Lately with little Miss Mia battling a flu and me trying to keep my head on straight, it seems I haven’t been able to keep up with the blog as I want or do simple things as go to the grocery store. So when my little girl who hasn’t eaten a bite in two days asked for pasta with red sauce I headed straight to the kitchen practically skipping because she had her appetite back. But when I opened the pantry door things grew dark and the famous theme song from “Psycho” screached in my head when I realized I was out of marinara and wasn’t sure if I had anything to make a homemade sauce. I litterally searched the refriderator like a mad woman and when I couldn’t find what I needed there I ran out to the garden. Thankfully, I came up with what at least would look like a sauce and defrosted some ground venison (Mia’s favorite) to come up with what I thought could be etable. To my surprise it was one of the best venison meals I’ve ever made and the best ragu I’ve ever had. Not to brag or anything but it was wonderful and satisfied the princesses tastebuds as well.

We love venison in our family. We know where it comes from and how it’s processed (because we do it ourselves) and find it to be absolutely delicious. This is a must for those out there who have a freezer full of this seasons hunt or those of you who I have given pounds of meat to and look at me like “thanks for the hamburger meat? No Seriously, what do I do with this?” Venison Ragu is a fresh and bright meal full of vegetables and lean meat with a slightly sweet and creamy tomato based sauce.

Venison Ragu with Eggplant & Kale serves 6 to 8

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground venison
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 1/2 cup (1/2 onion) red onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 3 Tbs tomato puree
• 2 1/4 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 small eggplant, diced
• 1 bunch kale, chopped (about 2 cups chopped)
• 10 oz package of grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 Tbs fresh sage, chopped*
• 1 Tbs fresh oregano, chopped*
• 1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped*
• 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbs flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 17 ounce package Paccheri or other big shell pasta
• garnish with fresh parmesan cheese, grated

* dried herb substitute: use 1/2 Tablespoon for each herb

Prep

In a very large saute pan with high sides or a large wide pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium high heat and brown venison till cooked through (about 8 minutes). Remove browned venison and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots, and salt. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes over medium heat until the onions are translucent.

Add tomato pure, beef stock and wine and stir well to combine. Bring to a boil.

Add eggplant, kale, tomatoes, sage, oregano, parsley, and brown sugar. Stir. Reduce heat to a simmer (medium-low) and simmer for 20 minutes until the eggplant and kale are cooked.

At this time, cook the Paccheri according to the package instructions.

Place the venison on a cutting board and sprinkle the flour over the browned meat. With a large knife, cut the flour into the meat by cutting the meat as small as possible. This is just a way to get flour into the sauce without having flour lumps. Return the browned venison with the flour to the pan and stir. Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over the cooked Paccheri and garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Deserves a, “Seriously good!”

The holidays are almost over! I will miss you 2010 but it’s time to get on with it. I have to apologize for not updating as regularly but you know how the holidays are. You are thrown all over the continent just hoping you packed enough underwear. I’m looking forward to 2011 and to kick it off we will be at the ranch for the final hunt of the year. I debated about posting this because venison is not something you find daily on your dining table, unless you are us that is. But I figure there must be a lot of you out there that are looking for ideas of what to do with it since I get e-mails all the time about it. So, here’s another one for you!

Carne Guisada is a slow cooked Mexican dish that is usually made with a cheep cut meat, typically a chuck roast. It is insanely good and my favorite thing to order at the local taqueria. For this version I have replaced the chuck roast, which you are welcome to use, with a venison shoulder roast. Venison is a very lean meat that makes this dish very lean in comparison to the traditional recipe and the slow cooking takes away any gaminess that venison may have. I have also added vegetables because I’m a mom and anyway I can sneak a veggie or two in makes me feel like at least I’ve accomplished something for the day. This can be made in a slow cooker, although I warn you it’s not as good but it can be done! Just brown the meat with the flour in a large saute pan and place in a large 5 quart slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Venison Carne Guisada serves 8-10

• 2 1/2 to 3 pound Venison Roast or Stew Meat, can be replaced with beef chuck roast or stew meat
• 2 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 3 Tbs flour
• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 red bell pepper, organic
• 1 green bell pepper, organic
• 4 large carrots*
• 1 jalapeno**
• 2 Tbs chili powder
• 1 Tbs ground cumin
• 1/2 Tbs ground oregano
• 1 3/4 cup chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, organic
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• juice from half of a lime, about 1 Tbs
• flour or corn tortillas, cilantro, caramelized onions for serving

*Not traditional but optional
**optional if serving for kids, I find using 1 jalapeno brings hardly any heat

Peel and chop onion and garlic and dice the bell peppers and carrots. Set aside.

