"CORNING"
The answer to expanding your "go to" Wild Game Recipes
"Corning" meat has nothing to do with corn. The term comes from the corn-sized pieces of salt that were used to cure meat. It is time proven way to extend the shelf life of protein. It’s also a great way to utilize those forgotten chunks of frozen goodness left in the bottom of your freezer that you don't know what to do with. Just before the next hunting season, whenever that might be; spring, fall, or end of summer my "Go To" way of clearing out the remaining bits and pieces is to go back to this historical technique of preservation
How impressed do you think your friends will be when you invite them over for that cocktail party and serve them Corned Venison Hash! I know MINE are!
CORNED VENISON HASH (entree or hors d'oeuvres)
or other big game meat
Cure for Corning
appr. 10 lbs. of meat (neck, brisket, bottom or eye rounds) But you can use just about any cut of meat, especially if you are going to eventually chop or dice the meat to be used for hash.
1 quart hot water
1 quart cold water
1/3 cup salt
1 oz. instacure #1*
1.5 oz honey
2 oz. pickling spice
2 bay leaves
Mix all the ingredients in the hot water , except the meat (to dissolve everything) in a mixing bowl. Once dissolved, mix well and add the cold water (ice). When cold add the meat completely. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days. Moving the meat around every other day will help distribute the curing process.
Bouillon for cooking the Corned Venison
4 quarts water
1 lg onion, sliced
3 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery
bay leaf
1/2 cup pickling spice
3 tbsp fresh garlic or 1 tbsp dried
Place all the bouillon ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil; add the meat and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the meat is fork tender. (app. 2 -3 hours) the actual time will depend on the size of the meat being cooked. Once the meat is cooked remove it from the bouillon and place on a sheet pan to cool. Strain and reserve the bouillon for later use. Take another sheet pan and place it on top of the meat and place something to weigh down the top sheet pan .**
Cool the meat, wrap tight and store in the refrigerator for a week or the freezer for six months. For the recipe below pull the corned venison apart, removing any tendons, fat or silver skin.
CORNED VENISON HASH
yields app. 8 - 4 inch patties, 40 small hors d'oeuvres
1 1/2 - 2 lbs, 1/2 inch pieces of pulled Corned Venison
1 small onion, finely diced
2 large Russet potatoes, slowly cooked in the bouillon used to cook the meat and cooled. Peel, and shred
optional, but fun 2 Anaheim chilies, fire charred, peeled, seeds removed and chopped into small dice
1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
s&p to taste
dash of Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp butter/olive oil
Mix all the ingredients and either form into a patty the size of a hockey puck (for entree sized portion) or small 1 oz sized balls that get flattened to be a mini hors d'oeuvres.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat; add the butter and olive oil. When the butter foams add the patties, don’t move them right away. Allow the outer edges to become golden brown, and then carefully with a spatula turn the patties over. Continue until golden brown. If you’re not ready to serve immediately hold in a warm oven................
Corned Venison can also be used for stuffing vegetables (such as cabbage), adding to a cream sauce for pasta, used to fill "Irish" taco's or burritos, mixed with mayo or cream cheese for an appetizer spread OR sliced thin and served on rye bread.
Think outside the box: and get ready to impress!
Its NOT just for St Patrick's Day!
