The Huntavore

On this episode of Huntavore, Nick launches a new ongoing series, the Emperor’s Table.  A pseudo-ideal event where creators of the Sportsmen’s Empire are invited to share their go-to sharable wild game meals.  First entry on the menu is given to us by Marcus Ewing, host of the Average Conservationist and Michigan Wild podcasts.  Conversation revolves around “average” moments in the field, taking advantage of the outdoors in the winter, and Marcus lays out his rendition of a classic party pleaser, and angler’s go-to that will for sure go over well.  Pull up a seat to the Emperor’s Table on this episode of Huntavore.

Marcus is a Native to Michigan and has a heart for the outdoors.  Marcus tells us about his shortened deer season this year because of a job change, and some of his favorite “average” hunter experiences.  Some of which were captured on trail cameras.  A very cool snapshot of him at full draw on a buck, and then a series of photos we can all relate to; early triumph, sobering realization, and defeat.  Wildgame wise, Marcus finds himself in the basic, unadulterated camp.  Live fire from a grill or smoker, salt, pepper, garlic.  He lets the animal dictate the flavor, rather than try something to fancy that could overpower the taste.  His culinary practice is also in that basic category so keeping things simple and uncomplicated helps him create wonderful meals for his friends and family.

Marcus’ contribution to the Emperor’s Table is Fried Walleye.  A midwest staple fish; white, flaky meat, mild flavor.  Heating oil in a cast iron skillet, going for the shallow fry, Marcus is a wet batter guy, cutting his whole fillets into thirds, coating in a batter that uses a citrus flavored light beer.  Nick adds a tip, by cutting your fillets on a bias, 45 degree angle, to get more surface area and get more crunch.  To take his humble offering to the next level, Marcus says to turn those fried pieces into amazing tacos.  Cabbage slaw, wetted down with crema, lime, and any seasoning that fits your fancy.  Make sure to stop by and grab a listen to Marcus on the Average Conservationist and Michigan Wild Podcasts, both on Sportsmen’s Empire.

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On this episode of Huntavore, Nick is joined by Jonah Curtis, an impressive gardener and small game aficionado.  They unpack a whole range of topics on a number of rabbit trails that eventually lead into squirrels, rabbits.  Discussions revolve around a mild taste and flavor,  How a few bag limits add up fast, simple easy preparations are sometimes the best, and Nick has the opportunity to try something completely new, raccoon.  Jonah gives some advice with cooking a ring tailed bandit.  Plenty of delicious tid bits on this episode of Huntavore.

Small game hunting is an absolute must this time of year.  Now that the rush and intensity of deer season is over, a walk in the woods with friends or family is a breath of fresh air.  And besides, it's time to get payback on those bushytails for acting like that huge buck behind you. Jonah lays out a couple of his favorite ways to use squirrel, fried and shredded.  He equates it bluegill with the pan fried, there are a hundred recipes, but fried squirrel done right is tops.  The second is braised and shredded.  The mild flavor makes it a great companion to dumplings and pot pies.  Rabbit is similar and boasts a larger bounty.  While Jonah farm raised his, a couple bag limits of rabbits would fill the freezer pretty quick.  Great way to diversify the freezer.  Nick had the opportunity to bag a large raccoon boar.  This has been on his list to take and try and that day has come.  The meat looks rich, and is covered in loads of fat.  Trimming the fat and glands helps in any off flavors, but Jonah gives a few tips when preparing your raccoon for a tasty treat.

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On this episode of Huntavore we sink our teeth into next level meat crafting.  Nick digitally sits down with Thea Lopatka, owner of Umai Dry.  Together they discuss old world meat crafting from the home kitchen.  Creating salamis, dry sausage, and dry aged large cuts of meats in a safe, easy to produce method of sealing ground meat or whole muscle into a synthetic bag or casing that allows air and moisture to pass through.  After talking about how beneficial bacteria, lowering pH, cure, and salt work as layers of safety, the discussion opens up to seasonings, rates of drying, and being able to enjoy and share a very unique treat that will certainly turn some heads, and get mouths watering.  Dig out those old chemistry notes, and make space in your fridge for this episode of Huntavore.

Umai Dry is a family owned business located in Minnesota, They were given the opportunity to work with a synthetic material that allows air and moisture to pass through and apply it to a use with food.  Thea, someone who is very educated on the subject of meat crafting, explains that by vacuum sealing a whole muscle cut in a bag, the meat can be dry aged.  A process that used to be reserved for curing chambers that needed to be cleaned and humidity regulated to prevent hard casing.  While it can be a good investment for a hobbyist meat crafter, most of us have a refrigerator in our kitchens.  The fine pores in the bag regulate moisture loss and oxidation, so by using a frost free refrigerator that conditions the air with a fan and compressor the aging can happen in your kitchen.  For charcuterie, salami, and dry sausage they process is much the same, with some added steps in the mixing process.  For salami and dry sausage, mixing in a bacterium culture and dextrose slurry works on the meat much like yeast works (yeast raising the dough with CO2, bacterium culture lowering the pH).

