Chicken Fried Venison Steak

Is it just me, or is winter dragging on?  Hunting season hasn't even been over a month for me and I'm dreaming about turkey hunting this spring and chasing big-game again in the fall!  The good news is that I have time to come up with new recipes and start processing some of what's in the freezer.  I smoked some salmon today (future blog post) and it turned out pretty good.  


My boot-camp buddy Billy Abbott from Arkansas inspired this post when he commented on one of my earlier blogs that all they ever do is fry their deer.  One of the reasons I started this blog to begin with is to try and find as many ways to fix wild meats as possible, so I think it makes sense to cover fried venison early on.  

I'd almost put money down that the first way I ever ate venison was fried, and it's probably the most popular way to cook venison anywhere people eat deer.  This recipe is for people who truly like venison and have no need or desire to cover any gaminess, so it's probably not the one you want to make if anyone at the table has a sensitive palate or has never tried venison.  Elk are not nearly as gamey in most cases.  


There's nothing to making chicken fried steak.  This is good at home and would be pretty easy to do at hunting camp as it takes few ingredients and little time.  My camp pans are cast iron and me and many others believe that cast iron imparts a flavor on your food that is impossible to duplicate on any other cooking surface.


Start with defrosting your steaks.  Get together some eggs, milk, all purpose flour, and seasoning.  I like a pre-mixed seasoning called "Steak-dust" I found at Sam's Club that is mostly onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Heat up to 1/4" of vegetable oil in the bottom of a large frying pan.  I just added enough to coat the bottom of the pan this time, but to cook the edges on a thicker cut would take more.

Mix four parts flour to one part seasoning on a plate or in a bowl.  In a separate bowl beat an egg and a tablespoon of milk-this is enough for three steaks.  Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, coat thoroughly in egg, and dredge in flour.

When the oil is hot, fry the steaks for 3-4 minutes per side or until done.  I like to add onions to saute once I turn the steaks onto the second side.  

That's it.  My favorite sides are mashed potatoes and gravy with mixed vegetables.  

If anyone else has favorite recipes or ideas let me hear them!  There's no shortage of ideas out there but if there's something you want to see let's get it on here and share with everyone!

Venison Sloppy Joes

I can tell it's almost Spring because the only thing on my mind is...  Hunt Applications!  I've already got Wyoming and part of my Arizona applications done and I have the credit card balances to prove it!  There's almost as much anticipation for the draw results to come out as there is for the hunt itself once you have the tags in hand.  I always have a few "for-sure" draws and a lot of "hey-a-guy-can-dream" applications so there's sure to be a fresh supply of burger this fall.  

The best thing about burger is the nearly endless number of meals ideas you can come up with.  This one falls under the "preparation idea" category.  There's not much to it but it's sure to be a hit.  

All you need is a pound of burger, a packet of seasoning, a little water, a 6 oz. can of tomato paste, buns, and cheese.

Brown and drain the burger.  I added garlic salt for a little extra flavor and to take some of the "sweet" out of the pre-mixed seasoning.

Once the burger is done, add the water, seasoning, and tomato paste. and simmer.

 

Meanwhile, toast the buns.  A little trick my wife taught me is to spread on a little mayo instead of butter.

Sockeye Salmon, Wild Rice, & Asparagus

A big thanks to my buddy Sam in Anchorage, AK for bringing sockeye salmon fillets when he came for the holidays, but I've got to get up there and catch some of my own.  Sockeye are the same as kokanee salmon if you want to catch your own and are within driving distance of Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa, Shadow Mountain, or a number of other big cold reservoirs out west.  If you don't have a boat and aren't into snagging, Colorado Parks and Wildlife sometimes gives kokanee away by the bucketful in November after they spawn.


This recipe is about as simple as "home-gourmet" gets and start to finish takes less than an hour.  You only need three ingredients: olive oil, salmon/trout seasoning, and a salmon fillet.  Wild rice and asparagus sauteed with yellow onion, garlic, and a little jalapeno is about as good as it comes for sides.  

This is about a 2 pound fillet - ocean run sockeye (also known as "reds") get substantially bigger than kokanee so you'll probably use a whole fish, 2 fillets. 

Liberally season about 1/3 cup of olive oil with the salmon seasoning.  I bought this seasoning at Cabela's, but you can easily make your own with things you probably already have around the kitchen.  Try something along the lines of 2 parts seasoned salt and two parts brown sugar with one part lemon pepper and one part garlic powder.  

