WILDEATS RECIPE COLLECTION

Dedicated For Those Who Appreciate

"The finer things in life AND are willing to work for it "

"Bridging the WILD and the Sophisticated"

Herb Slurry in the blender

brining pheasant breasts

Roasted wild turkey breast

Our new WildEats Recipe Collection is currently being assembled....stay tuned!

Fresh Herbs….The Pin Striping to Cuisine

As we enter summer its hard not to recognize a key player when it comes to flavor – FRESH HERBS. Generally speaking growing your own fresh herbs is probably the single most significant thing one can do to boost their culinary presentations. Living out on the west coast gives me an unfair advantage, as we have a year round growing season BUT knowing what to do when your garden is about to freeze over will definitely help you through the cold winter months that follow.
The Splash of flavor that comes from fresh garden herbs is unmatchable in the world of cuisine. Herbs are generally the leafy green part of a plant or shrub. The addition of fresh herbs to a dish is much like the way a winemaker blends different varietals to achieve flavor complexity in his wine. Cooks and chefs have been using fresh herbs to achieve the same with culinary creations since the beginning of civilized cuisine. All the components of a dish contribute to this complex structure of flavor. Fresh herbs play a big part in adding a depth of flavor to whatever they are added to. They have different attributes and should be used according to the structure of a particular dish. There are two general rules to follow when approaching the flavor perspective of a dish; one is conjunction and the other - contrast. For example – if you’re creating a spicy (or acidic) dish using chilies or an aggressive spice (curry) and want to balance (contrast) those assertive flavors, then using a cooling- refreshing herb like – cilantro, basil, mint, dill, fennel leaves, chives, tarragon, etc. will work. If you want to compliment (conjunction) the full flavors of, say wild game meat, and want to match the full flavors associated with these meat items then herbs like sage, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, savory, thyme, etc. will stand up to those full flavored dishes.
There is a distinct difference between fresh and dried herbs in appearance, flavor and the way you use them. Fresh herbs are full of their natural essence and oils that provide a subtle, nutritious flavor that explode with their natural esters and oils. Dried herbs have been dehydrated and don’t contain much in the way of their natural moisture, which provides the subtle flavors of the fresh version. Dried herbs need to be added to a dish at least 20 minutes before its finished to extract their flavors. Fresh herbs should be added right at the end of the cooking process. This will yield a blast of flavor, nutritional value (chlorophyll) and a great visual presentation. You need to be careful not to add your fresh green herbs to a dish too long ahead of when you’re going to serve it because your lovely green flecks with quickly turn into dark unattractive blotches.

If you’re growing herbs in the summer a great way to preserve them for the cold months to come is making them into a “pesto” or “slurry.” We’re all familiar with the Italian Basil Pesto BUT any herb can be made into a pesto. The word “pesto” is a version of a Latin term which means -"to pound, to crush." So we can turn any of our fresh herbs into a “pesto”, -the thick version or a “slurry” thinner oily version.

Lemon and Herb Slurry
(see picture)
3 cups extra virgin olive oil
1 cup peeled garlic cloves
1 – 11/2 cups assorted garden herbs, such as rosemary, marjoram, savory, thyme and chives
zest of two lemons
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Clean and pick all the herbs. Place all the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth, season with salt and pepper. This slurry can be stored for up to 4 weeks in a refrigerator or for one year in the freezer. Be sure and label your containers with what the slurry is made from as well as date.

• This type of blend is great added to a pasta dish, brushed on bread to be toasted, used as a marinade for your wild game meat, used to baste vegetables for grilling, added to sautéed items at the very end of the cooking process to get that perfect blast of flavor

• The best part of the herb to use is the new shoots at the very end of the branches. The older part of an herb plant, bush or shrub will have a stronger more aggressive flavor. By trimming off the outer part of the branch not only do you get a better flavor but it helps to promote re-growth of the plant

• To store freshly cut herbs, put them into a container with a small amount of water in the bottom, just like you do for flowers (but less water). Wrap them loosely with a paper towel

Elk Meatballs with Roasted Tomato & Bell Pepper Sauce

Elk Meatballs
3 lbs. ground elk, (defrosted and placed in a colander overnight to drain out excess blood)

1 med onion, diced fine
1 tsp freshly minced garlic
1 tbsp butter

6 oz. ketchup
4 eggs
½ cup grated Reggiano or Grana padano parmesan
½ dried bread crumbs

2 tbsp Lemon Garlic & Sage Rub
or
1 tbsp fresh sage
1 tbsp fresh oregano or marjoram
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste
Pure Olive oil for frying

Sauté the onions and garlic in the butter until translucent, remove them from the fire and cool. In a large bowl blend all the rest of the ingredients, add the cooled onion mixture and blend until smooth.

