Venison Recipes

by holly{Bruce}

A girl hopes everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and prays the new year brings health, happiness and security for all. It’s at this time of year when folks work with earnest on re-establishing healthy eating patterns. Excess amounts of sugar from the holidays contributes to colds, as too much sugar can weaken the immune system. Sure, one can increase their supply of Vitamin C-Complex to compensate, thereby partaking of all those wonderful treats. However, there’s nothing to compensate for the weight gain which results from all the holiday indulgences.

Venison, or deer flesh, is a very lean meat. It freezes well and can last anywhere from 8 to 12 months in a deep freezer. If the meat is ground, then it should be used within 3 months. Deer meat is an acquired taste, and one finds people either love it or hate it. A girl’s brother is an avid hunter, and while it’s his favorite past-time, it also provides well needed meat for his large family. holly enjoys receiving packages on our visits to Pennsylvania, and finds it very tasty.

As with any lean meat, venison cooks well in crock pots or slow cookers. A girl would like to share 4 recipes, in which the first 2 utilize a crock pot. Depending upon the area in which you live, as well as the time of the year, deer meat can be purchased at farms which raise deer for slaughter. While farm-raised deer meat is reported to be more tender, it’s nice to be able to get back to basics too. There’s a special satisfaction in being able to provide for one’s family.

Slow Cooker Venison Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds venison
5 carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 pound stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup quick cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Trim all the fat from the meat and cut into 1 inch cubes. In a crock pot, mix together all the ingredients in the order provided. Mix thoroughly. Cover and cook on LOW for 12 hours.

Slow Cooker Deer Burger Stroganoff

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground venison
3 slices diced bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1-8 ounce package sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 Tablespoons dry red wine
16 ounces sour cream
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound cooked egg noodles

Directions:
Brown the venison and bacon in a skillet. Drain. Combine the venison, bacon, onion, mushrooms, flour, paprika, salt and pepper into the crock pot. Then, stir in condensed soup and wine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in the sour cream afterwards and serve over hot noodles.

Venison Parmesan Pasta

Ingredients:
1 pound venison chops, 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 egg
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons water
1 quart jar spaghetti sauce, heated
1 pound cooked pasta noodles
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, sliced

Directions:
Cut the venison into serving pieces, then pound until 1/4 inch thick. Stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, beat the egg slightly. Dip each chop into the egg, then into the crumb mixture, coating both sides. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, brown the meat on both sides for about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat and add water. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until meat is tender. Top meat with sliced mozzarella cheese. Serve over cooked pasta noodles. Cover with spaghetti sauce.

Barbecue Deer Chops

Ingredients:
2 pounds deer chops
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon mustard
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vinegar
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Brown the chops in a skillet. Remove and place in a baking dish. First brown the onion and celery in butter, then slowly blend the remaining ingredients and cook for 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the chops and bake at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours.

Until next month, this one wishes you all the best. Thank you for reading. Should anyone have any recipes, tips or ideas they’d like to share, a girl would be most grateful to you.

Happy New Year!

holly{Bruce}
E-mail: holly_anne1@yahoo.com