Seasonal wild game catering with book and recipe suggestions

I'm a pretty good cook. I'm not amazing though. What I consider amazing would be the kitchen version of the five tool baseball player. A real calm, collective thinker about food preparation and execution. There would be only a few all-stars on my list. A couple chefs I find otherworldly would be Jacques pepin and mario Batali.

When I first met Chef Pepin I had just sliced my finger open of course, filleting skate. That's the classic jerk maneuver to show how awesome you are to your mentor. Not my best day. hahahahaha

When I first met Chef batali he was telling the jerkwad I was working next to not to waste the shallot he was slicing and to try and be more precise with his cuts. "Work slower if you need to but do it right". But, he wasn't telling me

Always more precise. I will never be a master chef but I'm not shooting to be one. All I care about is flavor and presentation. Presentation does matter. But the food has to taste good for that to matter at all.

So as someone who has cooked professionally for High end (and not so high end) French, Italian and new American restaurants I think I finally know my direction.

I'm currently in exile from Gotham for about ten more months or so in capital city trying to repair a family issue. I have been using my last few weeks to try and prepare and outline my menu. I think I'm going ~ 75% game meat with seasonal vegetables. The other ~ 25% will be farm raised chicken and beef.

One thing I know for sure is that anything tastes good in a well prepared hand pie.

Venison and sweet potato hand pie w/ a wild berry jam filling.

Personal wild game wellingtons with pickled fried wild ramp rings.

One of my all time favorite cookbooks is Wild about game by Janie hibler. It has been a real inspiration to me. I want to eat every page.





I have a few killer ideas I just can't share yet though.

But what says you, Chefs of ATS?

What are your favorite wild game preparations and pairings? What wild game do you hunger for? Any wild game cookbooks you love? Any wild game purveyors that you all swear by?

I fir one am a big fan of a very simple meal. It's not fine cuisine, but I'm sure you can work some magic with it. In a square baking dish put 1 cup rice, put 2 grouse breasts on top, cover with one can cream of mushroom soup. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour at 325-350. It's better the next day.

a reply to: Natas0114

One half salmon skin side down on a oak plank with lemon, butter, sea salt, fresh ground black pepper. Smoked with pecan wood. Very tasty.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

Anything wild boar.

The chorizo I did on my charcuterie board you caught in my Porn thread was homemade that my brother bagged and had shipped home. So I made some into sausage, but I made even more into wild boar ragu (Mr. B's recipe is the base). I have yet to have one person not love wild boar after I have served them and it goes particularly well in lasagna.

I also like elk which I do with a cherry agro dolce after quickly searing the cut. Moose has been an acceptable substitute when my brother has sent that back to me.

I am also a big fan of wild water fowl and depending on the type and size I have several different preps I like.

Oh, and that cookbook is stupid good.

a reply to: Natas0114

Anything grouse should be amazing though. Mushroom stock is easy enough. I love any wild fowl. Salmon skin is so tasty. Salmon is a great idea. Anything special you season your grouse with?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Wild boar is outrageous and is the #1 untapped source of game meat tied with venison. Wild boar anything is life changing.

Wild boar lasagna sound t*ts!

Elk with a cherry agro dolce?!?!?!
Wow! That sounds amazing.

May I ask what is the cherry agro dolce recipe that you use?

I think a goose for Christmas would be so elegant and English. A perfect roast!!!

originally posted by: TheAlleghenyGentleman
May I ask what is the cherry agro dolce recipe that you use?

I do a couple versions depending on how light or gamey the meat happens to be.

The basic is just 3tbs sugar that I caramelize, add a generous splash of good balsamic vinegar and then remove from the heat and fold in 1/4 cup of very fresh pitted and halved cherries.

The other I will sauté shallots with red pepper, then add the sugar, vinegar, cherries, splash of port, a sprinkle of minced rosemary, salt and pepper.

I think a goose for Christmas would be so elegant and English. A perfect roast!!!

I did goose a couple of years ago to mix it up a bit. I did a traditional bread stuffing with apricots, apples, thyme, rosemary and sage.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

Orange peel... love that stuff, not to much though or you'll ruin it. I usually eat grouse 20 minutes after the shot. I usually skewer the breasts on a maple branch tied back to the saplings base so I can control the height, and build a small fire underneath. Fast food in my world. Not classy, but good eating.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

My go-to has actually always been The Smoked-Foods Cookbook. (ISBN 0-8117-0116-6)

It helps if you have a fruit orchard, so your yearly prunings go to the smoke house the next year. But you can always buy chips.

What I've always found unappreciated online but I've gotten raves on in reality is a good venison pastrami. Takes a week to make, but well worth it.

Kinda off topic, but I smoke my chips with other flavors. They make an amazing compliment to home-made wine, fresh trout, etc. My favorite for red meats is a rock maple smoked apple chip.

Try smoked pastas sometime too. You smoke the noodles. Maple smoked three-cheese macaroni is decadent.

Edit to add: By wood chips and wine I mean when you do your final rack on the wine you add smoked wood chips and let it clarify.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

That agro dolce sounds solid. I see you fall more Italian than French on this dish, nice. I I would love to cater a full goose for the holidays. That would be so classy. Goose fat fried potatoes and English bread sauce. Ha!

a reply to: Natas0114

Orange peel and orange zest are fantastic! Zest is another of my simple farorite go to's!

Zest the bejesus out of the skin huh? That's pretty rad. Zest and juice.

originally posted by: TheAlleghenyGentleman
I see you fall more Italian than French on this dish, nice.

I do on this one but I make some gastriques as well.

I would love to cater a full goose for the holidays. That would be so classy. Goose fat fried potatoes and English bread sauce. Ha!

There is always a 2lb container of duck fat in the freezer for frying potatoes. D'Artagnan is the s***.

a reply to: GreyScale

Venison pastrami sounds next level. That's the kind of left field thinking I'm after. That is a good call.

Now would you use the Navel cut like the classic American pastrami cut uses or the brisket cut like the Canadians use for their smoked meat pastrami cut?

originally posted by: TheAlleghenyGentleman
a reply to: GreyScale

Venison pastrami sounds next level. That's the kind of left field thinking I'm after. That is a good call.

Now would you use the Navel cut like the classic American pastrami cut uses or the brisket cut like the Canadians use for their smoked meat pastrami cut?

Actually anything you have good muscle definition can be used because when you're done you need to cut cross grain and the meat is going to be marinated. If you've dressed a deer before you know that there are some decent long muscles in the round or shoulder. I prefer to use what we call the back-strap.. you would probably call it the loin or tender-loin. It is the long strand of muscles on top of the spine. The muscles are not used a lot so they are more tender than the muscles used more.

That I use that cut has sparked family rage over the years because a "treated smoked" meat can be done with a lesser cut. But I'm picky.

a reply to: GreyScale

I have never field dressed a deer. I have butchered deer and boar but only in halves, never a whole carcass .

For the record I have stared everyone of you but my stars never take. I don't know why. Been happing for months.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

Sorry.. If you've butchered one it's the backstrap. The tenderloin. The long tube of muscle on either side of the spine, on top.

Anyways, after you have the cut then you corn it, soak it afterwards, put a rub on it, let it sit a few days then smoke it.

There are recipes online for venison pastrami. All I would add is that after corning it, soak it in water for at least 12 hours or it's too salty. Your rub should have your signature on it.. have fun with the spices! Smoke the cuts and then put them into the oven (covered in a dutch oven is what I do) at 300 F until internal temp is 165. A hickory smoke has always been my biggest hit. When the cut is done, slice cross-grain... I prefer thin for sandwiches or when you're using it for a dip. (It makes an awesome greek yogurt dip finely chopped with a little buttermilk and some fresh parsley.)

Edited to add... the cut you are probably looking for the correct name of is filet mignon.

a reply to: TheAlleghenyGentleman

Check out "After the Hunt", by Chef John Folse. I think you'll like it.

a reply to: KEACHI

That looks amazing!!! My girl is from Alabama and her dad has lived in Houma for 25 years. I am in love with Louisiana fare!!!! Personal Recipes please!!!