Hi all:

Ate at a local Beast Feast a while back which featured game dishes with ingredients like boar, caribou, pheasant, quail, rabbit, and of course venison.
Had a great venison chili but never had the presence of mind to ask for the recipe. Wanted to try making one, but unsure whether or not venison would translate well into a chili recipe originally containing beef cubes. Seasonings, cooking method, etc. different for game?

If anyone has a recipe or could recommend a book or website I would appreciate any leads. If my efforts prove successful will even ship a sample of the result (lol).

This is more for my own use right now, but a good recipe that could be used in a professional kitchen is always welcome.

My apologies to fans of Bambi.

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 11:40 pm: Edit

Your favorite chili recipe will be just fine. If it's wild venison then that wild taste will be an interesting background flavor. Farm raised venison has a much milder flavor.

American Game Cooking by John Ash and Sid Goldstein has several game chili recipes and a host of others.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 10:31 am: Edit

There are tons of venison recipes on the net, however, most of them aren't very unique. Most people have the same recipes, just call it something different. I'd be interested in a good chili recipe too, so if you find something worthwhile, please post it.

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 10:32 am: Edit

FYI... farm raised venison is very mild (as stated by Cheftim). Wild venison can be mild to very strong depending what they have been grazing on. The Colorado/Idaho/Alaska variety are quite good, not gamey, though of a stronger flavor than farm raised. White tail are generally milder than muleys, I don't know if it's the deer or their food. California/Sierra deer are gamier and Coastal range are really strong as they pig out on sage and scrub pine. If you get some like that try soaking it in milk (like you would pigeon) before making your chili (overnight is usually enough). Or, maybe you like your chili strong. Do you already have hair on your chest? LOL

By Corey (Corey) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 11:07 am: Edit

oh deer...

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 04:35 pm: Edit

A guy I work with hunts and said he'd part with some deer steaks, but I'm wondering if I need a different cut to make chili. Like the loin? If it doesn't matter, he suggested cutting the venison with some beef to lessen the gamey flavor. I don't know, though. If you're going to eat venison, isn't that the point, that it tastes different from beef? Our Eastern wild deer aren't too strong flavored anyway. (Ladycake, yes, thanx, plenty of chest hair already, just very little on top of my head. LOL.)

There are also some local farms that have meat from various game animals available. Buffalo, elk, and venison. Of course the price is a little higher, but I might try there first.

Thanks for input, guys. If anyone has a fav recipe, I'd still like to see it, please. If I end up finding and using a recipe, I'll post the results.

Corey: I'm game for puns, but wasn't wild about yours. I'll go hunt up a few more, and we can all deer-ive some laughs from them.... =-)

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Thursday, January 23, 2003 - 06:23 pm: Edit

Buffalo is very nearly beef and elk is mild, too. My favorite is antelope, almost like veal. I did a venison pot pie for a large group (400) and found that I needed to use 50% beef to make it palatable to the masses. Nowhadimean?

Rattle snake is good and cougar is quite tasty too, not too strong! Bear? YUKKKK!!!

Good luck with your chili!

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 11:30 am: Edit

the flavor of venison depends on the two things that were mentioned above. What they eat, and where they are living. Here in Tx the game tends to be a lil' strong in the "gamey" taste. I like it though. I know that some people soak their meat in a salt water bath to take out the gamey flavor, but I think that's stupid. Go eat chicken! I also hunt and would be willing to part w/ some "stuff" if you wanted. Duck, Dove, Deer... I'm going to try my hand at turkey and quail soon. You can always email me w/ info if you want some meat. Just let me know.

LadyCake, you've eatin' cougar? Isn't that illegal? lol

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 01:25 pm: Edit

The classic way of dealing with the "gamey" taste of venison is marinating in wine laced with mirepoix and then using that marinade in the sauce. This way the "gamey" flavor is enhanced not gotten rid of.

Another point sometimes what people call a gamey flavor comes from the dear not being processed correctly, not correctly gutting or using a knife that has been contaminated by the sent glands.

