Venison Lasagna over the Campfire

Ingredients:

2 pounds of ground venison

fresh oregano,parsley (optional)

dried Italian seasonings

salt,pepper

olive oil

3 cups pasta sauce ( 25 oz jar)

12oz of fresh lasagna noodles ( may dry use no boil noodles)

3 cups of fresh baby spinach

2 cups mozzarella shredded cheese

1 cast iron skillet

1 cast iron dutch oven

Instructions:

1) Pre-heat 30 pieces or more of charcoal in open dry/clean campfire

2) once coals are hot, place cast iron skillet on top of hot coals

3)add 1 tablespoon oil to pan, heat

4) add ground venison, season with salt and pepper as well as 1 tablespoon of italian seasonings as well as a tablespoon each of fresh oregano and parsley, brown meat.

5) add in pasta sauce stir and heat through

6) set ground venison sauce aside

7) assemble lasagna in dutch oven

8) place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of cast iron skillet

9) add a layer of noodles

10) add a layer of spinach

11) add a layer of venison sauce

12) add a layer of cheese

13) repeat

14) layer sauce and cheese as your last two layers before covering

15) for a 12" diameter dutch oven, place 9 coal on the bottom of the campfire

16) set dutch oven on top of coals

17) for a 12" diameter dutch oven add 18 coals on top of the dutch oven cover, this should make the internal temp 350 degrees

18) let cook for 45 mins to 1 hour

19) carefully remove from coals from top, remove the dutch oven off the coals and take lid off carefully so you don't get coal dust in the pot.

20) let sit for 10 minutes

21) slice, serve and enjoy!

Pheasant Egg Rolls

INGREDIENTS:

• 1# pheasant breast – boneless, skinless

• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

• 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

• 1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced

• 1 oz. vegetable oil

• ½ Cup sliced green onion

• 3 Cups Cabbage slaw mix

• ¾ Cup mushrooms, sliced thin and sautéed *mushrooms optional (wild mushrooms or shiitake preferred)

• 12 large egg roll wrappers

• 1 whole egg, whisked

• Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

• Corn Starch – as needed

  DIRECTIONS:

  1. Marinate pheasant breast in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Keep refrigerated.
  2. Place marinated pheasant breast on cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. (save marinade for later use). Using a meat tenderizer pound thin.
  3. In a preheated cast iron place 1 oz. vegetable oil and sear pheasant breast to cook through. 165-degree internal temperature. Remove pheasant from pan and let cool on cutting board.
  4. Return pan to heat and add sliced mushrooms. Pour reserved marinade in pan and saute mushrooms until soft and marinade has reduced to a glaze.
  5. Slice pheasant breast as thin as possible and rough chop to create small thin pieces. Place in a clean mixing bowl.
  6. Add mushrooms to bowl and add remaining ingredients while pheasant and mushrooms are still warm. Mix well by hand and cool in refrigerator.
  7. Place egg roll wrappers on cutting board and brush edges with beaten egg. Spoon approx. 3 ounces filling in center with corner of egg roll wrapper pointing up. Fold edges in to cover filling and wrap like a cigar to seal. Repeat until all filling is used.
  8. Pour oil in cast iron pan so oil is ½” – ¾” deep. Heat to 350-degrees. Gently place up to 4 egg rolls in hot oil being careful not to splash. Once golden-brown flip over and cook opposite side.
  9. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
  
  *recipe yields approx. 12 large egg rolls
  
  

Wild Turkey Butter Burgers

INGREDIENTS

•  2lb ground wild turkey

• 2ea slices of bacon, chopped

• 1ea white onion, diced small

• 1T bourbon

• 1T fresh thyme chopped

• 1/2lb butter, softened

• Salt and fresh ground black pepper

• 6ea Aged white cheddar slices

• 6ea Brioche burger buns

 DIRECTIONS:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, preferably cast iron, sauté the bacon for a couple of minutes and add the diced onions. Sweat the mixture until the onions are just translucent. Don’t brown the onions too much. Add the bourbon and flambé. Turn off heat and add fresh thyme. Fold this into the ground turkey mixture and chill for 15 minutes.

2. Patty the turkey mixture into 6oz balls and hand form burger patty’s evenly so they cook evenly. Using the same pan that was used for the bacon-onions, cook the turkey patty’s on each side for 3-4minutes or until the center reads 165F on a digital thermometer. Top with cheese when flipped.

