Taste is in the tongue of the beholder. Every individual has personal food preferences. When it comes to venison, all sorts of factors come into play. That's because deer, elk, and other big game animals are wild. Totally organic, never manipulated with feeds, steroids, growth hormones or antibiotics to produce a certain quality of meat.
... Continue ReadingThere are still some hunters today who believe that does should never be targeted, no matter the circumstances. That attitude is centered on the notion that the more does, the more breeding animals, and therefore more bucks later on. That was the prevailing attitude when I was a teenager. It was considered a cardinal sin to shoot a doe. Biologists held town meetings to explain new wildlife management practices.
... Continue ReadingMany of you know that I like to cook. No, actually I love to cook. And some of you know that I published Amazing Venison Recipes, a collection of more than 200 venison recipes. That book was published exactly 20 years ago and sold upwards of 100,000 copies. During that time, many folks asked me what my all-time favorite venison recipes are. Many also asked if I was going to do another cookbook on fish, upland game, small game, etc.
... Continue ReadingA few years ago, while having dinner with famous bowhunter Chuck Adams, who is arguably the best known bowhunter alive today, we chatted about venison. We compared notes from the animals we'd taken on many continents. In this case, venison is defined as the flesh of a hooved wild animal, which would include all the African antelope, moose, caribou, deer, elk, etc. I asked Chuck what his all-time favorite venison is, and I was astounded when he said Sitka blacktail deer. Amazing, because that's my all-time favorite as well.
... Continue ReadingOk, so you have some really nasty, gamey venison to cook. It's not inedible, just strong. Do you toss it, feed it to the dogs, or make a valiant effort to at least cook it and hope for the best?
... Continue ReadingWith deer season upon us in most of the country, lucky hunters will have fine venison meals forthcoming. How about our pet canines? They can share in the bounty too, and you don't have to feed them edible meat. Here's a nifty trick to not only get rid of the inedible scraps, but make your dogs happy little campers as well. It's healthy for them too, providing plenty of necessary fat and protein.
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