favorite wild game?

[Erik]

I've been finding myself thinking about it more and more. Wont be long til the hunting seasons are here. So whats everybodies favorite wild game? I've said it before and I'll say it again, my fav is grouse! Man I just love the taste fresh grilled partridge breasts. Every year I drive up to the UP in search of the best grouse hunting in the state. In all of our trips we have yet to bring any back home with us. We always eat them all in camp. Hah!
Hey Salmon Smoker, got any grouse recipes for me?

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Phish

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

First, I must admit that Partridge or Grouse are not in my list of game-meats that we have eaten. However.....given that, I looked up some recipe's that sound like good ones, and also have one from my own chicken smokeing experience.

First, one where I have had some experience - usng a flavored oil to keep the meat moist while cooking on a grill.

First, mixthe following:

2 cups cooking oil
1/2 onion (medium size) chopped.
A pinch of dried Tarragon (a pinch is what you can easily pick up between your forefinger and thumb)
A pinch of ground pepper
A pinch of dried sweet basil
1/4 tsp, garlic powder

Shake well, and let stand for a minimum of 3 hours.

Rub thoroughly -each Pat or Grouse breast with this mixture - Thoroughly means working the oil mixture into the meat.

Next, using medium hot coals, cook the meat - keeping careful watch and turning often to prevent overcooking in any one spot. I would also add some damp sawdust apple or oak sawdust to the coals to provide a good smoke flavor.

I found many recipes - but two particularly cought my eye one because they are easey to prepare and sound like they would taste good.

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups of chunky style bbq sauce with 1/4 cup of lemon juice and 1 t grated orange peel.

Oil the meat, then place it on the grill over medium coals, and cook for 15 min on each side.

Coat with bbq mix and cook another 5 to 10 min on each side.


2. Start with 4 Pat or Grouse breasts. Roll them in flour seasoned with salt and pepper.

Take 2 slices of bacon and cook till very crisp. Crumble the bacon.

Brown the breasts in the bacon fat, then place them in a casserole dish.

Combine the following:

2 cans Cheddar Cheese soup
1 Cup milk

Pour this over the meat.

Cover breasts with strips of red bell pepper and sprinkle with baken.

Bake covered at 325 degrees for 1 1/4 hours. Uncover and return to oven until the cheese browns.

I'm sure many others have good recipies for these upland birds. Hope they will post them.

Let me know how these work.

ss

[Erik]

Sounds killer! I think I'll try the cheese bacon one on some chicken breast. Got about a month and a half til we can start looking for pats.
BTW, I do see them around here just not near as many as up north. I wonder why. From what I've been hearing, this fall is supposed to be real good for them as we have had such mild winters for the past two seasons. I promised my son we would take a trip up there this sept. Just me, him, and the dog. He's been telling all his friends that dads taking him up north to go huntin! Dads excited too!

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Phish

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

Sounds like some good eating and good hunting, then more good eating ahead.

Glad to see that the next generation of hunters are in such good hands.

ss

[Liv4Huntin']

My favorite wild game is by far ELK. Then comes Pronghorn (IF it's not been run -- if it has, yuck! -- the adrenalin seems to 'taint' the meat), then deer (first Whitetail, then Muley). But, now I'm remembering one very good smoked Canadian we had once....oh, yeah, then there's that smoked salmon that was melt-in-your-mouth delicious!!!! Such a hard time making up my mind... M

[trout]

Favorite wild game recipe

Black Bear
Shoot one black bear 40 yds from camp in Alaska.
After cleaning cut a large roast off and brown.
Add onions,potatos and season to taste.
While waiting for roast walk over to water and fish.
Turn leftovers into stew and enjoy the eagles flying overhead.
Total cost for One meal $1600.00
What it was worth....Priceless

[Moe]

my favorite wild game is by far elk!!! my dad has gone out to CO 2 years now and last year the group got one. that is some good meat!

[Oct.1]

Eric,
Glad you didn't specify from Michigan.
If you had I'de have to agree on Elk.
However I had the privlige to attend a wild game dinner a couple years ago and found Lion to be fantastic.
I don't know if it was wild or something that died in a Zoo but who ever prepaired it did a great job.

[Salmonsmoker]

I think my favorite game meat (considering only flavor) is squirl. It has a totally unique flavor that is excellent in a variety of recipes. Of course - so does duck, goose, phesant, deer, elk, bear.......

There all excellent food - so much better than the stuff one can buy in the store.

ss

[David G Duncan]

Salmonsmoker,

I agree that squirrel is hard beat and I would put it high on my list. Another unusual meat is Snapping Turtle. And it is true that there are about three different flavors of meat that comes from snapper.

Cooked in thick gravy it sure keeps them coming back for more.

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Trapper Dave

[Erik]

Yes I have had turtle. It's excellant stuff! I've never tried to clean one or cook one though. Any suggestions, recipes?
Hey oct 1, are you a member of the safari club? I've heard they put on some unusual banquets now and then.

[Salmonsmoker]

Eric,

Its been a few years since I dressed out a turtle, but here's some of what I remember.

First, Turtle has a lot of reflex action in the muscles after the head has been removed. Thus, be careful with the head. It can still bite for an hour or so.

Now to dress out a turtle:

1. Get a campfire going, and put a large pot of salt water on to boil (half cup of salt per gallon of water.)

2. Remove head by letting it strike a stick then stretch the neck and chop with a hatchet.

3. Put the whole turtle into the boiling water for about 5 to 10 minutes. This makes the skin easy to remove and also helps to relax the muscles which makes the butchering easier.

