Taking The "Gamey" Taste Out of Wild Game

A popular misconception about all wild game is that it has a "gamey" taste.  This is all in how you prepare your meat.  For most who have never tried wild game they have a preconceived notion that it is going to taste weird or awful.  There are some individuals who will never try it unless they aren't aware of what they are eating.  In these cases almost always they are pleasantly surprised.  Growing up in a household where Venison was a nightly meal and eating turtles, rabbits, elk, squirrel, bear and wild hog is nothing to blink at you do not think about what your neighbors are eating for dinner.  This was normal and so were the tastes.  With grandparents who descended from Italy and Czechoslovakia my parents had the best cooking inspirations growing up and those cooking traditions have been passed down.  Bottom line is that we love food and lots of it!

Let's start with the basics of cooking with wild game.  Your game must be field dressed properly and processed right away.  Making sure that this is done is essential in getting the best tasting meat from the fruits of your labor.  Make sure you have a great guide or someone who knows what they are doing.  This will ensure that you have delicious meals in the future!  Not everyone is a master chef and I'm here to share with you some easy recipes you are sure to love.  My first recipe is going to be easy for anyone.  A crock-pot meal that you can make your own.

Crock-pot Venison

What you will need:

• Any sized Crock-pot based on the size portion you will be cooking for.
• Venison Chops (I prefer this cut over the roast since I save my roast for making jerky which I will share in a later post)
• Vegetables (Small bag of red potatoes, small bag of carrots, 1 package of baby portabella or white mushrooms.  You can use whatever vegetables you prefer.  Mix it up a bit.  Try using celery, your favorite peppers and onions.  Just remember you only have so much room in the pot!)
• Beef broth or Cream of Mushroom soup
• Lots and lots of spices! (Mediterranean sea salt, cracked pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, fresh garlic cloves and steak seasoning or any of your personal favorites)

Preparation:

• Cut Venison Chops into cubes and place into the Crock-pot
• Chop vegetables and mushrooms into bite sized pieces and toss them in with the Venison
• Season meat and vegetables generously (Keep in mind that over salting can result in a ruined meal.  I'm never one to measure but you can always add more based on taste testing at the end.  Better to not salt enough then to salt too much.  Take a look at the photo I provided to see what my seasoning looks like prior to cooking.  Don't be afraid to season.  Most people suffer from a lack of flavor in their meals and don't even know what they are missing out on.)
• Pour beef broth over meat and seasonings and stir.  You may only need 1-2 cups of broth or 1-2 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup.  (Remember this is not a soup recipe so don't over do the liquid to meat/vegetable ratio.)

Once all of your ingredients are in and stirred, place the lid on your Crock-pot and turn on High for 4-5 hours depending on how well done you prefer your meats to be cooked.  Voila!  Eat and enjoy!  Please share with friends and family so they too will not miss out on fantastic tasting wild game that is not only delicious but healthy and lean.