Wild Game Recipes

*Prepare meat by cutting into strips 3/4 inch X 1/2 inch and as long as you prefer. Cut across grain for tender and lengthwise for chewy. The more consistent you are when cutting the strips the better your jerky will dry evenly. Very cold or lightly frozen meat cuts easier.

Mix all ingredients in blender except meat and Cayenne.

Soak strips of meat in the above mixture and refrigerate for 24-48 hours in a close container (I use a Tuppleware® bread box). Shake several times to mix well.

Remove meat from brine (save brine) and pat dry. Place directly on oven racks that have been covered with tin foil and sprayed with Pam. Cook in pre heated oven @ 160F for 2 hours (with door closed). This kills bacteria, removes a lot of the excess moisture and melts any excess fat.

Return hot strips to brine mixture and refrigerate for another 6-12 hours (remember to shake several times). Remove meat from brine, pat dry and sprinkle with Cayenne powder. Spread in dehydrator. Set dehydrator at 145F. The final drying usually takes about another 6-10 hours. Do not over dry (Check every hour). Jerky should be tuff, hard and leathery, not brittle. A real mouth watering HOT treat! Enjoy.

If you don't have a dehydrator return Jerky to 140-150F oven for 6-8 hours, leaving door open a little. Do not over cook. Check texture often.

An alternate for the drying is to use a low heat smoker (cold smoking is generally done at 90 to 115 F. over 5-10 days). Leave out the Liquid Smoke® and add 1/8 cup more salt in the Marinate. Remove meat from Marinate pat dry, sprinkle on the Cayenne, then into the prepared smoker. I have done this several times and my taste buds have always voted this method first place. It takes longer, you need some equipment (if you have a smoke house you are truly blessed), and time spent tending the fire, but the result is worth every hour. Also look at Dan's Smokehouse Jerky recipe for details on cold smoking.

Store refrigerated or freeze in closed containers for long storage time (if not consumed in 4-5 weeks)

Note - Venison has always cooked faster for me than beef (less moisture?). So check it more frequently.

Notes: I make this nice and hot for a reason. If I leave out most of the hot ingredients my children eat it like candy (2 lbs. in 3 days!). Experiment with the heat factor to your taste.

Marinate swordfish in barbecue sauce 15 min to 2 hours. Combin ingredients for banana salsa in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings. Barbecue swordfish over medium heat for about 8 min. It is done when it just feels firm to the touch. Serve hot with salsa.

* Strawberry Flavored Vinegar may be used instead of Red Wine Vinegar. Place fillets in large shallow dish. Season fish with salt, black pepper and hot pepper sauce; cover and refrigerate 1 hour. In small saucepan, combine preserves, vinegar, soy sauce, cocktail sauce, garlic and horseradish; simmer sauce over low heat stirring occasionally, while preparing catfish. Blend cornmeal and flour in shallow bowl. Drain catfish and dredge in cornmeal mixture, coating on all sides. Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat; when hot, add catfish and saute' until browned on both sides. Drain well on paper towels; keep warm. Spoon 1/4 cup sauce on each plate; top with catfish fillets. Garnish with sliced strawberries and parsley, if desired.

Skin, clean and rinse frog legs well. Cover with whole milk and garlic juice in a plastic mixing bowl, refrigerate overnight. Pat dry, season with paprika, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, and desired amount of salt.

Add white pepper, oregano, and rosemary to the flour. Heat shortening in a skillet. Lightly flour the frog legs and fry until golden brown.

Mashed potatoes, brown gravy, corn on the cob, and coleslaw are an excellent compliment for this entree.

Notes: Some say it tastes like chicken, no, definitely better. This recipe adds a little spice to a typical frog recipe. When I am in a hurry I skip the overnight soak, when you are hungry it will go unnoticed.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, saute the onions, celery, and peppers for 1 minute. Add the garlic and continue sauteing for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt, cayenne and black pepper. Add the Worcestershire sauce and chicken stock. Bring the liquid up to a boil. Add the green onions and alligator, cover. Simmer the mixture for 12 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat and swirl in the butter. Spoon the stew in a shallow bowl. Garnish with parsley. Serve with the crusty bread.

