VENISON COOKBOOK RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper on all sides
• Heat a heavy-bottomed 6-to 8-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the butter; it will bubble up. When the bubbles subside, add the roast and sear until dark brown. Flip the roast and sear the other side
• Remove the roast to a plate. Drain any excess fat from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the onion and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, letting them get a little color on them.
• Loosen the brown bits on the bottom of the pot with a splash of stock, water, or wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits; they’ll add tons of flavor to your sauce.
• Return the meat to the pot and add the rest of the stock and the wine; it should reach about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the roast.
• Toss in the thyme and bay leaf. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and transfer to the oven.
• Cook in the oven for 2-1/2  hours, checking occasionally to be sure that there is still enough liquid; add more if not. If the top of the roast becomes dry, flip it over and continue cooking.
• After 2-1/2 hours, check the roast. The meat should be close to tender. Add the sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, and potatoes and cook until the vegetables are soft and the meat is fork-tender, 15-20 minutes more.
• Remove meat from the liquid. Slice into large pieces and divide among dinner plates.
• Use a slotted spoon to scoop up the vegetables from the liquid and serve them on the side. Top the meat with a little of the cooking liquid. Delicious with pieces of buttered baguette.
• Don’t throw away the extra cooking liquid—it’s like liquid gold! Save it for soup, pasta sauce, or stock.

Steps:

• Slice the meat against the grain between 1/8-inch and 1/4-inch thick. This is easier to do when the meat is chilled in the freezer for an hour or hasn’t fully defrosted. Place all the sliced meat in a large, resealable bag.
• If you have a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic cloves until you reach a rough paste. Mix the garlic with the water, soy sauce, pink curing salt (Prague powder #1), red wine vinegar, black pepper, and sugar until well blended.
• Pour the liquids into the bag with the meat and mix to coat each piece on both sides. Marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours and up to two days, tossing and mixing the bag periodically.
• Prepare a smoker according to manufacturer’s settings using your choice of wood. Pre-heat to 160 degrees.
• Remove the meat from the marinade and squeeze off excess liquid. Lay each piece of meat on a metal grid or pizza screen. If you have the time and space, let the pieces air-dry for a few hours in the refrigerator so it will absorb more smoke.
• Smoke the venison for 3 to 4 hours. It should be fully dry but still pliable. If your smoker cannot get below 180 degrees, you can opt to smoke for 1 hour to impart flavor, then switch to a traditional dehydrator set at 145 to finish. This will prevent the jerky from becoming bitter or too brittle.
• Once completely cool, store in an airtight bag for 1 to 2 months. The jerky can also be refrigerated for 3 to 6 months or frozen for a year.
• Note: Pink curing salt (also known as Prague Powder #1) is a blend of sodium chloride (table salt) and sodium nitrite. It is used to prevent the growth of botulism bacteria, impart the savory flavors of cured meat, and give it a pink color when smoked. Although it isn’t required, I recommend it if you’re storing the meat for more than a few weeks. Do not use more than a teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat.