Game recipes

[Dreamweaver]

What are some of your favorite recipes for game? Ie.. venison, elk, buffalo, quail,...etc

this got brought on because I am enjoying an elk steak for dinner tonight.. oh my taste buds are dancing with joy.:ola:

[COTSBOE]

I like pheasant prepared in (and I can't believe I'm about to say this...) the traditional Welsh fashion.

It's very simple...you just take some pheasant breasts that have been marinated overnight in milk, and add them to a loaf pan which has been lined on ALL sides with bacon. Cover with more bacon, and bake.

The milk marinade gets rid of the bitter "gamey" taste; while the porkfat adds moisture to the normally dry meat.

[Stephane]

The milk marinade gets rid of the bitter "gamey" taste; while the porkfat adds moisture to the normally dry meat.

Yup, while I haven't tried the milk marinade, I'll vouch for the pork fat.

Favorite venison? There is no such thing. I eat it whenever I can, irregardless of what it is. It's such a rarity that I enjoy it whenever I can.

[Stephane]

Chim. My father bagged one last fall. I'll see if there's any left. I'll pass it along. It'll have to be summertime. The next time I'll be there is likely be in June.

[silverwhisper]

do folks prefer to mask or savor the gaminess?

[hidufel]

Depends... would i know gaminess when i tasted it? Probably not.

[COTSBOE]

do folks prefer to mask or savor the gaminess?


Depends on the meat. Personally, I like the gamey flavor in venison or boar; but when it comes to fowl I find it often overwhelms the meat.

[silverwhisper]

hidufel: trust me, you'd know. :>

[Stephane]

Hidufel: listen to SW, you would know.

I've had rabbit (wild) that was caught in the winter time and tasted heavily of pine. It was quite interresting.

Personally, I prefer gamey. I must say that the last time I've had fowl was a long time. My Father's the hunter. He hates plucking and the last time he brought fowl home, my mother gave him the eye and a 20 min lecture. But mammals are fair game.

[Dreamweaver]

for my elk steak I didn't do much to inhance the flavor. I added a pinch of minced onions. and a pinch of minced garlic plus a little salt and pepper.. it was divine. *cries* I want more.

[TinSoldier]

for my elk steak I didn't do much to inhance the flavor. I added a pinch of minced onions. and a pinch of minced garlic plus a little salt and pepper.. it was divine. *cries* I want more.Oh, man. My dad got one elk. Ever.

Best tasting meat that I have ever had. It's better than beef.

[Dreamweaver]

Oh, man. My dad got one elk. Ever.

Best tasting meat that I have ever had. It's better than beef.

there is alot of red meat out there that is better then beef...
buffalo, bear, venison and interesting enough.. Ostrich is a red meat.

[TinSoldier]

there is alot of red meat out there that is better then beef...
buffalo, bear, venison and interesting enough.. Ostrich is a red meat.I haven't yet tried buffalo or ostrich.

Bear I've had as ground meat (in meatballs) a long time ago so it is kind of difficult to judge. Venison, meh. I understand that an animal properly cared for after the kill will taste less gamy but I've always found venison to be tough, gamy, and relatively unpleasant. I would still choose it over mutton, though.

[Dreamweaver]

I haven't yet tried buffalo or ostrich.

Bear I've had as ground meat (in meatballs) a long time ago so it is kind of difficult to judge. Venison, meh. I understand that an animal properly cared for after the kill will taste less gamy but I've always found venison to be tough, gamy, and relatively unpleasant. I would still choose it over mutton, though.

well when i am sure that my roomie is no longer sick I might invite your family over for buffalo fajitas

[Paulypalooza]

I've heard the due to it being so lean ostrich is very bland and needs a lot of seasoning. But then again I've never had the pleasure of trying it.

[BattleNymph]

I've heard the due to it being so lean ostrich is very bland and needs a lot of seasoning. But then again I've never had the pleasure of trying it.

Ostritch wasn't bad actually. I cooked it in a lemon sauce and served it with rice. For a time there my kids and I tried a different unusual meat or vegetable once a week.

