I have been processing and preparing my own game recipes now for my entire life. As a youth I was my fathers retriever when the dog wasn’t out with us and also his game handler; naturally in turn I became interested in preparing game as well after dressing them. This week’s recipe is a family favorite and one that has sparked several arguments over the past burger in our household with our kids! Canuck Venison Smash Burgers: ​ As a devout believer in the entire process of hunting, I have always butchered my own game, no matter deer, bear or moose for that matter including turkeys and small game of all types, fowl and Galliformes such as grouse and pheasants. When we process a deer, I like to bone out the entire animal as I go after the primary cuts of course. I tend to do around 3-4 roasts, stew cuts and mini chops as well. The boned-out meat in excess is put into a large bowl while the rest of the animal is being processed. At the end of this effort is a large bowl of scraps and smaller boned out pieces. Not only does this reduce wasted game but also adds to the process of appreciation and effort knowing you’ve used everything you can from the animal. ​ I like to add the animal’s own fat to this mix and not pork or beef fats, I find deer tastes just fine on its own if it is handled well from the field to the plate. This will all get rinsed well several times; dried with cheesecloth swaths and then ground in the processor for burger. I like to add some Worcestershire sauce and olive oil to the meat at this point if I am going to freeze it. This helps not only in freezer burn prevention but also in having ready to go useable seasoned burger in a pinch once it defrosts. What you will need: ​ 3-4 lbs of ground venison Sourdough buns 1 Spanish onion finely chopped. 1 Tablespoon of Olive oil 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 2 Tablespoons of Maple syrup (dark if you can find it) 1 Tablespoon of paprika Black pepper grinder Skillet Heat the skillet and sear the onions in olive oil until they soften - this will take a minute, drop the onion

instead of wild game. I recently got a new pellet grill and one of the first things I tried was smoked cheese. I tried gouda and 2 different flavors of cheddar. I used apple wood chunks and kept the temp at 80F fro about 2 1/2 hours. After a couple of days of aging in the fridge, talk about flavorful as an appetizer with a apricot habanero jam on a cracker.

Okay… I was food prepping some snacks the other day and realized this is probably one of those recipes everyone here may enjoy. Some of you might think it’s a little different, others might get that warm, “old-school recipe” feeling. Either way, here it is. This pickled sausage is ridiculously easy and works with just about any smoked or cured sausage you’ve got. I’ve tossed in everything from wild smoked sausage to store-bought Polska Kielbasa and Little Smokies. Like jerky or pepperoni sticks, it’s the kind of snack that disappears fast at hunting camp, on the boat, or anywhere you’re spending time outdoors. Trust me—once you try it, you’ll be making it any chance you get. Friendly reminder that I measure with my heart. Other than the vinegar and water, I’m guesstimating. Feel free to experiment. 𝗜𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 - 2 pounds sausage links - 3 cups distilled white vinegar - 1 cup water - 2 teaspoons pickling spice - 2 teaspoons pickling salt - 30-40 whole black peppercorns - 2 teaspoons dill seeds or a few springs of fresh - 2 teaspoons celery seeds - 2 teaspoons mustard seeds - 2 teaspoons minced garlic - Red pepper flakes to taste - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (I usually use red) - Your favorite vegetables or whatever is on hand (carrots, green beans, peppers) First, thaw your sausages and steam them in a covered pan with about an inch of water—just until they’re warm but cool enough to handle. Slice each link lengthwise and then into quarters and rinse off any extra grease under warm water. Grab some clean quart jars—you’ll probably need 2-3 or more if you are using vegetables—and pack the sausages in along with onion and any vegetables you choose to use. No need to sterilize; this is a quick pickle that lives in the fridge. Next, heat up the vinegar and water in a saucepan, toss in the rest of the ingredients, and bring it to a boil. Let it bubble for 5–7 minutes, stirring so nothing sticks. Pour that hot pickling liquid over your sausages, seal the jars, and stash them in the fridge for 2–3 days (the longer you wait, the better they get). They’ll keep for up to three weeks, making them perfect quick grab snack.

Transparency, im no chef. I use the meateater cookbooks but I do change things here and there to make it more to my liking. The recipe calls for 2 hare (rabbits) or 4 squirrels. Cut them into legs and tenderloin. You need 1 litre of buttermilk 2 tablespoons of hot sauce, habanero is good with this stuff but ghost is better. I really like the blueberry plague. Your choice of cooking oil Half cup of flour 1 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning. I use smoked Applewood Kosher salt and black pepper or lemon pepper Take a fork and tenderize the crap out of it. Stab stab stab. Put the meat in a dish, stir buttermilk and hotsauce together and pour over the meat. Cover it up and stick it in the fridge, cook it tomorrow. The next day; 3 inches ish, heavy on the ish, of your cooking oil into a deep cast iron pan, medium low heat. Get that oil to 350f. Get a pie plate or something to put the flour and seasoning. Take the meat out and let it drip off, rub the salt and pepper into it and then roll it in the flour. Fry it on one side until its nice and crispies, roll it over and do it again. Do a couple at a time or the oil will get too cool. Make sure to let the oil get back to temp in between frys. Check the meat temp too. As soon as you pull it from the oil hit it with some more salt if you wanna, let them drip off. I just throw a couple paper towels on a plate and throw them on there like bacon. Add ons, some Cole slaw if your feeling light, fries and gravy, poutine, nips and tatties, or rip all the meat off the bones when your done cooking and top a poutine with it. Trust me, you'll thank me on that one. If you really wanna hit that poutine and go all the way, debone the meat first, makes it way easier. You could even chunk the meat first but it'll cook way faster. Lighter gravy works better in my opinion than the darker.

Richardson’s Venison Stew 1-2 pounds of venison diced 4 cups of water for your broth base if your don’t have a bone- in prefer a bone broth as much as possible. One large onion One large apple Assorted vegetables, potatoes, rutabaga, squash, sweet potato, carrots, corn, peas, whatever you wanna add Vegetable broth, unless you have a bone in with the stew/broth 1 tablespoon of cinnamon 2 tablespoons of cloves 1 teaspoon of sage Half a cup of Lea and Perrins sauce 2 Teaspoons of Tabasco 2 Teaspoons of black pepper 1 Teaspoon of salt If you like it sweeter add half cup molasses- (my Grampa did born omit this) Brown the venison with an onion and 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a dash of Lea & Perrins do not add any water and make sure the venison is padded dry before browning it as well. 🦌 Chop up all your vegetables 🥕 I love adding a turnip and a rutabaga. 🫜 I just gives it a bit of a sweet flavour along with a sweet potato as well. 🍠 I’ll add an extra onion sometimes as well, preferably a Spanish or sweet onion to the veggies and set them to boil as you’re browning your venison. 🧅 While the vegetables are beginning to boil down and cook, I add the cinnamon cloves and sage to the meat once it’s browned and a half a cup of water so that it’s not floating but mixed in with the venison and the onion add an apple to that at that point chopped and let it set aside until the vegetables are at a full boil. Depending on my broth if I’ve done a bone broth with the Shank off the deer, I will add that now to the vegetables on boil. Once the vegetables are full boil and half cooked, I then add all of the venison into it and any extra water. 😋 I need to to ensure I’ve got a good base. This depends on how you think you like your stew I like my stew I bought a medium thickness, so there’s lots of broth and within a day or two usually that thickens up anyway. This is an old family recipe. It’s a great stew for the winter time and it’s really good. 👍 🦌 My grandfather made this for his deer camp in the 40’s and it’s been passed down to me.