It’s the First Week of Deer Camp

Deer season is upon us and I hope the hunters in your family are having a successful month. Here are a few ways to cook up all that venison throughout the winter and not get bored.

Five-Piece Pot Roast
1 T. oil
1 (4-5 lb.) loin roast of venison
1 cup beef broth
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 t. anise seed
1 t. fennel seed
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground cloves
1 t. black pepper
1/4 cup cold water mixed w/2 T. cornstarch

Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven, and then sear the roast on all sides in the hot oil. Add the beef broth, soy sauce, garlic, anise seeds, fennel seeds and all the spices. Bring to a boil and then cover and place in the oven for three hours —turning the roast a few times. Allow the roast to sit for 10 minutes out of the oven pot while you prepare the gravy: Bring the liquid to a boil and then whisk in the water-cornstarch mixture stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Serves eight to 10.

Cranberry Pulled- Venison Sandwiches

1 cup beef broth
1 onion, minced
1 (4 lb.) venison roast
1 cup sweet hickory-smoked BBQ sauce
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
16 hamburger buns

Combine the meat, broth and onions in a Dutch oven or crock-pot. Bring the contents to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for several hours. Remove two cups of the cooking liquid and place in a saucepan. Shred the meat and then add it to the liquid along with the BBQ sauce and cranberry sauce —heat through. Serve on the buns. Makes 16.

Oven BBQ’d Deer Meat
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 T. beef broth
1 1/2 T. brown sugar
1 T. Worcestershire® Sauce
Juice from 1 lemon
Dash each salt & pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3-4 drops Tabasco® Sauce
1 lb. venison, cubed
1/2 stick butter
1 onion, sliced
1/3 cup heavy cream

Combine the vinegar, ketchup, beef broth, sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and Tabasco Sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. In skillet, brown the meat in the butter and then transfer to Dutch oven or heavy, oven-proof dish. Add the onion and half of the sauce —bake for one hour at 350 degrees, adding sauce as needed. Remove the meat with a spoon. Add the cream to the liquid in the pan and heat through. Pour this over the meat and serve.

Italian Venison Pie
1 lb. ground venison
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green peppers
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 t. oregano
1 1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. pepper
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella
2 pie crusts

Brown the beef in a skillet. Add all the ingredients except for the mozzarella cheese. Stir-fry until the vegetables soften and then allow to cool. Place the mixture in a pie crust-lined pan. Sprinkle the cheese over the meat mixture and cover with the second crust. Make slits in the top crust and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 more minutes or until crust is golden. Serves four.

Here’s an easy idea in a pinch: Venison Steaks

Venison Steaks
Venison steaks or roast (about 3-4 lbs.)
1 cup beer or Coke®
1/2 pkg. onion soup mix
Potatoes, carrots & onions

Rub the onion soup mix into the meat and then place all of the ingredients in a roasting pan or slow cooker. Cover and bake for 2 hours. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before carving. (Tip: put the vegetables in for the last 45 minutes unless you like them soggy.) Serves six.