3. Butter each bun with 1-2T soft butter and toast cut side down in the pan that was used to cook the burgers.

Slow Cooked Venison with Root Veggies & Red Vino

INGREDIENTS: (Venison Burgundy)

• 3lbs venison meat, cubed ½”

• ½ cup all purpose flour

• Salt and pepper

• 2T canola oil

• 2T whole butter

• ½ cup celery, diced med

• ½ cup carrot, diced med

• 1ea parsnip, peeled chopped med

• 1 cup butternut squash, diced med

• 1cup cippolini onions, cleaned (frozen work well)

• 3T tomato paste

• 2T fresh rosemary, chopped fine

• 2 cups red wine

• 1 cup chicken stock

• ½ cup crispy bacon, chopped

• 1 cup toasted panko in butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.

2. Start by tossing the venison meat liberally with salt and pepper. Then toss in the flour. Shake off any excess and set meat aside.

3. Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Add 2T canola oil and 2T whole butter. Once butter begins to foam, add all the meat. Try to distribute all the meat so the bottom surface is completely covered. Once it is, don’t stir the meat until a nice dark crust forms on meat. Stir and let sit some more to caramelize more of the venison meat. Once it’s well seared, take meat out and let rest aside.

4. Place pot back over high heat and add 1T canola oil. Throw in celery, carrot, onion and scrape any bits up that collected on bottom of pot. Saute the vegi’s about 4 minutes until softened. Add tomato paste and cook another 2 minutes, stirring to distribute the paste into the vegis.

5. Add the butternut squash, parsnip and venison back into the pot with red wine, stock and rosemary. Bring to just a boil and turn off heat. Place lid on pot or wrap tightly with foil and place in oven for 3 hours.

6. Once finished, ladle into bowls or over potatoes and top with the panko and bacon bits for added flavor and texture.

Pheasant Sausage with fresh herbs, roasted garlic

INGREDIENTS:

• 3lb diced pheasant meat

• 1lb fat back, diced

• 35grams kosher salt

• 40grams fresh thyme, parsley chopped fine

• 50grams roasted garlic, puree

• 10grams black pepper, ground

• 110 milliliters ice water

• 110 milliliters chilled lager beer

• Hog casings, 10 feet

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the water and the beer and toss to distribute the seasonings. Chill.

2. Grind the mixture through the small die in to a chilled bowl set on ice.

3. Place the ground pheasant, pork fat and spices/seasonings into a food processor. With the machine running add the ice water and chilled beer.

4. Sauté a piece and taste for seasoning.

5. Stuff into casing and link at 6”.

6. At this point it’s best to let the sausage rest in the casing, under refrigeration for no less than 4hours.

7. Poach in a beer bath and finish on the grill! Or smoke the links for a nice smokey finish.

Venison Wellington

INGREDIENTS:

• 2lb venison loin

• Salt and pepper

• 3ea shallots, diced fine

• 2cups button mushrooms, chopped very finely

• 2T fresh thyme

• 1/4cup brandy

• 1/2cup heavy cream

• 6ea sliced of prosciutto

• Puff pastry dough, thawed

• 2ea eggs, beaten well

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Season the Venison loin liberally with salt and pepper. (To improve flavor and moisture in meat, you can brine the venison.)Sear the venison on each side in a hot saute pan. Leave the loin rare, we’re just searing the meat to caramelize the outside to improve flavor. Let rest at room temp.

3. Sauté the shallots and mushrooms together until they are cooked through, 3-4minutes. Add the thyme and brandy. Cook down until there is a scant 1T of liquid left. Add the heavy cream and reduce until the mushrooms are thick and just wet.

4. Lay out prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap 12”x20”. Overlap the prosciutto just barely. Spread the mushroom mixture onto the prosciutto evenly. Next, lay the venison loin onto the mushrooms and prosciutto. Wrap the venison with overlapping prosciutto and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill 15-30 minutes to “set up”.

5. Lay out puff pastry on cutting board or counter top that has been lightly dusted with flour so it doesn’t stick. Make a rectangle about 3” larger than the piece of venison on each side.

6. Place wrapped venison onto puff pastry and seal the dough by pinching dough together to seal it. Turnover and brush with egg wash. Place on roasting pan and place in oven. Using an instant read thermometer cook to desired temp. Remember temp will increase 8-10F more after resting.

7. Slice and enjoy!

Duck Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 1lb ground duck

• 1 cup diced onion

• 1/2cup diced carrot

• ½ cup diced celery

• 1T garlic

• 1T Chinese 5 spice

• 3T butter

• 4T flour, all purpose

• 1cup chicken stock

• 3/4cup heavy cream

• 1T salt

• 1/2T orange zest

• Pastry dough, homemade or store bought.

