Venison Pastrami (wet cured)
A bit more work than corned venison, but the result is MUCH better. It is simply spectacular in flavor and texture.
Ingredient: salt
Pork Ribs
This recipe is started with the excellent “
Last Meal Ribs”
recipe from AmazingRibs.com (a great site). I’m putting it here as a starting place to experiment with changes.
Baby backs lie near the spine, and weigh roughly 1.75 lbs per rack. That is the base amount for this recipe.
Spareribs are “below” the baby backs, running all the way down the chest. They may weigh around 4 lbs.
St. Louis Cut Ribs are spareribs with the tips removed so they form a nice rectangular rack. Some call them “center cut ribs”. They are the meatiest and most flavorful ribs. They probably average around 2.5 lbs per rack.
Baby Backs are a bit leaner, smaller, and cook faster. If you get spare ribs you can always cut them into St. Louis style yourself and use the trimmed-off parts as secondary “scooby snack” ribs.
Whichever rib type, adjust the recipe to reflect the actual weight you are preparing.
Serving size? Depends on your audience and what else you’re serving. A minimum of 2 ribs per person if they’re an appetizer. For an entree, maybe 1.5 lbs per adult. But if they are as good as they should be, some folks (like, uh, me) will eat a whole rack given the chance.
Venison Summer Sausage
I’ve been tweaking this recipe for years, and finally have it where I want it. More than one person has told me it’s the best they’ve ever had. One of the breakthroughs was learning about Encapsulated Citric Acid (ECA), which brings a satisfying “tang” to Read More …
Venison Spaghetti Sauce
This is an Italian meat sauce suitable for spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli, whatever. It uses an “Equalizer” technique I stumbled upon by accident.
Venison Chili
The secret to good chili is the right mix of chiles! (who knew?)
Corned Venison
Corned venison is as simple as it is delicious. We’ve all met people who claim not to like venison. I’ve never seen anyone fail to light up with their first bite of corned venison. Many cuts work well, but a boneless roast from the hindquarter Read More …
Venison Breakfast Sausage
Add 1 tsp per ¼ lb of ground meat, and —poof— instant fresh breakfast sausage! Make up a batch of this spice mix ahead of time to use as needed.
Venison Jerky
There are as many jerky recipes as there are people making jerky. This basic recipe is great “as is” but also a fine platform for tinkering.
Venison Country Style, with Gravy
This is a great way to show off tougher venison steaks, like rounds. Even a tough old buck that chews like a superball will be fork tender and delicious. It also works for steaks with lots of connective tissue, like sirloin or shoulder. It’s serious Read More …
Poultry Brine
Brining improves flavor, reduces toughness, and adds moisture. Most meats benefit – but lean, tough meats (like game) benefit most of all.For wild birds brining opens up vast cooking options that otherwise may produce dry, tough meat.
Wild Turkey Bratwurst
This is a great generic bratwurst recipe, and wild turkey meat is a fine base for sausage. But wild turkey is as lean as meat gets, so fat is a critical factor.
Braised Venison Shoulder
Think of this as “pulled venison”, a simple but wonderful way to show off one of the least respected cuts. It’s a guaranteed hit, even among folks that aren’t too sure about wild meat.
Refried Beans
Ok, ok. It’s beans, not wild meat. Hey, it uses venison stock. And it’s so good it’s a perfect side dish for many other recipes.
Cocktail Sauce
It’s disappointing that many restaurants no longer accompany shellfish like shrimp and crab with this iconic American dipping sauce. Nowadays it comes with no zing, apparently generated by an app designed to impress foodies rather than people. In V1 it was ketchup and horseradish, and Read More …
Poultry Noodle Soup
Works great for chicken — but also for wild Galliformes (pheasant, grouse, etc.). Turkey and quail might pose challenges due to size, but would be a worthy experiment. When someone in my house starts to get a cold I go all Jewish mother and within Read More …
Chipotle Mayo
A spicy, delicious condiment that makes things pop!
Asparagus Soup
Courtesy of Glen Spotts — master asparagus gardener.
Russian Dressing
For venison Reubens, etc. Less “meh” than Thousand Island.
Caesar Salad
It is NOT hard to make excellent Caesar Salad! The big secrets to making it “pop” are anchovies, good fresh crisp romaine, and properly emulsified dressing. The other ingredients are important too… but those three are where most people take shortcuts that make the result Read More …