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 04:39 pm: Edit

Tim, that is true, except in the coastel range out here, there are some really strong weeds, and not much water. Folks don't usually realize California was originally a desert! Therefore the flavor is really strong, not matter how they are processed. I grew up eating all kinds of game and enjoying most of it, but even the old folks worked over the coastal venison to mellow it out a bit.

Snuff, it is protected now, but it wasn't always so...there was a time when it was considered a pest (and still might be by those folks who can't find "Fluffy" who has been missing from down the block!)

LOL

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 09:37 pm: Edit

Maybe the other neighbors had some free range Fluffy?

By Flattop (Flattop) on Friday, January 24, 2003 - 09:49 pm: Edit

I have quite a few wild game recipes. Chili recipes buffalo to shark.

Elk tends to taste more like free range beef. Mulies is nice but no where near as tasty as whitetail which tend to much on crops. Raccoon chili is really nice, but the best I had so far was beaver. Well I guess we know where that's gonna lead.

Cougar hunting is legal here in Colorado. Don't know what it tastes like but I got a few recipes for it too. Outdoor life wild game cook book. I used it to put together a 10 course menu for menu planning class.

By Corey (Corey) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 12:02 am: Edit

I have some pigeon and squirrel recipies. and lizard chili is good too, it's hard to get all the scales out thou...

By Flattop (Flattop) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 06:23 pm: Edit

Black bean Venison Chili

1/2lb of bacon chopped
2tbs veg oil
3lbs venison trimmed of sinew and cut 1/2" cubes
2 lg yellow onions chopped
8 med cloves of garlic minced
1/3 cup chili powder
3 tbs toasted cumin ground
1 1/2tbs mexican oregano
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
6 cups beef stock
2 cans of black beans(16oz ea)drained

Combine bacon and oil in 5 quart dutch oven cook until crisp, remove bacon and reserve half of the fat.

Add venison to dutch oven and brown it

Use reserved fat to saute onions and garlic. cook until tender.

Add to the venison, the onions, garlic ,and seasonings, cook for 5 minutes stirring . Add stock and bacon Bring to boil then reduce to a simmer for 1 1/2 hours stirring often

Check flavor and adjust if needed. Add water or stock if the chili is thicking too quickly. simmer for another 30 to 40 minute or until the chili is thickened to your liking and the meat is tender.

By Flattop (Flattop) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 06:36 pm: Edit

BTW I was given about 5lbs of pheasent,quail and chukker breasts last night. I'm looking forward to preparing them.

Any suggestions?

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 09:17 pm: Edit

I've done quail grilled with an asian pear chutney, crostini, over mesclun salad greens with apple cider reduction and champagne vinagrette. That was a whole bird, but if you have quail breast, that'd probably work too (but man, those gotta be small breasts).
Haven't done pheasant or chukker. What the **** is chukker, anyway. I'm guessing from the context it's a bird.

Thanks Flattop for the recipe! That sounds niiice with the black beans. Gotta try that.

By Flattop (Flattop) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 09:55 pm: Edit

Those look nice, Ill have to try one. Yes, a chukker's a bird about the same size as a quail. I think I'm gonna have to go elk hunting this fall. elk tenderloins MMMMMMMM

I got more chili recipes if you want them.

As for a cookbook get Outdoor Life"s Complete fish and game cookbook

By Corey (Corey) on Saturday, January 25, 2003 - 11:23 pm: Edit

I love chukkers!
we have wild ones all over las vegas,
I can hear the crys of the females most of the night, hmm, mother chukkers...

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 08:41 am: Edit

lmao Corey...
chefrev, I think quail's have a 32A ;)

what can you substitute the bacon w/? Lamb fat?

