Being Italian by heritage and Southern by birth, if there is one thing I love it’s sitting around the table with family and friends telling stories and eating good food. Here are two of my new go to wild game recipes that I found after last deer season and have made multiple times over the course of the year. Gather up the gang, pour some sweet tea and tell tales of the one that got away while you chow down on the one that didn’t.
Easy Crockpot Venison Stew
• 1 1⁄2 lbs venison, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1⁄2 cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 4 potatoes, diced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
1. Mix the flour, salt, and pepper and coat the venison with the mixture. Place into crockpot.
2. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
Serves 8
Grilled Venison Backstrap
• 2 medium-sized prepared/washed venison backstraps
• 1 small jar of horseradish sauce
• Garlic powder
• Your favorite brand of seasoning salt
• Black Pepper
• 1 onion of your choice (I generally use a white onion)
• 1 package of bacon (approximately 12 pieces)
• Worcestershire sauce
1. Start by cutting the backstraps in half, and lay each one lengthwise across a 12-15″ sheet of aluminum foil, leaving a few inches of foil on each end to allow for folding and crimping.
2. Spread a generous amount of horseradish sauce over the top of each portion of backstrap.
3. Season each backstrap with a moderate coating of garlic powder, seasoning salt, and pepper.
4. Cut onion slices to allow for a 1/4 of an onion to cover each portion of meat.
5. Wrap three pieces of bacon around each half-backstrap.
6. Fold the edges of the foil around each portion of meat to form a “boat” to collect juices and to keep from leaking onto coals or grill.
7. Add approximately 1/8-cup of Worcestershire sauce to each boat.
8. Place on the grill with the lid closed for 20-25 minutes, medium rare.
And remember, after you clean up in the kitchen and before you head out on your next outdoor adventure, stop by and see us at Mark’s Outdoors and let us out fit you with all the supplies you’ll need to make the most of your time in the great outdoors.
– Matt Lovett
Mark’s Outdoor Sports
1400-B Montgomery Highway, Vestavia 35216
205-822-2010, www.marksoutdoors.com
