; keep oil hot over fondue burner. Place bowls of venison and sauces next to fondue pot, along with color-coded fondue forks and small serving plates. Let each person skewer a venison chunk, cook it in oil to desired doneness, and dollop some sauce onto a serving plate for dipping.

SWEET CHEREY PEPPERS WITH VENISON STUFFING

Serves: 6 Prep Time: 30 minutes

♦ 24 pickled sweet cherry peppers (sold in jars near the pickles)

♦ ¼ cup olive oil (approx.), divided

♦ ¼ lb. ground venison

♦ Salt and pepper

♦ ½ cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs

♦ 2 to 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

♦ ¼ teaspoon dehydrated parsley flakes

♦ 3 cloves garlic, minced

Remove peppers from jar and reserve 1 teaspoon of the liquid. Clean peppers by removing stems and tops, and scooping out core and seeds. Place cleaned peppers on baking sheet; set aside.

In medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium heat. Add venison and cook until no longer pink, stirring to break up. Drain grease; season venison with salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool.

Place cooled venison in food processor and pulse until meat is finely chopped but not