By Flattop (Flattop) on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 06:51 pm: Edit

I would think that lamb or beef fat would work fine. You're not going to get the same end product obviously. I can't see it being bad though. You will have to add an animal fat if your using venison. It is really lean and needs a bit of fat to cut the gamey flavor. I've larded most of the elk and deer meats I've cooked, after drying out the first elk roast I ever prepared. Which later was shredded and turned into chili. It was damn good too, not a bad way to learn from a mistake.

Hmmmm How do you think the flavor would be if you replaced some of the stock with some red wine?

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Monday, January 27, 2003 - 08:15 pm: Edit

Just searching around I found one recipe that used dark beer instead of wine or stock.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 09:31 am: Edit

I asked because I don't eat pork, so I need a good substitute.

Dark Beer sounds good... mmm mmmmmmmm

By Corey (Corey) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 02:05 pm: Edit

wow, you don't eat the fine swine? oy...

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 06:11 pm: Edit

No Porky for Snuffy!!!
Dirty, dirty animal.
I know I should not ask but I just can't help myself...............

What the hell is a chukker ?

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 07:03 pm: Edit

What are you talking about? Pigs eat better than many humans nowadays, they have dieticians fixing pig food formulas to get them, big, lean, fast!

By Flattop (Flattop) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 07:45 pm: Edit

http://www.globaltower.com/s/sewell/images/chukkar1.jpg

That's what a chukkar looks like if you really want to know.

Stout in chili is good. I tried a Honey Mead that is brewed locally today. I think I'll poach a few of the chukkars in that.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 10:37 pm: Edit

Those are too cute to eat man!

By Flattop (Flattop) on Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 11:01 pm: Edit

Yeah....right.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 10:44 am: Edit

It's more of a religios thing that I don't eat the pork product. And the fact that bacon smells like ace! lol Never have liked it, or ham.... yucky!
Manny, it's not really what the pigs eat, as much as it is how they live. They roll in their own feces and like it. And the pigs i've seen don't eat the healthies foods either. Oh, wait, we can get pigs that eat "man-made" chemicals and "vitamins". I'm sure that makes them much better tasting.

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 11:05 am: Edit

Commercially grown pigs now live on concrete and are hosed off a couple of times a day like dogs in a kennel. The pig farms don't even smell anymore. They eat corn and grains and are not raised on garbage, except family raised beasts. It's a whole new world.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 11:41 am: Edit

You don't think you rolled in doo-doo once or twice when you were a baby? Who knows, if you try it now you may like it! Some people pay for that privillege, you know?
It's not that the pigs like rollong in poop, it just keeps them cool! If they had an A/C'd room or a pool they would totally spend their time there; and they would go out on the grass to poop!
Not all chemicals are bad either, yes, most are but, many are used for benefit to men & women.
Everything in moderation I believe is the key to everything in life.
Besides I don't think they'll keep you out of heaven if you eat a piece of bacon or ham, if they do I'm going to hell!!!

By Corey (Corey) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 02:05 pm: Edit

we have a large farm here and they get all the garbage from the hotels and casinos. steaks, shakes and pancakes.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 03:17 pm: Edit

That's old world dude! That's how you get trichinosis!!!

By Corey (Corey) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 03:22 pm: Edit

wow, don't eat the pork from vegas?
hmm, now I know how the casinos do that lb of pig breakfast special for $1.99...

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 03:34 pm: Edit

I don't know what cutting edge hog farms are doing but until two years ago we lived down wind from one in central PA that REEKED. And we were 6 miles away!
Now, I love pork, ham and bacon but that smell'd make anyone go kosher!

I can respect the religious thing, Snuff. Would that create problems if you had to taste a pork related thing at work? Just curious, I'm not busting yer chops (pun intended) :-)

By Corey (Corey) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 04:35 pm: Edit

oy vey

By Flattop (Flattop) on Wednesday, January 29, 2003 - 11:12 pm: Edit

I always thought it strange that some refuse to eat pork because it rolls around in crap. But will still eat bottom feeder fish(crap eaters), liver (toxin filter), raw oysters (full of crap)and other nasty ass crap that tastes damn good.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 11:17 am: Edit

well flattop, I don't eat seafood either, only fish w/ scales. No catfish(which i catch hell for since i live in Tx).

