Ingredients:

2 lbs. of venison sirloin
1/4 cup of bacon fat
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup onions – minced
2 cups water
1 cup apple juice
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1 tablespoon of butter
4 tablespoons of flour
3/4 cup sour cream
Salt – to taste

Equipment:

Large skillet
2 QT casserole

Cooking Directions

Cut venison into 2″ pieces. Mince garlic. In the skillet, melt bacon fat and add garlic and venison. Brown venison on all sides – make sure not to burn the garlic. Once the meat is browned place in the casserole.

Place minced onions in the skillet and sweat for approximately 2 minutes until translucent. Add water, apple juice, bay leaf, peppercorns and salt. Scrap the skillet to get all the meat drippings. Pour the mixture over the venison in the casserole. Bake in an over for 30-60 minutes at 325 degrees until tender.

Melt butter in skillet, stir in flour making sure to remove any lumps. Add sour cream and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour over venison – serve

Ingredients:

Venison:
1/2 cup gin
2 cups red wine
6 Tablespoons thyme
2 Tablespoons Rosemary
6 juniper berries
4 venison steaks, 1/2 pound each
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cranberry Sauce:
2 cups cranberries
Juice and chopped zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup sugar, or more if needed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Equipment:

Large skillet
Small sauce pan

Cooking Directions for Venison:

Combine gin, wine, thyme and juniper berries in a medium shallow baking dish. Once assembled, pour into a food storage bag. Add the venison and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large pan over high heat until almost smoking. Remove the venison from the marinade and shake off excess. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on 1 side until golden brown. Turn over, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes.

Cooking Directions for Cranberry Sauce:

In a small saucepan combine cranberries, orange juice and zest, wine, sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmering and cook until cranberries are tender, stirring occasionally. In a small cup make a slurry with cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Whisk cornstarch mixture into cranberry sauce and cook, whisking, until sauce thickens. Taste and add more sugar, if necessary.

Ingredients:

2 pounds Venison
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cups Guinness
2 cups largely diced carrots
Sprig of fresh thyme
Chopped parsley, for garnish

Equipment:

Large skillet
6 Qt casserole or large pot with cover

Cooking Directions

Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, and cut into 2-inch cubes. Toss venison with 1 tablespoon of the oil. In a small bowl, season the flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss meat with seasoned flour.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Reduce the heat, add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato puree to the skillet, cover, and cook gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a casserole and pour half of the Guinness into the skillet. Bring Guinness to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan. Pour over the meat, along with the remaining Guinness. Add the carrots and thyme. Stir and adjust seasonings. Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat, or in a 300 degree F oven until the meat is tender, 2 to 3 hours.

Add a loaf of good crusty bread with butter and a cold porter beer

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground venison
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper and deseeded coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves crushed
2 tbsp. fresh chopped basil
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 – 16 oz. cans of small red beans drained
2 – 24 oz. jars of salsa
1 – 28 oz. can of tomato sauce
Salt and pepper – do this to taste
3 large jalapeno peppers deseeded and finely chopped – adjust for personal taste for amount of spiciness

Equipment:

Large Skillet
6 Qt. crock pot (or large stove top pot)

Cooking Directions

In large skillet heat oil then add the venison, brown the venison – if necessary you can add some water if it begins to dry. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper – be careful not to let the vegetables, spices or herbs burn.

When finished, place into a 6 Qt. crock pot(if you do not have a crock pot a large stove top pot will do fine – just make sure to cook low and slow) add the salsa, red beans, tomato sauce, chopped basil, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and ground cumin.

Cook on low to medium temperature for 6 to 8 hrs, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot over a bed of rice or with crackers.

If you want, an ice cold pale ale or hearty red wine are perfect here