Monday, December 30, 2013

DIY... (venison) Pot Roast?

So, maybe not DIY in the standard "build something out of scrap" sense, but given the deer came from our back yard, pretty close to DIY "free range" goodness.  However, in the spirit of resourcefulness, I made my own recipes up and it seemed to be well received on Google+ so I thought it worth posting them here (so as to not forget what I did to make this taste so good!)

The loins I used came out to about 8 chops which were all packaged together by the butcher.  The meet, btw, has been in my deep freezer  for over 2 years.  Yes.  And it was still free from freezer burn and delicious.


Venison Pot Roast

1 lb venison loin cut about 1/2 thick
4 potatoes
4 large carrots
4 garlic cloves
1 large onion
1/2 cup beer
1 cup water
salt and pepper
Cube venison, onion and potatoes (red skin or whatever - I usually scrub them and leave the skins on), peel and slice carrots, peel and mince garlic.
Layer in crock pot or slow cooker:  onions, venison, carrots potatoes, salt & pepper to taste (about a 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper is a good starting point). Edit (almost forgot) sprinkle garlic over top.
Pour in 1/4 of your favorite beer and 1 cup of water and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8.
Makes 10-12 servings


Bonus Recipe - Venison chili 


I made this one for the Christmas Potluck last year with, you guessed it, meat from the same deer.

1 lb Ground Venison
1/2 stick butter
2 cans of your preferred chili beans - we like Northern or Navy but kidney or black would do, too, depending on the flavor you like
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce (I use Hunts in both cases)
1 onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 celery sticks, sliced
6 cups of water
1 Tbsp habanero sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
Salt and Pepper to Taste

** secret ingredients **

1/2 cup dark molasses
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder


Prepare beans according to directions if starting with dried beans.

Brown venison in a large skillet with butter and onions.

Combine everything except spices in stock pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook till celery is clear.  Stir in molasses and other seasonings.

Makes about 8-10 servings.  Great with corn bread.



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