As a follow-up to our Wednesday post about hunting for your dinner, we wanted to offer up a few simple recipes for foods that you might find in the forest (or in your local grocers meat section!)
Bacon and Spinach Stuffed Wild Turkey Breast
Like a thanksgiving turkey but possibly more delicious (and a lot less hassle!)
Ingredients:
2 boneless wild turkey breast
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound spinach, chopped
1 pound bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Toothpicks (less of an ingredient and more of a tool!)
Method:
In a large, ovenproof pan, cook bacon. Remove bacon and drain excess grease into a small dish (leaving about 1 tbsp in the bottom of the pan). Add chopped onion and sauté until onions begin to lightly brown. Add spinach and bacon pieces to the pan and cook until spinach begins to wilt. Set aside. Next, butterfly the turkey breasts and place half of the stuffing in each breast. Close and use toothpicks to secure. In the same ovenproof pan, reintroduce about 2 tbsp of the bacon fat and brown both sides of the turkey breast. Remove pan from heat, add chicken stock (again, we always give extra credit if you’ve made your own!) and then place in a 300 degree oven for between 45 minutes and 1 hour (based on turkey breast size and oven types). Remove from oven and let sit 10 minutes. Remove toothpicks and cut turkey into slices. Delicious served atop a spinach salad. Serves 8
Nutrition Information:
Again, we turn to our friends over at FitDay.com to figure out the nutritional value of this tasty dish!
Calories: 741
Fat: 45.4 grams (55% calories from fat)
Carbs: 3.75 grams (2% calories from carbs)
Protein: 74.5 grams (43% calories from protein)
Venison Steaks
Because sometimes the simplest recipes are simply the best.
Ingredients:
4 large venison steaks
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
½ cup water
Crushed black pepper to taste
As a side note, while we generally use the term venison to describe deer meat, it should be noted that venison refers to the meat of antlered animals, including moose, elk and caribou. Now that we’ve cleared that up… on to the method:
Method:
For marinade, combine all ingredients and blend well. Put steaks in Ziploc bags, pour marinade on top and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (although overnight is preferable). Remove steaks from marinade, shake off excess marinade (some venison enthusiasts suggest that you blot the excess, but for first-timers, we think leaving a little extra sauce is best). Place venison on hot grill, season with pepper and cook to your preference (although it should be noted that medium-rare is typically the preferred level of cooking for venison meats).
Nutrition Analysis:
Calories: 290
Fat: 7.2 grams (22% calories from fat)
Carbs: 0.5 grams (1% calories from carbs)
Protein: 52.2 grams (77% calories from protein)
Buffalo Kebabs
An easy introduction to buffalo meat that’s perfect all year round!
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs of buffalo steaks, thawed
8 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp celery salt
½ cup ketchup
½ cup oil
¼ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup of water
Vegetables: We recommend onion wedges, cherry tomatoes, green, red and yellow pepper pieces, mushrooms, and squash slices
Method:
In a small pan, combine dry spices, ketchup, oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper and bring to a rolling boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside and cool. Place buffalo chunks in a Ziploc bag, add buffalo steaks cut into approximately 1.5 * 1.5 cubes. Refrigerate for four hours or, again, overnight if possible. About an hour before serving, cut up vegetables into chunks roughly equal to the size of the buffalo meat and pierce with skewers, alternating vegetables and meat chunks. Place directly on a medium heat grill and cook 10-12 minutes, turning regularly to ensure even cooking. Serves: 4-6
Nutrition Analysis:
Calories: 357
Fat: 19.2 grams (46% calories from fat)
Carbs: 19.2 grams (19% calories from carbs)
Protein: 31.8 grams (35% calories from protein)