| Hunting for good
venison This week, I received a letter from Bess O. of Pennsylvania, who has a problem. It seems that her husband is quite a deer hunter but she doesn't have a clue how to prepare venison so it doesn't end up tough as shoe leather and reeking of wild game. Venison is low in fat, high in protein, which makes it a healthy food choice. But she's right, it can be very tough and "gamy," depending on the age of the deer. The secret is to trim off even the slightest amount of fat, because that is where that strong, gamy flavor resides. And then marinate, marinate, marinate! Here's a fabulous teriyaki marinade for venison steaks: TERIYAKI MARINADE 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon vinegar 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon garlic powder In a bowl, mix the ingredients well and pour into a large zip-type plastic bag, then the meat and seal. Turn several times to make sure all of the meat is covered then allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours ahead of cooking, turning a couple of times. The tougher the meat, the longer you should marinate. This marinade will handle six good-sized steaks. Divide the amount of marinade you're using accordingly. VENISON CHILI Don't let the long list of ingredients in this recipe scare you away. It will be well worth your effort. The acid in the wine and vinegar tenderizes the venison in this chili. 4 tablespoons butter 1 red onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar 3 cups red wine 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar 4 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro salt to taste 4 tablespoons canola oil 10 slices cooked bacon, diced 2 pounds venison stew meat, trimmed and finely diced 2 cups black beans, cooked and drained In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the butter over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the red wine, vinegar, tomato paste, chicken broth, cilantro and spices. Simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by about half. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet, stir in the bacon and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Move the bacon to one side of the skillet and add the venison to the empty side. Season the meat with salt to taste and saute for 15 minutes, or until well browned. Stir in the beans and toss all together. Transfer this mixture to the simmering pot, mix thoroughly and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Yield: 8 servings. Finally, here's a great recipe for your slow cooker. SLOW-COOKED VENISON ROAST 3 pounds boneless venison roast 1 large onion, sliced 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup Put cleaned meat in slow cooker and cover with onion. Sprinkle with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the soup mix and the soup and pour mixture over venison. Cook on low for 6 hours. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. |
 | ||||||||
|
Mary Hunt is the creator
of The Cheapskate Monthly newsletter, which can be ordered online at
www.cheapskatemonthly.com/um. You can e-mail questions or tips at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135
Paramount, CA 90723. All correspondence becomes the property of Cheapskate
Monthly. Copyright 2004, Newspaper Enterprise Assn | ||||||||
Charles Mims
The empires of the future are the empires of the mind. - Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
_______________________________________________ Sndbox mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://a8.mewebdns-a8.com/mailman/listinfo/sndbox_sandboxmail.net