Brush the olive oil seasoning over the fish making sure to get the sides and edges.  Save what's left in the bowl.  It doesn't hurt to let the fish sit in the fridge for a couple of hours after seasoning, but there's nothing wrong with cooking it right away. 


A glass dish works best because it holds heat and helps the fish cook evenly and thoroughly.  Just be sure to use a little plain olive oil to grease the dish or you may never get the salmon skin off.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 35 minutes then remove the foil, brush with the leftover oil and seasoning and finish uncovered for 10 more minutes.  Meanwhile you can work on the sides.


It's that easy.

I had mine with a hoppy Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and I'd recommend something similar.


So in review:


2 lbs Salmon fillet
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp (+/-) salmon/trout seasoning 


Bake covered 35 minutes at 375, brush with more oil and seasoning then bake uncovered another 10 minutes.  
  

Venison Carne Asada

As I mentioned in my first blog post, some recipes work really well when using strongly flavored meats, and this recipe is one of them.  I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan that deer meat ever had.  In my experience early season deer are usually pretty mild, but by the later rifle hunts all but the youngest bucks can be really strong (not bad, just strong).  


I don't have any evidence to back it up, but I think a lot of traditional Mexican recipes were developed using venison before beef was widely available in this hemisphere.  Regardless of where they came from, these recipes often compliment venison very well.  Carne asada, literally translated means "roasted meat" and is one of my favorite whole meat venison recipes.  


The term "carne asada" is also used as an equivalent expression to the social definition of the English word "barbecue", and this is an easy and sure to please recipe if you're inviting friends and family to dinner.  It's an awesome way to introduce more "domesticated" people to venison and wild game.


Unless you process your own meat, your venison steaks are probably cut about twice as thick as you want them for carne asada.  About 1/4" to 5/8" is a good thickness.  This a good recipe for particularly tough or thin cuts, such as round steak, flank steak, or brisket.


If you're trying to cover up a strongly flavored deer, you want to lean toward thinner slices and marinate longer so the marinade-to-meat ratio goes up.  I use a jerky board to cut my processed steaks to the right thickness.

It's important to use a plastic, glass, or clay bowl to marinate the meat because the marinade is going to be strongly acidic and metal bowls will affect the flavor.  Once the meat is cut, chop a big handful of cilantro, including some of the stems (there is a lot of good flavor in the stems, which will soften up during marination and cooking).  

Mince a couple of cloves of garlic plus some jalapeno and toss those in.

The English word "marinade" traces back to the French word "mariner," (which means "to pickle," or "to marinate") but probably originated with the Italian word "marinare." The Latin root is "marina," meaning "seawater," "brine," or "pickling." In English, it amounts to a liquid with ingredients that usually include oil and an acid such as vinegar or citrus seasoned with herbs and spices.  The purpose of an acidic marinade is two-fold: to season and to tenderize. 


This carne asada marinade consists of 2 parts white vinegar, 2 parts lime juice, and 1 part olive oil.  Season with salt, coarse black pepper, white sugar (not pictured), and cumin.  For 2 pounds of steak I used about a 1/3 cup each of vinegar and lime juice, and 1/4 cup of olive oil.  I used about half a tablespoon each of salt, pepper, and cumin and 1 teaspoon of sugar. I'm guessing at those amounts but don't be afraid to experiment with the quantities of any ingredient, or even to add or substitute ingredients, according to your personal preferences--you're cooking dinner, not building a bridge so there isn't any exact formula.

The marinade will actually start to cure (pickle) the meat, so don't worry that it starts changing color almost immediately.  Put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but you could marinate all day if need be.  The longer the meat marinates the stronger the seasoning (especially from the garlic and jalapeno in this recipe) and the more tender the meat so adjust as necessary. 


When the time comes, make sure the grill is nice and hot.  The traditional preparation of carne asada is over an open fire, so I think it's best to cook uncovered when using a grill.  That means cranking the knobs full tilt on a gas grill like mine.  As I mentioned, the meat is partially cured from the acetic (vinegar) and citric (lime) acids and salt, and the cuts are thin, so it won't take long to cook.  Even outside in 30-degree weather, mine took about 4-5 minutes per side with the grill lid open and the gas on high.

