Venison Recipes - From Forest to Table

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Venison: From forest to table
Key to best results is in the cooking technique
BY SALLY KETCHUM
Special to the Record-Eagle

Bye Baby Bunting,
Daddy's gone a hunting,
To get a little rabbit skin,
To wrap his Baby Bunting in…

These days, Daddy isn't the only one in the family dressed in camouflage. Big brother, middle brother and sister are in the hunt, too. There's more. Mom isn't always home tied to the stove. She's driving the camper with the ATV on its trailer.

Consider a tale going around: A Montana hunter visited his friend in his Michigan home. "Wow," said the visitor, looking a variety of taxidermy and antlers, said, "I wish my wife would let me put my stuff up in the house."

His host replied, "Well, these trophies are my wife's."

Hunting regulations are complex, but in a party of experienced hunters, under special conditions, youngsters as young as 9 can hunt legally in Michigan, and youngsters do so. Northern Michigan teens may not know what day of the week Christmas falls on, but they know exactly when school is out for the start of hunting.

There are lots of funny tales about deer camps ?- some ribald, but they're for laughs. Lore aside, most hunters are serious sportsmen and very careful, observing not only state regulations, but also codes of ethics developed through the spirit, sportsmanship and camaraderie of hunters.

Hunting has become a family affair. Fathers take pride in teaching the sport to their children. Heather Pederson, now a Wisconsin teacher, grew up in a northern Michigan family of serious hunters and hunted as a teen. Pederson didn't shoot the first deer she saw. Instead, she was patient enough to wait for a prize. Her first deer was an eight-point whitetail.

While hunting is a sport, by far most hunters hunt for food and love game on the table. However, those who hunt only for sport have good options, as in giving game to food banks and other charities, if friends don't claim it first. These hunters may contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for information about Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger. The organization feeds thousands of needy people every year.

Recipes, whether simple ones from hunting families (Venison Jerky) or from upscale chefs (Venison Wellington), are easy to find. The general rule is that the game and the cut of it should be accommodated in the recipe.

There is very little fat or marbling in venison, and it loses moisture quickly in the heat of the oven or pan. For venison (deer, antelope, elk, red stag and such), the old axiom is, "Cook tender meat quick and dry. Cook tough cuts long and wet."

Tender cuts like saddle, loin, tenderloin or hind leg should be prepared over high heat for a short time. Modern cookbooks recommend broiling, grilling and also "cooking wet" by sautéing.

Tender cuts are best cooked rare or medium rare. For example, four venison medallions (about 6 ounces each) are good seared over very high heat for only two to three minutes a side. (Horseradish or a horseradish sauce is a nice accompaniment.) Tougher cuts like shoulder and neck go into stews and soup and dishes like tacos and Swiss steak.

Marinades help tough cuts. Venison steaks marinated in citrus juices and slow cooked are an easy answer to tough meat.

Venison and other game recipes often include berries, especially juniper, cranberries and lingonberries, dried cherries and other fruits. Carrots, celery and onions, the three vegetables in the culinary trinity of mirepoix, are also frequent ingredients in game recipes, although usually not combined in a mirepoix base.

Have you ever heard of Moo Burger? You have now. In hunting vocabulary, "burger" is ground venison with something or things added to it to make it more moist, to enhance its taste and to make it easier to cook with regard to sticking to pans and more. For instance, fat ground beef (chuck), ground pork, bulk pork or Italian sausage and eggs may be added.

One additive or more of the cook's choice go into ground venison to make burger. The recipes are often half-and-half in the case of a beef or pork mixture, lesser amounts with sausage. Hunters sometimes call a 50-50 mix of venison and ground chuck "Moo Burger," this being a base ingredient in recipes.

Those successful in the hunt, but who don't care to process the deer, can find meat markets who will. Deering's Meat Market in Traverse City, for instance, will process hunters' venison into steaks, chops, stew meat, sausages like bratwurst, summer and Polish sausages and jerky, said Paul Deering, grandson of his namesake and founder of the market. Maxbauer's Market in Traverse City will also process venison for hunters.

During the season, a steady stream of hunters from downstate and from other states crowd on I-75, headed north, hoping for a trophy. But even those who don't get their deer (and non-hunters, too) can still enjoy venison and other game from specialty stores and online.

Burritt's Fresh Market in Traverse City sells frozen venison and more exotic meats, like elk and ostrich, if ordered at least a week ahead (preferably sooner). It also stocks frozen quail, rabbit, pheasant, duck and duck breast.

Chutneys are often served with game. Dan Hummel carries several at East Bay Market near Acme. Teri Burritt suggests a recipe for roasted venison loin stuffed with Baur-MacKenzie Cherry Chutney, also available at Burritt's.

November is game time in Michigan, and that doesn't always mean football.

Venison Wellington
4 6-oz. medallions of venison loin
2 c. grated mushroom caps
1 c. red wine (Merlot)
1 t. chopped fresh garlic
1 shallot, chopped fine
4 slices Gruyere cheese (or Swiss)
1 sheet puff pastry
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1 t. vegetable oil
Clean silver skin and all fat from loin, if necessary. Cut into 6-oz. portions. Season and grill both sides lightly. Place in fridge. In a pan with oil, sauté mushrooms, red wine, garlic and shallots. Reduce until most of the liquid is gone. Place in fridge to let cool.

Cut puff pastry into even pieces, making sure the pastry dough will wrap the 6-oz. fillets. Lay pastry dough flat, and then add a layer of cheese and a layer of mushroom duxelle mixture (mushrooms, shallots and seasonings). Put the tenderloin on top of all.