For Hors D’oeuvres make small balls, about the size of a quarter - for Entrees about twice that size.

Tips on the day- when rolling meatballs have a cup of cold water by so you can dip your hands into the water. This will help the balls hold together and create a nice smooth surface on the meatballs

Roll all the mixture into balls. Take a frying pan and fill it with enough pure olive oil to go to the tops of the meatballs. Heat the oil and place enough meatballs to cover the bottom of your pan. Turn the meatballs as the fry so they are evenly cooked to a golden brown. Continue until all the mixture is finished. Hold to finish in the Tomato Bell Pepper Sauce.


Draining the excess blood with greatly improve the delicate flavor of your ground or diced meat

Roasted Tomato & Bell Pepper Sauce

10 medium sized “summer ripe” tomatoes
3 red or yellow bell peppers

3 cans V8 or other tomato juice
2 oz. pure olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 large onion, cut into very small dice

Salt and pepper to taste

Elk Meatballs

Wash and core the stem end of your tomatoes. On the bottom side of the tomato cut a small “x”. Now cut the tomato in half going across the tomato from side to side. The “x” will allow you to easily remove the skin once you roast the tomato and cutting it across will expose all the seeds which you will be able to squeeze out when its done roasting. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and arrange them on a parchment lined sheet pan, cut side down and place them into a 375°F for about 30-45 minutes (depending on the ripeness and size). When the tomato has roasted long enough you will be able to peel the skin right off. After you peel all the skin gently squeeze out the tomato halves to remove the seeds.

While your tomatoes are roasting take your bell peppers and place them over an open flame. This can be a bbq, and campfire or even the burners on your stove. Char them all around until they are evenly blistered. When they are charred place them into a brown paper bag and let them sit for 30 minutes or so. This will help the separate the skin from the flesh of the pepper. Remove the peppers from the bag and sprinkle them with course salt like Kosher or sea salt. This will help you get a grip on the skin and make peeling much easier. Peel all the peppers, cut them in half and remove all the seeds and cut them into small ¼ inch dice. Hold them on the side.

In a pot large enough to hold all the meatballs heat up some of the olive oil and add the garlic first. Sauté that a bit to develop its flavor, then add the onions. Sauté that for a bit and add the diced bell peppers and course chopped roasted tomatoes. Add the Tomato juice and slowly bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs, gentle make sure all the meatballs are submerged in the sauce and continue to simmer for about 45 minutes. Clean any oil or scum that forms on the top of the sauce. You can partially cover the sauce so it doesn’t reduce too much.

If you’re serving them right away you should let them sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. I actually like to make the meatballs a day ahead and reheat them when I need them. Any multiple combinations of flavor will develop their character after they have had the chance to mature. This is true with any items that are braised in a sauce.

They will also store very well (in the sauce) in the freezer for up to a years.

The first recipe in our NEW WildEats Recipe Collection has to go to our famous "Controlled Burn" Bohemian Chili. This version is with venison, but it can be made just as successfully with any (properly handled) game meat. Over the past 14 years I can't tell you how many hundreds or even thousands of gallons of this chili we have served to our loyal fans. That amount may seem impossible but when you consider all the National Conventions, Seminars, Sporting/outdoor Expos and literally tons of chili I've served up at the Bohemian Grove over the years, this dish has touched a massive amount of people and has a cult like following. Special thanks has to go to my very good friend - Pat Gilligan for his endless supply of these prized stashes of fabulous game meat. The boys up at VOM have been spoiled for many years, thanks to you......and my Bohemian Chili recipe.

Enjoy!

"Controlled Burn" BOHEMIAN VENISON CHILI

3 oz. cooking oil 5 lb. coarse ground or diced venison, elk, moose, wild boar, etc.