Bear was yucky. Stringy and flavorless. =blech.

Elk was yummy. My favorite of the game-meats actually.

Buffalo was a lot like venison actually. Kind of gamey but ok if you ground it and mixed it with other flavors.

Alligator was pretty good.

Snake was actually really good. Tender and mild.

Dog was covered in so much sauce I couldn't really tell.

Goose is more like duck than turkey.

There are others but I can't think of them right off.

[Haze]

I like my venison best in a venison pie but steaks in a rich red wine gravy are good too.

I liked ostrich but wouldn't count it as 'game', it's taste is too bland for that.

I greatly dislike pheasant but rabbit's okay.

Goose is meh but I love roast duck.

[marmalade]

I forgot about this recipe because I've never actually made it with game meat, but it's originally meant for venison. I have done it with beef and pork and most recently with ground buffalo, and I always enjoy it. The juniper berries and cinnamon/cloves make it taste pretty different from most other things I cook.

Venison Ragu

Adapted from, The Best of Casual Italian Cooking: Trattoria, by Mary Beth Clark

To Marinate:
1 lb venison shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
5 in fresh rosemary sprig
4 ea fresh sage leaves
2 ea bay leaves
1 ea cinnamon stick (or 1/8 ts ground)
1 ts juniper berries
3 ea whole cloves (or a pinch ground)
1 sm celery stalk, quartered
1 sm carrot, peeled and quartered
1 sm yellow onion, quartered
1½ cup red wine

The Ragu:
5 in fresh rosemary sprig
1 ea fresh sage leaves
1 ea bay leaves
1 ea cinnamon stick (or 1/8 ts ground)
2 Tb unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup each diced yellow onion, carrot, and celery
1 ts minced garlic
1 cup peeled and chopped plum tomatoes (or 15 oz. can, drained)
½ cup red wine
2 Tb dry Marsala wine (or extra dry Vermouth)
2½ cup meat broth (or mushroom broth)

Bind the rosemary, sage, bay leaves, juniper berries, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves together into a small cheesecloth bag. In a shallow non-aluminum bowl, combine the venison, celery, carrot, onion, wine, and cheesecloth bag. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the venison from the marinade, discarding the marinade. In a deep pot over high heat, melt 1 Tb butter. Add the venison and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.

To make the ragu, bind the rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick together in a small cheesecloth bag. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until the onion and celery are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cheesecloth bag, and tomatoes. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the browned venison and red wine. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the Marsala and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered until the venison is tender and about 2 cups of liquid remain, 45-55 minutes.

When the sauce is ready, remove the venison with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard the cheesecloth bag. Ladle the vegetables into a food processor or blender and puree. Return to the pot over low heat and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add venison and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes.

Serve with pasta of your choice.

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I tried this with ground buffalo yesterday, which I didn’t marinate. Instead, I browned the buffalo with juniper berries (removed afterwards) and a pinch each of cinnamon and cloves. The ground meat could not be removed from the sauce, so I added most of a small can of tomato paste. Maybe next time I'll try buffalo meatballs.

[BattleNymph]

One of my bosses is an avid hunter and every year he and his hunting buddies have a Game Feast where each of them cooks something from a lot of the game they'd hunted or fished that year. At the feast everyone votes on what's the best tasting recipe.

My boss won this year with venison and here's what he did:

He took the venison roast and soaked it in buttermilk for 24 hours. Then he rinsed it and sliced it thin before marinating it for another 24 hours in a peppercorn dressing (packaged). At the feast they cooked the thin slices on the bbq and everyone was raving apparently.

The other 3 things that got raves were the dove pastries which he'll bring me the recipe tomorrow and the cranberry glazed pheasant.

[Mouser]

One of my bosses is an avid hunter

The question you really should ask him is how to prepare an avid.

[BattleNymph]

The question you really should ask him is how to prepare an avid.

He said it was a secret.

[Mouser]

Damn. I guess I should find out if avids are kosher.

[BattleNymph]

Damn. I guess I should find out if avids are kosher.

I asked and he said yes.