Steve Merlo: Two tasty recipes from Merlo's game kitchen
| Thursday, Nov 17 2011 08:07 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Nov 17 2011 08:09 PM
With all the big game meat brought back from either local or out-of-state hunts, one must figure that tons and tons of ready-to-cook elk and deer venison are on everyone's menus. While a goodly portion of the harvest does get prepared in succulent meals, a lot of it ends up wasted or freezer burnt simply because some people do not know how to prepare it.
The same holds true for game birds, especially quail and chukar. This year's banner crop of birds has fed a ton of lucky hunters so far, but there are still folks out there without the slightest notion of how to cook these fantastic eating, white meat fowl.
Lately, I've had an unquenchable urge to make some great big-game stews. Easy as pie to prepare, you too, can enjoy some mighty fine fixins' with just a little effort:
Merlo's Big Game Stew
2-pounds 1-inch cubed venison
1 regular can chicken or beef broth
1 large onion
1 tsp. sugar
4 stalks celery
1 cup flour
4 carrots
2-ounces catsup
1 can mushrooms salt and pepper
1 small can tomato sauce 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup cranberry juice (or red wine)
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cube butter
1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning
Remove all fat and casing from the meat then marinate it in soy, dry seasoning and chopped garlic for at least one hour. Drain and dust the meat in salt and peppered flour, then brown in olive oil and butter over high heat in a cooking pot large enough to handle all the ingredients. Remove the meat and set aside, leaving the drippings. Chop onion, celery, carrots into bite-sized pieces and saute in olive oil, butter and pan drippings until the onions turn clear, stirring often. Add mushrooms, tomato sauce, juice, sugar and broth and continue cooking. Now add the meat to the pot, stirring often. Slowly add 8 ounces of water and turn the heat down to low. Continue to stir and cook until vegetables are cooked through and the stew thickens -- about one hour. Serves 6-8.
Merlo's Real Easy Quail/Chukar Feast
10 whole, skinned quail or 6 chukars, skinned and halved
1 cup seasoned flour
¼ cup cranberry juice or white wine
½ cup bread crumbs
12-ounces sour cream
3 cloves garlic
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
½ cube butter
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 medium onion, rough chopped
Salt and pepper
Mix flour, salt and pepper and bread crumbs, then dredge the birds in the seasoned mixture. Saute the birds in one-half of the olive oil and butter until browned. Remove and place into a large enough, high-sided casserole dish but leave the drippings. Add onions, dried seasoning, rosemary and garlic to the pan and lightly saute, stirring often. Add juice or wine (or both) to deglaze then add in the sour cream, stirring often until mixed. Now pour everything in the pan evenly over the top of the birds. Cover and place in a 350-degree oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 for another 20. To serve, ladle the pan juices over the birds and get after it. This recipe serves from three to six, depending on appetites.
(Another way to cook the birds is to use this same recipe, but omit the sour cream. Add a half-cup of orange juice to the saute pan, cover and allow the birds to simmer at medium low heat in the liquids until the birds are tender.)
So there you have it, two great recipes that are guaranteed to make your mouth water for big game and upland birds. Give them a try. I know you won't be disappointed.
