I'm getting ready to head into the kitchen and start experimenting. I was watching an old episode of "After Hours" the other day, and the chef prepared a nut and bacon encrusted venison saddle. It looked amazing. And it looked like something I could simulate.
So, Rick just so happened to get a deer and preserve the saddle for me (the backstrap area with bone in). I've got a selection of raw pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, and sunflower seeds for the nut crust, some excellent bacon, and plenty of oil. We'll see how it goes.
I love experimenting like this. Sometimes I think I should go to cooking school and do this professionally!
Friday, December 18, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
I love irony... and bear
So, last weekend was Rick's hunt club's annual holiday party...always an interesting event. We decided to bring a venison roast crostini; meat and bread always goes over well with guys. I found a nice horseradish sauce recipe and cooked my little heart out.
The roast came out perfect. It was very rare, just this side of still raw. The way it should be. Rick sliced it thin and it was gorgeous. We tested the crostinis, and deemed them very yummy indeed.
Where is the irony you ask? Well, I had decided to assemble the little sandwiches at the party. So I laid everything out on the counter, where people were milling about. The roast was wrapped in paper, and I had unwrapped it to start assembling. Two men (brothers, I learned) where standing next to me and as I pulled out a piece of meat, one said to me: "aren't you going to cook that?" He was serious.
I said it was cooked, just rare. Both men were horrified. "Oh, we only eat well done meat. We don't like it live."
Okay, these are men who have been shooting deer for probably 40 years ~ more importantly, field dressing the deer. And they're grossed out by pink meat? Are you kidding?
It turned out there were several people who wouldn't touch the rare meat. I was astounded, especially since venison is best rare. Weird.
That may explain what the bear, mountain lion, antelope, carribou, and other venison roasts were all well, well done (although, apparently bear and mountain lion are like pork and chicken...they must be cooked through so you don't get sick).
For the record, bear remains my favorite game meat. The antelope and mountain lion were okay; I'd probably like them better prepared differently.
The roast came out perfect. It was very rare, just this side of still raw. The way it should be. Rick sliced it thin and it was gorgeous. We tested the crostinis, and deemed them very yummy indeed.
Where is the irony you ask? Well, I had decided to assemble the little sandwiches at the party. So I laid everything out on the counter, where people were milling about. The roast was wrapped in paper, and I had unwrapped it to start assembling. Two men (brothers, I learned) where standing next to me and as I pulled out a piece of meat, one said to me: "aren't you going to cook that?" He was serious.
I said it was cooked, just rare. Both men were horrified. "Oh, we only eat well done meat. We don't like it live."
Okay, these are men who have been shooting deer for probably 40 years ~ more importantly, field dressing the deer. And they're grossed out by pink meat? Are you kidding?
It turned out there were several people who wouldn't touch the rare meat. I was astounded, especially since venison is best rare. Weird.
That may explain what the bear, mountain lion, antelope, carribou, and other venison roasts were all well, well done (although, apparently bear and mountain lion are like pork and chicken...they must be cooked through so you don't get sick).
For the record, bear remains my favorite game meat. The antelope and mountain lion were okay; I'd probably like them better prepared differently.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
To Can or Not to Can
If you've been reading this blog, you may have noticed an exchange I've been been having with Sharon. Turns out Sharon cans a lot of food, and has convinced me that it is very easy to do and the meat is great.
I've never canned anything, and I've never had canned venison. But I'm game! I can see where it would be very handy, and I definitely have several recipes that would work well with canned meat. So, as soon as I get my hands on the right equipment, I'm going to give it a try.
I'll be following Sharon's guidance. She has a wonderful web site dedicated to canning, called SimplyCanning.com. Give it a visit if you have a hankering to can some of your meat.
I've never canned anything, and I've never had canned venison. But I'm game! I can see where it would be very handy, and I definitely have several recipes that would work well with canned meat. So, as soon as I get my hands on the right equipment, I'm going to give it a try.
I'll be following Sharon's guidance. She has a wonderful web site dedicated to canning, called SimplyCanning.com. Give it a visit if you have a hankering to can some of your meat.
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