Fry the bacon in a large soup pot, add the onions, sauteing until
soft. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Cornbread: Use two 8.5-oz. packages corn muffin mix. Prepare with 1/4 c. egg substitute and 1/3 c. skim milk. Bake in 8 x 8-in. pans for 20 min. Cool.

Set oven to 450F.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a roasting pan. Place hens in roasting pan and dust with ancho pepper; roast 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 350F. Do not remove.

While hens are roasting, brown chorizo in a dry medium saute pan; add 2 tbsp. broth, garlic, celery, onion, carrot and diced poblano; saute 3 min.

Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add herbs, cornbread and 2 c. broth; mix well. Bake in 13 x 9-in. pan for 25 min. while hens continue to bake.

Remove cornbread and hens from oven. Halve hens and serve each half with 1 c. stuffing and Cranberrv-Mango Relish.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on chops and let meat breathe uncovered in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. When ready, grill the chops over a hot fire (with wood chips) until medium rare, about 2 to 3 minutes each side. Remove from grill and brush jelly over meat. Sprinkle peanuts over meat and pat down with your hand so they stick. Serve with your favorite side dish.

NOTE: Cervena is a natural tender venison from New Zealand. This award winning dish is easy to prepare and ready in a matter of minutes. With a nutritional profile matching skinless chicken breast and salmon, Cervena has captured the attention of red meat eaters who watch their fat intake. Coming from the South, I'm a big barbecue fan, says Chef Spelman. The mild yet meaty flavor of Cervena tastes wonderful when grilled. It has turned my favorite barbecue dishes into healthier low-fat meals.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut meat into serving pieces and soak in 1 quart water and salt for 3 hours. Transfer meat to 1 quart clear water and soak 4 hours. Drain and dry meat. Place meat in a baking pan with beef broth, soy sauce, garlic cloves, chili pepper, onion, paprika, parsley, bouillon cubes and white pepper. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Baste frequently. Brush with teriyaki glaze while cooking. This recipe yields 4 servings.

This is a strong sauce, but partridge is an intensely flavored bird and is equal to it. Serve with rice or soft flour tortillas.

Tie partridge legs together and secure to the body with a toothpick. Combine flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge partridges in flour mixture. Heat oil in a deep casserole with a lid over medium-high heat. Brown partridge in batches, turning, for
about 5 minutes. Set aside. Add to the pot onions, garlic, 1 Tbsp. cilantro and 1/4 cup stock or water and cook for about 2 minutes, or until softened. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, cinnamon and remaining 1 cup stock or water. Return birds to the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer, basting occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the birds are tender and their juices run clear when they are pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, roast pepitas over medium heat in a small, dry skillet, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Set aside. Roast pasilla and chipotle peppers in the same skillet for about 30 to 40 seconds until fragrant.

Remove birds from the casserole dish and cool slightly. With poultry shears, cut them in half, discarding the back bone. Set aside and cover with foil to keep warm. Boil the sauce over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until it has been reduced to 1 cup. Add pepitas, dried peppers and chipotles to the cooking liquid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bay leaf and transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor. Add chocolate and blend until smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little stock or water.

Return the sauce to the casserole dish and heat through briefly over low heat. Taste for seasoning: it should be smoky, hot and slightly bitter. Nap the birds with the sauce and garnish with the remaining 2 Tbsp. cilantro.

Pre-cook octopus, drain and cool. Cut it up into generous chunks. Beat eggs, with a little milk, salt, pepper and cayenne to taste, and the parsley. Coat the octopus pieces in the egg mixture and shallow fry in a little olive oil, turning them until they are golden. Serve. This recipe yields 3 or 4 servings.