Pull the corners of the pastry up and over. If the pastry does not stick together, wet it with a little water. You can also stretch the pastry to reach and fit. You want to seal the pastry well enough so that no juice leaks out. Turn the Wellington over so that the smooth side is up. Brush with beaten eggs and place in a baking pan with baking spray. Bake in a 400° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Slice in half and serve with béarnaise sauce or your favorite sauce. Serves four.

?- Chef Dave Slater, The Bluebird, Leland

Venison and Cherry Ragout with Spaetzle
6 lbs. venison, cut in 1-½ inch cubes
Flour and cracked pepper for dredging
1/3 c. olive oil
1 large onion, cut medium dice
6 celery ribs, diced
12 carrots, diced
12 garlic cloves
1 quart dry red wine
½ c. tomato paste
½ c. fresh orange juice
20 juniper berries, in cheesecloth
1 quart beef stock
½ c. brandy
½ c. dried tart cherries
Dredge the venison in flour and pepper. Sauté a few of the pieces at a time in the olive oil, until well browned. Remove the meat, add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic cloves to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat until softened and starting to brown. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN THE GARLIC! Stir in the wine, tomato paste, orange juice and juniper berries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the stock and venison pieces and return to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 ½ hours, or until venison is tender. Stir in the brandy and dried cherries, cook briefly to evaporate the alcohol, and serve with spaetzle or pasta of choice.

?- Harlan "Pete" Peterson, chef/owner, Tapawingo

Traditional Venison Jerky
4 lbs. venison
2 T. salt, or to taste
1 T. paprika
¼ t. ground cloves
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. celery salt
½ t. pepper
1 t. curry powder
Heat oven to 150°. Slice the venison into 2-by-8-inch strips, ¼-inch thick. Cut away all fat and gristle from the meat.

Combine seasoning in a saltshaker. Pound meat with a mallet and, as you pound, generously sprinkle with the seasonings. Place the strips directly on the oven rack. Leave until all the moisture is gone, usually about 7-12 hours. The strips should be dry as leather, but supple enough to bend without breaking.

?- Eileen Clark, a Montana hunter

Venison Loin with Cherry Chutney
1 venison loin, boneless, 2-4 pounds
Baur-MacKenzie Cherry Chutney as needed
Crumbled blue cheese or feta as desired
Make a pocket in the meat (deep, but not through) and fill with cherry chutney. For added flavor and moisture, lay a few pieces of raw bacon over the top of the loin while roasting. Roast, uncovered; and, for the last 10 minutes of cooking time, remove the bacon and top with crumbled blue or feta cheese. Serve additional cherry chutney to pass. We recommend a 350 degree oven and 20 minutes per pound, but use a meat thermometer.

Note: Baur-MacKenzie Cherry Chutney is made with Northern Michigan cherries and traditional East Indian spices.

?- Teri and Ken Burritt

Note: For a 3-5 pound loin The New Joy of Cooking recommends 110-115 degrees for rare, about 7 minutes per pound; 120-125 for medium rare, about 8 minutes per pound; 130-135 for medium, abut 10 minutes per pound. Let the roast rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Venison Tenderloin with Cherry Chutney
1 8-10 ounce venison tenderloin*
Cherry chutney as needed
Blue cheese or feta as desired
Cut a pocket in the meat, but not through. Fill the pocket with cherry chutney.

Roast at 450 degrees and use a meat thermometer. Roast until it reads 140 degrees for rare. This will be very short time.

*Ken Burritt was kind enough to explain that this recipe calls for the true tenderloin, the small piece in what most people call the tenderloin. That piece is actually the back piece that is outside of the rib cage. On a steer the inside tenderloin is about 12-15 pounds; on a deer the inside tenderloin weighs only 8 €"10 ounces, and the outside loin weighs about 3-4 pounds.

?- Teri and Ken Burritt

For Tenderloin: 6-7 minutes per pound, 120 degrees for medium. NOTE: Tender cuts of venison are usually preferred rare.

Pike's Peak Pepperoni
4 pounds ground venison or elk
4 teaspoons ground anise
4 teaspoons mustard seed
4 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons hickory smoked salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons curing salt
Mix ground meat with all the seasonings. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, mixing meat every 8 hours

Divide meat into 4 parts. Roll each into a log and place on the broiler pan to collect fat drippings. Bake at 225 degrees for 4 hours. Cool before serving. (These freeze beautifully, are good on pizza or to serve with crackers.)

?- "Creme de Colorado"

Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs
1-1/2 pounds ground venison
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1/2 pound ground pork sausage
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2 bottles (12 ounce each) chili sauce
3-4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 of a 5-ounce jar cream style horseradish
1/2-3/4 cup water
1/2 t. pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs beaten
1 1/2 tablespoon prepared mustard
4-5 tablespoons vegetable oil
In a medium bowl, combine venison, onions, eggs, mustard, salt, sausage, pepper and 1/2 can of the sweetened condensed mil. Mix well. Stir in breadcrumbs. Roll into 1" meatballs (They might be soft.)

In a large skillet, brown meatballs in vegetable oil and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside. Heat chili sauce, Worcester sauce and water in skillet; slowly stir in the remaining sweetened condense milk. Add horseradish. You may prefer less than 1/2 of the jar. Add meatballs and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. Serves 8-10.

?- Mary Forton in "Great Lakes Cookery" by Bea Smith