Meanwhile, whip up some sides including pinto beans, Mexican rice, and tortillas.  I can't think of anything I'd rather have with carne asada...  Top it off with an avocado and a cervesa (Modelo Especial or Pacifico are great with this) and enjoy!

So in summary, you'll need the following (roughly):
Venison steaks (round, flank, skirt, or brisket; cut 1/4" to 5/8" thick) (2 lbs for 3 people)
White vinegar (1/3 cup)
Lime juice (1/3 cup)
Olive oil (1/4 cup)
Cilantro (handful chopped)
Garlic (2 cloves minced)
Jalapeno (3/4 to whole; seeded, minced)
Ground cumin (1/2 Tbs)
Salt (1/2 Tbs)
Coarse ground black pepper (1/2 Tbs)
White sugar (1 tsp)
Mix all the above in a plastic bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.  Longer marination time results in stronger flavor and more tender meat, so adjust ingredients (especially garlic and jalapeno) accordingly.  


Grill open over high heat for 2-5 minutes per side--I look for the edges to just barely start to char.  Serve with beans, rice, avocado, and tortillas.  Leftovers make amazing burritos or tacos, or try leftover carne asada with eggs and salsa for breakfast.


Now I'm hungry.

2011 Was Good

My first hunt of 2011 was a limited Merriam's turkey hunt in Colorado.  There were four other tag holders, but I never saw any of them.  The hunt was excellent, and with a few tips from the District Wildlife Manager (game warden) I was into the birds in no time.  The first day I called in almost 25 birds including 8 or 9 toms and jakes and I missed twice with the bow.  I left work early on a Thursday the following week and called this longbeard up less than 100 yards from the truck after a 4-mile hike.

I used a Hi-Mountain brine mix and smoked the breasts--one over hickory and the other over mesquite.  I didn't get pictures as I wasn't planning this blog, but they turned out great and made awesome sandwiches.


The next hunt was Colorado archery season and I had mule deer, elk, and bear tags.  I managed to kill my best buck yet on the last morning of the season and I passed a 19-yard chip shot on a nice black bear.  I had several close encounters with the elk but never had a shot opportunity.

The hunt I was most looking forward to in 2011 was Wyoming antelope with my dad.  We don't seem to get much time to hunt together anymore, so getting to spend a few days together in his old stomping grounds was a lot of fun and we both killed nice bucks. 

My friends Rod and Ray "Rooster" Cogburn with "Rooster's Guiding and Outfitting Adventures" in DeBeque, Colorado had asked me earlier in the year if I could help guide hunters during Colorado's third rifle season.  I had to be at work during the week so opening weekend I took Matt and Shanna from Texas out and Shanna put a nice little 7mm-08 to work on her first mule deer.

The next week I took off early from work and picked up my buddy Garrett to try to fill our cow elk tags.  He'd been having trouble with his rifle, so he brought his muzzleloader hoping for a close shot opportunity.  As luck would have it we spotted a small group of elk in a pocket of timber over 600 yards across a canyon with no time and no reasonable way to get very close.  A timely snow squall hit us and with white-out conditions we closed the gap to 435 yards and I was able to fill my tag on a nice young cow with my new Tikka 7mm-08.  It was getting late and we both had to be at work the next day so we didn't take the time for field pics.  It was way past dark by the time we got the elk broken down and to the truck, but I snapped a cell phone pic of the quarters before I dropped them off at the processor.   Time to start cooking!

Happiness is a Full Freezer

This is a beautiful sight at the end of the year. 

Anyone who has been through a hunter education course is familiar with the idea that over time a hunter makes a progression from newbie looking for any legal animal to old-timer whose hunting trips are as much about reminiscing as about hunting.  During that progression, a hunter experiences a spectrum of emotion from the  climax of making the shot on a hard-won trophy and the broken heart following the last glimpse of "the one that got away."

No matter where you are in your progression, the meat you bring home after a kill is a welcome bonus.  Some people claim not to enjoy wild game on the table, and invariably the hunter's response is "it's all about how it's cooked."  I think that is usually true.  Even the gamiest meats can be used in recipes that compliment naturally strong flavors.  

My intent with this blog is to share my experiences bringing meat (and sometimes other wild foods) to the table and sharing the recipes and preparation ideas I use to keep it interesting.  I relish the entire hunting experience: picking hunting areas, drawing tags, scouting, hunting, camping, retrieving game, and preparing it for the table.  I know a lot of you do too.