Chop the jalapeno. Since I am feeding this to my two year old I deseed the jalapeno.

Cube the venison into 1 inch cubes and place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl mix the flour, salt and pepper.

Pour flour mixture over the venison and mix to coat.

In a large stew pot or dutch oven, heat vegetable oil on medium-high and place half of the venison in the pot. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the meat is browned. Remove to a plate or bowl and set aside. Repeat with the other half of the venison adding more vegetable oil if needed. Remove the meat and set aside.

To the empty pot, add the onions, garlic, peppers, jalapenos, and carrots. Reduce heat to medium. Don’t worry about the dark brown bits of goodness stuck to the bottom of the pot. That will come in handy in a few minutes.

Allow the onion mixture to “sweat” for a minute. Once the vegetables start to release their moisture, use a wooden spoon to scrape the remnants of searing the venison (aka brown bits of goodness) off the bottom of the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the onions to become translucent.

Return the browned venison to the onion mixture in the stew pot.

Next, add the chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Stir.

Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer.

Cover and simmer on low for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until the venison is tender, checking and stirring every hour. Depending on your stove etc. you might need to add a touch more chicken broth during cooking but you never want the consistency to be soup like.

Once finished and you have a thick delicious meat mixture Add the juice of half of a lime, about 1 tablespoon, and stir. Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.

Serve with some warm tortillas, caramelized onions and definitely cilantro, although you are more that welcome to add whatever topping you wish. I won’t say a word. Hope you enjoy.

Yea, Tortilla!

Short side note: So, The Husband is working late and I sit down to eat this with Mia. I put on a little Bruce Robinson on the iPod, and grill up a little chopped jalapeno and caramelized onion for my tacos. I make Mia’s plate, some carne guisada with a tortilla, while she is singing to Wrapped, by Bruce Robinson. I’m completely distracted by how cute this is and accidently put the caramelized onion/ jalapeno mixture on her plate and not mine. I serve and don’t realize my mistake until I take a bite of my own taco. I look at Mia and there she is scarfing down jalapenos and carne guisada, singing (well as much singing as a two year old can do), and saying, “Yea Tortilla!” I swear if I replaced her sippy cup with a Shiner Bock I would have been staring at my husband. Yea Tortilla, Mia!

So, you just cooked this massive venison roast and are wondering what to do with the other 120 pounds of meat. Look no further. This is the ultimate answer. Pair with a nice cold mexican brew, a sunset and a porch and you have yourself a perfect night.

Venison Tacos serves 4

• 1 Tbs of olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, cut into half rings
• 3 cups cooked venison roast, shredded (use beef brisket for substitute)
• 8 flour tortillas
• tomatillo salsa (I used store-bought, just haven’t made any in a while)
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 lime cut into wedges

In a large skillet, heat oil on medium – low heat. Once heated, add the halved onion rings.

Saute for 10 to 15 minutes or until the onion is a dark caramelized brown.

Meanwhile chop the cilantro, cut the lime into wedges and if necessary, reheat the venison or beef. This is the same roast from our dinner last night so I am reheating it in a skillet with a little bit of water but a microwave would also do the trick.

When the onions are almost finished, start to heat the tortillas on a skillet or comal.

To serve, place a serving of venison in the middle of the tortilla topped with a spoonful of tomatillo salsa. Then add onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

This is how we eat tacos in our house. Sometimes an occasional grilled jalapeno will sneak its way in but iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese as a taco toping do not exist in our vocabulary. Why you might ask are we against the traditional Tex-Mex topping? Because we are surrounded by the best traditional mexican taquerias, all rightfully named by number or after a city, and this is how it’s done. Sorry Taco Bell.