3 oz. CONTROLLED BURN CHILI BLEND

1 - #10 can, or 5 - 15oz. cans of diced tomato in juice

1 - 15 oz can tomato sauce

1 bottle good quality Californian Zinfandel or Merlot

2 large onions, diced

1/2 bunch celery, diced

1 large bell pepper, red or green, cut into small dice

8 good shakes of Tabasco

3 tbs. salt

GARNISHES

1 large red onion, finely diced

1 bunch scallions

2 - 4 jalapeno or serrano chilies, finely chopped

shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Make sure you have allowed enough time for the meat to defrost slowly and is drained of excess blood. Heat the oil in a heavy gauge sauté pan, season the meat with the salt. Place small batches of the meat into the hot oil, allow to brown thoroughly. Remove to a large pot and repeat the process until all the meat is browned. Add the tomato product in with the browned meat. Place the celery, yellow onions and CONTROLLED BURN CHILI BLEND into the sauté pan and sauté until wilted, deglaze with the wine. Be sure to scrape any remaining residue from the bottom of the pan and add it to the browned meat. Place the pot on a low flame, cover and allow to simmer for 3 hrs. Stir frequently. Remove the cover and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. I recommend you serve your chili the next day, as this will give the flavors a chance to blend. Re-heat your chili over a low flame. When completely heated add your remaining garnishes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and Tabasco and dig in!

Chili is one of those dishes that freezes very well, in fact any meat item that is cooked in a sauce can be stored very well in zip lock bags in the freezer for up to a year. So make a big batch and enjoy it for a long period of time

BRINING MEATS
By Chef John McGannon

I’ve come to realize that we are a “soak-minded” group when it comes to handling our meat. Most of us believe that if we submerge our aggressive flavored meat in some creative concoction the good stuff will go in and bad will be removed.

As with most rules, there is always an exception, or two – Bringing is one of those exception (when dealing with white meats- upland birds, poultry, pork, boar, etc. and red meats if smoking is involved)
Brining is a process in which meat is soaked in a salt solution before cooking. Brining makes cooked meat moister by hydrating the cells of its muscle tissue before cooking, via the process of osmosis, and by allowing the cells to hold on to the water while they are cooked by denaturation. The brine surrounding the cells has a higher concentration of salt than the fluid within the cells. The salt enters the cell and the increased salinity of the cell fluid causes the cell to absorb water (and flavor) from the brine. The salt introduced into the cell causes the proteins to coagulate. This coagulation creates a matrix which traps water molecules and holds them during cooking. This is what prevents the meat from drying out, or dehydrating. Thus, a very moist end result.
If you’ve never brined white meat, you will be amazed at the results. Use this technique after a little dry aging and you are well on your way to high level cuisine.
As you can tell I’m a big fan of brining white meats. Meats such as pheasant, quail, wild turkey, chukar, boar, and even domestic poultry and pork get tremendous benefits from bring for the above described reasons. We’ve all experienced dry, tough upland game birds, this IS how you eliminate that.

GINGER CITRUS BRINE

FOR BIRDS (poultry & upland), PORK & BOAR

2 gallons warm water
1-cup kosher salt
3/4-cup sugar
1 jalapeno. Chopped into small pieces
1 lemon, cut into slices
½ cup WILDEATS Ginger Citrus & Pepper Rub (you can also use the Lemon Garlic & Sage Rub with fennel)
2 bay leaves
1 onion, cut into slices
6 cloves of garlic, bruised

15 – 16 lbs. of meat

Mix ingredients thoroughly, place meat product into brine.
Refrigerate for –
Pork/boar - loin roast 2 days
Pork/boar chops – overnight
Turkey (whole) – 3 days
Chicken, grouse, chukar, pheasant whole – 2 days
Chicken, grouse, chukar, pheasant, pieces – 1 day
Quail, overnight

Allow the meat to dry on a rack, uncovered in the refrigerator- the larger cuts should dry overnight, the smaller ones for a couple of hours. When you are ready to cook these items all you need to do is brush them with a little oil and cook as usual. There is NO need for additional seasonings. The brining of the muscle structure locks in the natural moisture of the meat, yielding a very moist, succulent final result. The results will have you brining all your white meat items.