4. Lay the turtle on its back and cut along the two-shell haves to slice the muscle that connects them.

5. Remove the bottom half of the shell and internal organs.

6. Carefully remove the meat (turtle backstraps) from the top of the shell.

7. Cut off the claws and the tip of the tail, then skin out legs, tail, and neck and remove from carcass.

8. Soak meat: (1 qt water, half-cup of white vinegar, two tablespoons of seasoned salt) for two or three hours to tenderize.

9. Drain and pat the meat dry with paper towls.

The meat is now ready to cook.

Turtle meat is very tasty, however, at it best it is tough.

Put meat in a pressure cooker and cook at 10 lbs pressure for 15 min. Let pressure drop at its own speed.

*Take meat and dredge in a flour-seasoned-salt mixture (season to taste)

Fry in a hot skillet - serve and enjoy.

*second option - add broth & vegies and make trutle soup. (the subtle flavor of the meat is mostly lost in the soup.)

Personally, I like it fried. It has a slightly sweet flavor, somewhere between chicken and lobster.

Salmonsmoker

[Erik]

Wow, sounds like a lot of work. I geuss I should really appreciate it when someone goes to that much trouble to cook me up some. It was good from what I can remember. Is there a certain type of turtle that taste better than others? I think we had snapper when I got to try it. I know theres certain species that are protected, like the painted turtle. What about soft shells? Does anybody know?

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Phish

[Salmonsmoker]

Erik,

Snapper is the only kind I've ever had. You are right; it is a long process to change a live snapper into a served meal and they are mostly shell and internal organs. It takes several to serve a dinner of fried turtle - probably why they mostly get made into soup.

HOWEVER, fried turtle is really good.

ss

[outfishin]

Hey salmonsmoker, I don't believe it, you are the first person i have ever heard that
loves squirrel as i first choice. I thought
i was darn near alone in that catergory.I showed my wife this , she thinks we are out
of our minds... She just does not know what
she's missing.......happy sept. 15 coming soon.

[pheasantguy]

It's a little "odd" that two of the members choose squirrel as their favorite wild game food! My favorite is pheasant or quail. I asked one of my hunting buddies what his favorite was and, can you believe it, squirrel! I've never tried squirrel and since I just bought a new .22 to use for plinking, I guess I'll have to give the little things a try this year!

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Erik,
My favorite game meat is bobwhite quail--don't get enough chance to hunt these excellent little game birds. Grouse is a close second. If you want a good, quick recipe for all white meat upland game (grouse, pheasant, quail, chukar, ect), try this: Get yourself a packet of Adolf's Meat Marinade (the original--used for beef), and instead of using water to mix it with, try 1/3 of a cup of white wine cooler, and 1/3 of a cup of Real Lemon lemon juice (undiluted). Mix together, marinate the birds overnight, then cook on an charcoal grill. Its quick, easy, and TASTY! Dang, now I am hungry--gotta go check and see whats left in the freezer!

[Salmonsmoker]

Making current for this hunting season.

Salmonsmoker

[Thunderhead]

Squirrels hands down !! Guys try to cook them like chicken and they come out tough.

The secret is in the heat. 225 degrees tops, just so the grease is barely bubbling. DO NOT BOIL ! There is no need. This is one of the biggest mistakes made. There is no fat to boil off, and par broiling only takes away from the taste. The meat will be extrememy tender if you watch the heat and cook them slowly.
Takes about 45 minutes to cook. The meat will fall off the bone. Absoloutly outstanding !!

Cleaning is also VERY important. For the shotgun users, every bb hole represents a chunk of hair and blood. The hole must be sliced and the hair etc.. removed.

Roll in flour and fry.

Enjoy. :)

Almost forgot : after cleaning and quartering, soak the pieces in salt water. Heavy on the salt for about an hour. This will bring out any blood remaining. Rinse good and cook.

[FIJI]

...pronghorn is #1 !!

Just wish there was more meat on those "stink-a-lopes" when you finally get one.
:D

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm tasty.

[outdoor junkie]

just kiddin, hands down the best meat ive ever had was sitka deer. two years in a row my father has gone to texas and got two and given me one. delicious

[William H Bonney]

I guess I just take the venison for granted:rolleyes: ,, for me it would have to be chukar's,,, those things are darn tasty and whitetails are a very close second.

[PrtyMolusk]

Howdy-

"favorite wild game?"

.......Strip Yahtzee ! :D





Sorry, sometimes I just can't control the urges.....:eek:

[PITBULL]

The best tasting was Muskrat, But that was a long time ago and just once. I dont trap so they are a bit hard to come by. I would have to vote for Grouse. But it all comes down to cleaning, cooling, and preperation. You know there are so many choices it would realy be hard to choose one, I like it all.

[TAZ]

I love it all but would have to say squirrel is my favorite with turtle a close second.
A simple but excellent way to cook squirrel:

Clean, quarter and soak overnght in a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar to 1 gal. of water and add 1/4 cup of salt.
Rinse and layer quarters in a baking dish.

Mix together:1 can each of cream of mushroom and cream of celery and sliced mushooms. Add garlic salt and lemon pepper to taste and stir together. Pour mixture over quarters and bake covered at 300 degrees for about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs.

Make some mashed potatoes(not instant. yuk) and corn and enjoy!
The juice from the squirrels can be used as gravy for the potatoes.

The meat will absolutely fall off the bone with this recipe. It can also be used for rabbits or done in a crockpot instead of the oven.

Some tips:

Leave some space in the baking dish as the soups will thin and expand. I also place a cookie sheet under the dish just in case it boils over.

Another nice treat is to add fresh fall button mushrooms to the mix instead of canned ones. In my area they come up at the same time squirrel season is under way. (Usually around mid to late September depending on the weather. They didn't show this year until mid Oct.)

Pickin' and shootin'

TAZ