11/12/2022
Good Afternoon Friends!
Hunting season is upon us!
We will be posting game recipes to give you some ideas for the game you bagged. This is the first and requests are most definitely welcome!
Venison Chops with a bourbon cherry glaze
Ingredients:
Venison chops (steaks or backstraps will work as well). 3 chops per person or comparable serving for the other cuts
1 cup of bourbon. I recommend Jim Beam (Avoid pre-flavored bourbons like Red Stag. They don't taste quite right when reduced)
1 cup of water – chicken stock is better
4 tbsp of cooking grade maple syrup or honey. You can use brown sugar but I am not a fan.
3/4 cup of dehydrated Bing cherries. You can use regular pitted Bing cherries, but if so, rinse them as thoroughly as you can. They can bring a tartness that can overpower the overall taste of the glaze.
1 cup of olive oil. I prefer light, but if you want a heartier flavor, virgin will do.
1 tbsp of white pepper.
1 tbsp of salt. Table salt will do, but I prefer pink Himalyan salt.
1 tsp of thyme.
3 cloves of garlic or 1 tbsp garlic powder. It is easy to overdo it here, so go light. This is for the initial sear.
Prep:
Keep in mind that venison is a very lean meat, don't expect the same cooking times as beef. It is more like lamb. If you overcook it, it can turn into leather quickly.
If you harvest the deer from swamps or wetlands, the meat can be gamey. If you are feeding non-hunters or picky eaters, soak the venison overnight in milk.
Set the oven or grill to a temperature where it will sear. I prefer a cast iron skillet, but a grill will work just as well. About 550 t0 650 degrees for the searing, then reduce your temp to 350.
Take the garlic, white pepper, salt, and thyme and put them in a food processor or grinder. These will be added to the olive oil so make them like a uniform paste or powder.
Take the olive oil and add the mix above, mixing thoroughly until uniform.
Dip or baste the venison so it is evenly coated. Let the coating be light, it should not drip off the meat.
Sear the meat on all sides, about 45 seconds to a minute. Don't burn it.
Once seared set aside and let it cool a little.
Use a food processor to chop the cherries. They should be little chunks and not too fine. You can also hand chop them.
In a saucepan on high heat, add the bourbon and cook for 1 minute. This will leave more alcohol than a usual reduction, but it will cook off after the cherries are added. This will bring more sweetness to the glaze.
Add the cherries and honey/maple syrup and reduce the heat to simmer. Test the flavor periodically to get your best fit. it should slowly thicken.
Using a basting brush, paint a light coating of the sauce on the meat, then drizzle the mix over the chops.
Put the venison in the oven/grill and using a meat thermometer and cook until the temp is 140. I prefer 135, but like lamb, I like my venison on the medium rare side.
Some fresh rosemary needles are a good and flavorful garnish.
Suggested sides:
Mashed turnips
Ingredients:
1 medium potato per person and an equal volume of turnip.
6 garlic cloves minced or 1 tbsp of garlic powder.
8 slices of bacon fried just to the shy side of burnt. Save the grease.
3 tbsp of white wine.
Butter-adjust based on servings, figure about 1 tbsp per person.
Whole milk or sour cream - 1/8 cup per person.
If you like toppings I recommend chopped chives or diced prosciutto
Prep:
Peel and chop an equal amount of turnips and potatoes.
Boil them as you would like regular mashed potatoes. If you can mash them with a fork they are good to go.
Drain and set aside to cool.
After cooling, crush the bacon into small pieces.
Using a ricer or a mixer add the potatoes and turnips and begin to slowly mash. Add the garlic, bacon and 3 tsps of bacon grease, wine, butter, and milk/sour cream.
Mash to desired consistency. I like chunks mixed in with the mashed up parts.
Place in the oven at 350, with the venison and heat for 10 minutes.
Garnish if you want to make it look “fancy”
Flash Fried Sesame Asparagus
Ingredients:
Asparagus - I use thin asparagus spears as they cook reliably. Plan on 6 to 7 spears per person.
Sesame seeds - use 1/8 cup.
Fresh ground salt and Black pepper about a tsp each.
Sesame oil and olive oil - sesame oil can be a little bitter. I recommend 1/8 cup of sesame oil and 1/8 cup of light olive oil mixed together.
Prep:
Separate the asparagus from their bases. The base of an asparagus spear can be very tough and ruin the texture, Fortunately, there is an easy way to do this. Bend the spear until it snaps, it will always break at the best spot.
In a Ziploc bag pour in the oil mixture and add the asparagus. Roll the spears around until they are all coated evenly and then let sit.
In a dry frying pan add the seeds and bring to a medium heat. About 5 minutes, tops.
Roll the spears in the bag one final time and then add to the pan. Stir them around until they start to bend when stirring. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on them then remove from heat. They will be ready to serve and will have a slight crunch on the outside and be soft on the inside.
Happy Hunting!
The GSA team