You can cook brined meat by grilling, pan roasting, roasting, sautéing and broiling,

As is the case with any “just cooked” meat item it needs to be allowed to rest before slicing or cutting. This resting period allows the redistribution of the internal moisture throughout the muscle, giving you a more tender, evenly cooked product.

Want a different way to serve your elk meat, try this one at your next cocktail party. Your sure to raise an eyebrow or two.

“ASIAN ” Elk Tartare
yields about 30 hors D’oeuvres

1 lbs. elk sirloin butt, or top sirloin
(Completely cleaned of tendon and silver skin, chopped or ground fine)

½ bunch finely chopped scallions (whites)
reserve the greens for garnish
1 tbsp. pickled ginger, minced

1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tbsp. red chili oil

1 tsp minced fresh garlic

1 tbsp. toasted white sesame seeds
¼ cup chopped wakami (Japanese seaweed) optional

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the true adventurer add a ½ tsp of wasabi to the mix

Apr. 30 croustini, crackers or for authentic Asian fare try frying won ton skins cut into triangles for won ton crisps

Place the meat and all the seasonings into a mixing bowl. Blend well and allow to sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and place a small dollop on your cracker or won ton crisp. Top that with slivers of scallion greens and serve.

LEMON, GARLIC & SAGE BRINE

For POULTRY, UPLAND BIRDS, PORK, BOAR, TURKEY, even RIBS
*** This formula is for 1 gallon, the actual amount that you will need is dependant on the size of

your meat product

1 gallons warm water***
1/2-cup kosher salt 1/3 cup sugar 1 sliced apple (OPTIONAL) GREAT WITH TURKEY!
1 lemon cut into slices,

1/2 cup WILDEATS Lemon, Garlic & Sage Rub with fennel

2 bay leaves

1 small onion, cut into slices

This amount will be enough for approximately 7 - 10 lbs. of meat. Make sure all the meat is submerged. Mix ingredients thoroughly, ALLOW BRINE TO COOL then, submerge meat into brine. Brining times will vary. See chart for recommended brining time.

BRING TIME CHART
Pork/boar - loin roast 2 days
Pork/boar chops – overnight
Turkey (whole) – 3 days
Chicken, grouse, chukar, pheasant (whole) – 2 days
Chicken, grouse, chukar, pheasant, (pieces) – 1 day
Quail, 4 - 12 HOURS or overnight

After brining allow the meat to dry on a rack, uncovered in the refrigerator- The larger cuts should dry overnight - the smaller ones for a couple of hours. When you're ready to cook these items all you need to do is brush them with a little oil and cook as usual. There is NO need for additional seasonings. The brining of the muscle structure locks in the natural moisture of the meat, yielding a very moist, succulent final result. The results will have you brining all your white meat items.

You can cook brined meat by grilling, pan roasting, roasting, sautéing and broiling,

As is the case with any “just cooked” meat item it needs to be allowed to rest before slicing or cutting. This resting period allows the redistribution of the internal moisture throughout the muscle, giving you a more tender, evenly cooked product.

“Attitude Adjusting” Elk Stuffed Bell peppers
yields apr. 20 stuffed bell peppers (halves)

5 lbs. Ground elk meat (which has been allowed to drain in a colander overnight)
1 med. Onion, diced finely
6 oz.V8 juice (from the 3 qts. below)
1 cup raw basmati rice (you can also use regular whole grain rice)
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
½ cup WildEats San Francisco Pepper Rub (optional, but recommended)
6 eggs
a couple of splashes of Tabasco & Worcestershire
Salt & Pepper to taste

10 red or yellow bell peppers, cut in half and seeds removed

3 qts. V8 tomato juice
garnish – optional – sprigs of fresh thyme or oregano

Mix the meat thoroughly with all the other ingredients in the first section. Arrange the cut bell peppers in a shallow roasting pan, season the inside of the peppers with salt and pepper and fill each one with the meat filling. Place the stuffed peppers in a pre-heat oven @ 350° F and roast for 45 minutes or until the filling starts to turn a golden brown. Top the peppers with the V8, cover the pan with aluminum foil, turn down the oven to 325°F and continue to cook for another hour.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

This type of dish can also be frozen and served at a later date. Let me tell you, this year while at archery elk camps in Montana and Wyoming this dish turned the frowns of frustration into smiles of pleasure that certainly contributed to maintaining a positive approach to our hunt.