Note:  When I was making a batch of sujuk dry sausage I started in the garage fridge in an uninsulated shop.  Thea recommended bringing the sujuk into the house fridge. Merely for the reason that the fan and compressor would be working more than the garage fridge.  After making the switch I had my first sausage get to target weight (10 weeks).  Nick, is waiting 10 weeks to eat dry sausage worth it?  Honest opinion, ABSOLUTELY!

Need some resources: DrybagSteak.com

Dry Aging & Charcuterie with UMAi Dry

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On this Episode of Huntavore it's just you and Nick kicking off 2023.  He goes into detail about a specific hind quarter cut, the eye round.  What are its characteristics, how tender is it, how it reacts to cooking, and chats about 2 successful dishes with this cut. Hope you're in the mood for asian.  Secondly, he touches on how small game is going to be a priority here while there is not ice yet, and elaborates about a “Stocktail” that can add a savory twist to your cocktail hour.  Get your appetite ready for this episode of Huntavore.

This episode is Nick breaking down the eye round cut from a hind leg.  The eye round is a wonderful cut to use when used correctly.  Long muscle grain, and very lean, the eye round is best treated as a whole cut or in the case of his two dishes, best sliced, marinaded, then seared.  On a scale of tenderness, Nick gives it a 3 out of 4 for being quite tender.  For cooking variability he gives it 2 out of 4, high quick heat is what we are going for.  Eye round serves as an almost perfect cut for a couple asian dishes.  A ramen bowl, that also uses your stock to create a broth, and a mongolian venison stir fry that was an absolute grand slam with Nick’s kids.  Here is the blog recipe for the Venison Ramen: https://sportsmensempire.com/blog/wildgame-ramen

Nick is also attempting to bring “stocktails” back into the cocktail hour.  In the 60’s along with the Bloody Mary, two drinks were made with their base being broth or stock.  The Bull Shot and Bloody Bull were stock and vodka, seasoned with salt and pepper, celery salt, and tabasco.  Nick made the switch to venison stock and adobo sauce and gave it the new name the “Buck Shot”.  For a play on tracking your deer, the “Blood Trail” is the Buck shot, served with frozen tomato juice or Bloody Mary Mix.  as the cubes melt, they release their flavor and spice, and as they melt further, the flavor gets stronger.  And just like trailing your hit buck, it finishes with a lot of excitement.  Look for both the Stir Fry and Stocktail recipes to be posted soon at the Sportsmen’s Empire Blog.

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On this episode of Huntavore, the chat goes beyond the meat and dives into the extras: organs, bones, hides, venison tallow even.  Nick is joined by Canadian guide, wild edibles connoisseur, and all around culinary adventurer, Stevie_funfur.  Together they pick over the pieces that are usually an afterthought when processing venison.  Which organs are they keeping and how does Steve prepare his for the kitchen, how stock and broth are both super important, and some possible avenues for  deer tallow.  Time for us to pick over what's left and glean some tasty tidbits on this episode of Huntavore.

Steve is a guide, wild edibles teacher, and all around cool dude who loves to play with his food.  From forage to gardens, Steve is adding to his diet and taking less away from the grocery store and the established food system.  Nick sought out Stevie after following along with his instagram stories of aging his whitetail doe in the far north, actually using a space heater and blankets to keep her from freezing solid.  On top of that, he was keeping the hide, scraping and salting to give to a craftsman who could turn it into leather.  First being a super cool idea, Nick also wanted to turn the conversation into using those under-used bits that get lost in the whole process of getting a deer in the freezer. Organs and items from the gut pile and how that can be a very intimidating aspect of hunting.  Liver and kidneys were the focus.  Broth and stock was also a great chat because of all the value it provides as a dish base and a powerful way to intake nutrients.  Lastly the guys chat about the assumed bad flavored venison tallow.  While it has an amino acid that makes the fat coat the mouth, it can be used for a whole number of crafts and uses.  For more info on Steve, follow along with him on his instagram @stevie_funfur

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On this episode of Huntavore, Nick has a bucket list chat with food writer and Food Network personality, Simon Majumdar.  Simon lays out some knowledge and history of venison, including how venison has been viewed in the UK and how it differs here in the US.  Discussions on Tikka Masala, using yogurt as a marinade, and a food game called Good, Better, Best featuring a winter favorite, Pot Roast.  Pour yourself a dark pint, and settle in on this episode of Huntavore.

Nick is joined by Simon Majumdar, food writer, podcaster, and Food Network personality.  Simon has been around the world, tasting food, understanding where it comes from, and how things are prepared.  In fact food is the language of his family.  “What have you been eating?”  instead of the usual “how are you?”  Growing up in the United Kingdom,  Simon had the experience of enjoying several types of deer; muntjac, roe, and red stag to name a few.  Given the system of how game is managed over there, you can purchase some from your butcher or market.  Here in the US, it is a different story.  Simon shows a real appreciation for hunting and fishing, because it is an effective tool for managing the landscape, and a more personally important reason, the wonderful wild meat.

