Venison. It’s What’s for Dinner! So you had a successful fall and now you have a freezer full of meat? What a better way to impress your friends by not only bringing home a bountiful kill, but also putting the Food Network Chefs to shame with a feast from the field. Is there anything better than venison on the dinner table? Because it’s wild game, it takes a little more preparation than something you can get from the supermarket. However, there is less fat and more flavor in venison that was once in the cross-hairs of your rifle. Here are three recipes that are guaranteed to either win you a trip to Iron Chef contest or ensure that your significant other is eager to let you go hunting next year!
Slow Roast Venison Procedure: Set the oven temperature at the desired temperature that you want the venison to be when it is done. This should be about 165 degrees F. Place the roast in a pan, set it in the oven and leave it there. Leave it there overnight, all day, all day and all night--whatever. It requires no watching; it can't burn, vitamins and minerals can't be harmed at such a low heat. Almost no fuel is required to cook it. The fat in the venison will slowly cook out so you end up with a basically fat free roast venison recipe. The exact cooking time is not significant. Allow plenty of time. The longer you cook the meat at this low temperature, the more tender the roast will become. Let the internal temperature rise to 165 degrees F. We were startled at how scrumptiously tender and tasty the roast became, and I think you will be too.
Old-Timers Roast Venison Ingredients: 3-4 pound venison roast 4 cups vinegar 4 cups water 3-4 tablespoons salt 8 bay leaves 8 cloves 1 pound beef suet 1 pound bacon Salt Pepper
Procedure: • Trim off all deer fat. Most people don't like deer fat. Place roast in pan. • With a knife poke holes over entire surface of meat to allow liquid to penetrate. • Pour water and vinegar over roast. Make sure roast is covered completely with liquid. Add more liquid if necessary. • Add cloves and bay leaves. Let the roast set in this mixture for about 24 hours. • Remove from pan and rinse with water. • Now take thin strips of suet and bacon and press into holes in roast. Poke deep if possible. Set remaining bacon and beef suet on top of roast. • Pour about 1/4 inch water in roasting pan and return roast to pan. • Roast at 300 degrees F until done, usually about 30 minutes per pound. Do not overcook. Many deer are grass-fed (except in the Midwest where deer enjoy corn!) so there may be little fat to insulate the meat. Grass-fed meat cooks faster than fatty meat. If overcooked the meat will become dry and tough. The bacon and suet help prevent this. www.grassfedrecipes.com