If you’ve never had a taco topped with cilantro, caramelized onions, lime, and grilled jalepenos I hope you will try it one day. It’s fantastic.

Hope you enjoy!

It’s time for yet another venison recipe. Can you tell I’m trying to empty the freezer? This is a basic roasting method with a different spin from your grandmother’s roast and mashed potatoes recipe. For those of you who don’t eat venison or don’t have access to it the venison can be substituted for beef. The spice rub gives this roast a smoky and subtle spicy undertone that will impress any venison lover.

Venison Roast With Dry Rub

• 2 Tbs chili powder
• 1 1/2 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 Tbs garlic powder
• 1 Tbs onion powder
• 1/2 Tbs cayenne
• 1/2 Tbs paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• venison roast (I’m using a 5.5 lb. hind quarter)
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 cup of dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Merlot or Cotes Du Rohne)

First, let the venison sit in room temperature for an hour.

After the venison has sat, preheat the oven to 350°.

For the spice rub: In a bowl mix the first seven ingredients until blended.

Cover and pat the rub onto the entire surface of the roast.

In a very large skillet or large roasting pot, heat the oil over medium – high heat. (note: I do not have a roasting pan large enough to use on the stove and in the oven so I had to use a large skillet and transfer to a oven safe roasting pan.)

Once the pan is hot, place the roast in the pan. Sear each side of the roast for 2 to 3 minutes until each side is a crusty dark brown. Due to the sugar in the rub this will happen fast.

If using a skillet, remove the roast and place in an oven safe dish or roasting pan. Add wine and beef stock. Cover with foil or if using a roasting pot, cover with the lid. Place the roast in the oven.

After 30 minutes, turn the oven temperature to 300° and continue roasting for 3 to 4 hours or until the roast is separating from the bone and the meat is tender. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of the roast.

Remove and set on carving board to rest for 10 minutes.

While the roast is resting, place the remaining cooking liquid in a sauce pan and simmer over medium heat until it has reduced by half. Serve over meat.

Carve and serve. This goes very well with rosemary mashed potatoes. I will post this recipe at some point. If I can ever remember to write down what I am doing when I make them! Basically, use your regular mashed potatoes recipe with 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary.

Hope you enjoy.

Tomorrow: Venison tacos…. the best thing about a venison roast besides being a venison roast that is.

It’s that time of year again. Hunting season is over and the freezer is full of all-natural, hormone, and antibiotic free venison! Now what to do with it. Typically we process our own deer on the ranch but when my husband came in from a successful day of hunting I took one look at my very active 14 month old baby girl and said’ “Don’t look at me this year. Take it straight to the processor.” So, for the first time ever we have sausage. Something I don’t make at home because of my lack of a grinder and absolutely no sausage making experience.

This stew has a deep, earthy and rich flavor. Wonderful for those bitter cold days we’ve been having lately. Prep yourself for many more venison recipes to come. I have a lot up my sleeve.

Venison Sausage and Lentil Stew serves 8 to 10

You will need:

• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups lentils washed
• 7 to 8 cups of chicken broth, depending on desired consistency
• 14.5 ounce of can of diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 pounds cooked or dried “german” venison sausage, sliced. If you don’t have venison, any german sausage is a good replacement. Italian hot will work if you can’t find either.
• 2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add the lentils, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme and sage.

Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Take out bay leaf.

Transfer half of the soup to a blender or if you’re really fancy use a hand blender, but only on half. Tip: Make sure you have the blender top on. Let’s just say I have no clue how I’m getting stew off the ceiling. Any tips would be appreciated.

Puree until creamy and smooth. Transfer back into the pot with the remaining stew and add the venison sausage and the balsamic vingar. If needed, add more chicken broth. Simmer until sausages are heated through and add salt and pepper to taste.

Seriously good and warms you up nicely!!! Serve with hot crusty bread or tortillas. Freezes well.

For you beer nerds out there, pour a Dortmunder Ale. An outstanding pairing to this stew! My choice is Shiner Fröst but of course I’m from Texas and Texas cookin’ just goes well with a Shiner.