• Egg wash, 2ea eggs + 1T water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Start by sautéing the duck meat in a large skillet with 2T canola oil, over medium high heat. Once nicely browned, reserve aside. In the same pan, saute the onion, carrot, celery, galic and add Chinese 5 spice. Once the onion and celery have softened, add the butter.

2. When the butter is fully melted add the flour. It will form a paste called a roux. Let this all cook for a few minutes on Medium heat. Keep stirring it the meanwhile so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

3. Add the chicken stock and cream. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and orange zest. Pour into a small vessel in which you can bake. Such as a ramekin or small cast iron shallow pan.

4. Cover with pastry dough and wash with egg. Bake at 375F for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Walleye on a Stick

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 cups canola or vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 pound walleye fillet, skinless and boneless
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 pound russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (2 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley
• 1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped
• 1 serrano or jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
• Pinch cayenne
• 1 cup panko, Japanese bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot to 350F. Make sure the pot is deep enough so the oil doesn’t go over the rim when walleye is fried. Insert a digital probe or candy thermometer to monitor oil’s heat.
2. Boil the potatoes until tender and strain. Lightly mash them in a large mixing bowl. Steam or lightly boil the walleye for just a few minutes until barely cooked through. Cool and reserve.
3. Add remaining ingredients to bowl. Lastly, add the gently cooked walleye and fold in trying to keep some large chunks of fish ½” or so.
4. Form small “logs” by rolling 2oz of mixture in your hands. They should be about 2-3” in length and ¾” thick. Skewer the fish mixture with bamboo or wooden pick. Roll the “Walleye on a Stick” in panko. Firmly squeeze the fish mixture in your hand to tighten on to skewer to ensure it doesn’t slip off.
5. Once you have breaded them all, fry in batches. You can place in 175F oven to keep warm.

Venison Meatballs w/ Morel Mushroom Gravy

Meatballs:

• 3/4Cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4Cup heavy cream
• 2T olive oil
• 1Cup fine diced onion, yellow
• 2lbs ground venison
• 2lbs ground pork
• 1/2lb foie gras, small chunks (optional) 
• 1ea whole egg
• 1T honey
• 1/2t juniper, ground fine
• 1t nutmeg
• 2T salt + pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the breadcrumbs and cream in bowl and let sit to soften.
2. Heat a large saute pan and sweat the onions until just translucent. Chill onions.
3. Mix, either by hand or in a mixer with paddle attachment, the venison, pork, foie gras and eggs. Add the remainder of seasonings, breadcrumb/cream mixture and chilled onions until well incorporated.
4. Scoop into 1oz balls and roll by hand. Bake at 400F until meatballs read 165F internally.

Gravy:

• 1cup dried morels
• 2cups chicken stock
• 3T whole butter
• 1/2cup onion, yellow diced small
• 2T chopped garlic
• 1/8cup all purpose flour
• 3T sherry
• 2T soy sauce
• 2cups heavy cream
• 1t allspice

Directions:

1. Soak the morels in the chicken stock, bring to a simmer and cool to room temp. Discard any sand or dirt from mushrooms, reserve the stock. Chop morels into small pieces and reserve.
2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan heat the 3T butter and sweat the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the flour and cook until flour turns light tan. Add the warm chicken stock and stir in remainder ingredients including morels. Whisk well to break up any flour clumps and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer 30 minutes.

Venison Kebobs w/ Spiced Yogurt Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 8oz venison loin or leg, cubed into ¾” pieces
• 1ea onion, vidallia  ¾” pieces
• 2ea bell peppers ¾” pieces

MARINADE:

• 1T juniper berry, whole
• 2ea rosemary sprigs
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2T chopped fresh garlic

YOGURT SAUCE:

• 6oz plain Greek yogurt
• 2oz Harissa sauce (I like Trader Joes brand or make your own!)
• 1oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1T fresh chopped mint
• 1t kosher salt

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut all the venison, onions and peppers up into ¾” pieces. Keep the venison separate as this will marinate for 2hours up to 24hours.
2. Make the marinade by adding all the ingredients into a plastic ziplock bag and shake well. Add the venison and marinate, preferably overnight.
3. Mix the ingredients for the yogurt sauce together and chill. This can be done 48 hours in advance to allow the sauce to mellow.
4. Preheat Grill, preferably charcoal hardwood! Skewer the venison on pre-soaked skewers with the onion and peppers. Season Kebob’s with salt and pepper. Grill on each side until meat is a nice juicy medium.