Chefrev, NO, I wouldn't taste something (intentionally) if it was even cooked w/ pork fat, or even if it was cooked in the same pan as pork. I know that when I go out to eat I can't really do anything about it, but that's what prayer is for. :D

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 11:27 am: Edit

The pig farms I saw were over 20 years ago in central California. They belonged to the parents of a client of mine when I was a Probation Officer. I don't think that would qualify as cutting edge. Maybe it has to do with quality of pork or something???

When I worked for Marriott, we had some Kosher guys come through with their own hook-ups (and I can tell you, if you've never been through it, it is a whole new world). They explained to me that although it started out as a cleanliness issue from God,it is more a matter of obedience and discipline today.

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 11:41 am: Edit

I've cooked for a couple of places that did catering for Jewish clients. I remember one time, speaking with the rabbi who came to oversee our preparations. I asked him about kosher restrictions and he said much the same thing that Ladycake's guys did: it's about obedience to God 1st and foremost.

Did not mean to imply that I think kosher is about being squeamish about an animal's living conditions.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 12:34 pm: Edit

Let's not get into politics or religion; there's no end to either topic!!!!!!

By Flattop (Flattop) on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 02:56 pm: Edit

Snuff I wasn't refering to you,as I respect the religous reasons. It was just a general statement about some peoples reasoning. those that won't one type of food for a reason then will eat another that falls into the same catagory. I used to be like that. I love liver,but refused to eat things like tripe or hearts because of what it was.
Then I realized I was looking at it all wrong. my point of view was dening me of some really good food. I'm a lot more open to try things now. I'm happier for it too.

By Corey (Corey) on Thursday, January 30, 2003 - 04:16 pm: Edit

sort of like, if it smells good, eat it?
this seems to be the way buffet people eat,
they almost always smell it first.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Friday, January 31, 2003 - 11:32 am: Edit

We dive at five!!!!!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 01:42 am: Edit

grab your snorkles!

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 11:24 am: Edit

2 lb's ground deer
~ 2 eggs
~ 1 tsp salt
~ 1/2 tsp onion salt
~ 1 tsp grated lemon rind
~ 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
~ 1/4 water
~ 1/4 dry bread crumbs
~ 1 tbsp butter
~ 1 package beef gravy mix
~ 3 tbsp lemon juice
~ 1/4 cup brown sugar
~ 1/4 tsp ginger
~ 3 whole cloves


In a large bowl, mix together the deer, eggs, salt, onion salt, lemon rind, dry milk, water and bread crumbs.

Shape into 8 patties about 1 inch thick.

In a skillet, melt a little butter over medium heat. Fry the patties until brown on both sides.

While the patties are cooking, prepare the gravy mix according to it's directions.

To the gravy, add the lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger and cloves. Mix together.

When the patties are browned, pour the gravy over the patties.

Cover and simmer for 30 minutes basting several times.

Remove the cloves

**ok, so it's not chili, but I was wondering what you thought of this? Think it would be good, and what would you change if anything?

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Thursday, February 06, 2003 - 10:48 pm: Edit

Ummm...is it deer salisbury steak? Sounds interesting. Did you find this or is it a recipe you came up with?

Beef gravy MIX? C'mon! Try REAL beef gravy or use veal demiglace.

I'd try it. Why not!

By Corey (Corey) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 02:16 am: Edit

hmm, meatloaf?
molding it in a deer shaped pan would be funny.
I did that with lamb once.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 10:43 am: Edit

ChefRev, it's a recipe I found on the net. My thoughts exactly on the gravy. Make ur own! lol

would you change anything? add?

By Ladycake (Ladycake) on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 11:17 am: Edit

With the venison I have eaten, you would need to use only lean venison and some other fat (venison fat being disgustingly gross!) Otherwise this would be dry.

Ditto on the gravy mix....