A large takeaway that Nick got from this discussion with Simon is that the US is quite narrow in the way venison is prepared versus how it is prepared in the UK and in Europe.  Steaks, Straps, and burger reign supreme in what comes out of processors today.  Simon is encouraged that North American hunters are beginning to venture out past the normal smoked backstrap and trying new dishes.  Tradition is important, and old dishes need to be made, but can we make room for new traditions to be made?

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In this episode of Huntavore, the holidays are fast approaching.  Thanksgiving is here at the end of the week, and that ushers in the arrival of gatherings, parties, and opportunities to share our hard earned harvest.  Chef Rob Chiappone joins us again to talk tips and tricks to making food during these festivals.  We talk turkey for thanksgiving, roasting whole, and also breaking the bird down and treating specific cuts separately.  We jump into Christmas and talk big bold presentations of a whole leg roast and wellington, and finish up with Hors D'oeuvre for New Years.  Let this chat get the season started, and meal prep wheels turning on this episode of Huntavore.

Nick is joined by friend and returning guest Rob Chiappone, a private chef and fan of the wild harvest.  The two together talk about the upcoming holiday season, kicking off with Nick’s favorite, Thanksgiving.  This is the time where using your wild turkey would be an amazing opportunity. Nick suggests, with the differences in how dark meat and white meat should be treated, a turkey could be broken down.  Taking off the breast as a whole breast, and roasting.  The leg and thighs could be slow cooked for longer then.  Sous vide would be a great way to do that.  Nick had good results with 155* for 36 hours.  Yes, that's a long time, but the machine is doing the cooking, not you.  We get into Wellington construction and making hollandaise sauce and finish up with some appetizer ideas.  Rob and Nick also touch on the backstrap, a step into Huntavore’s head to Hoof, where we lay out its location, its structure, and characteristics that help in being able to cook it. 

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On this episode of Huntavore, we join Nick in a not so good situation, a hospital bed needing assistance with a kidney stone.  Spoiler, procedure went well, recovery is going smoothly. With all the questions Nick had gotten about field care and aging deer, he thought it would be a great topic to talk about.  How to get quality venison by taking some steps to let the deer hang, differences in initial aging and further dry aging, how flushing with water is good, soaking is not, hide on vs hide off, and hanging environment details.  If you have just gotten a deer, or are getting close to putting a hit on one, this is a great listen.  So get your game hoist ready for this episode of Huntavore.

Starts in the field with a good field dressing.  Non gut shot makes the job easier.  Gut shot, not all is lost, but get the deer ASAP,

Field dress, complete pull of the gut, liver, lungs, anus.  Keep what you want, I bring 2 gallon sized freezer bags with my kill kit just for 5th quarter organs and parts.  Heart, liver, caul fat, want to try kidneys if i’m given the chance (ironic)

Esophagus, cut that as close to the base of the cavity as you can.  Trophy Buck, wall mounter, can't do this next step.

At the base of the neck, where the esophagus comes out the rib cage, cut through the hide, surrounding muscle, and through the esophagus, essentially making a drain before the neck and mouth of the animal. 

Flush with cold water.  I’ve heard folks be on both sides of the fence with water in the cavity.  Yes, filling the cavity with water or ice is not a good move for the meat or condition of your mount.  Flushing the cavity is a good thing.  First, and obvious, it gets rid of blood, dirt, debris, and any gut material you may have had during the field dress.

Flushing also is a way to begin cooling the carcass, the inside of the animal is still warm and hitting with cool water can drop the temp a few degrees

Moving air.  I nabbed a box fan from the house a while back to move air in the shop when running the wood stove.  It seconds as a way that i can keep the caress dry while hanging.  It doesn't have to directly on the deer itself but having air whisk over the deer will evaporate and dry the surface of water after flushing, not let moisture collect during high humid days and nights 

I recently read in a newsletter from Hank Shaw, Hunter angler gardener cook, on dry aging cuts, meat can absorb smells and odors from surround food (talking about being in a refrigerator)  which had me thinking about the environment I am hanging my deer.  A shed or shop is still a good place to start.  But maybe the gas cans should moved outside, and the doors left open to air out the space of fumes and dust.

Another topic that gets debated, hide on or hide off.  Both are effective when used in specific situations. Most of the time, when hanging in a shop or shed I leave the hide on. Keeps the meat clean, and from drying out creating a rind that needs to be cut off.  Having the back end opened, and a fan moving air, and cool temps, this is a great set up.  Will the hide be harder to remove this way, yes.  It wont pull as easy.  But with some patience, a good knife, and some channel lock or vise grip pliers the work goes smoothly.

No shop or shed?  Live in a warm state?  There are still options for getting the same effect of hanging a deer. 

Hide off Quarter the deer, on the bone. Leaving it attached to bone prevents shortening of the muscles, which result in cuts being tough.  Next, hang the deer quarters in a fridge if you have access.  A trick I learned from a guy who raised lambs, after slaughter, and the carcass was moved to chilling, he would spray the surface with red wine vinegar.  The vinegar being acidic would help prevent anything from growing on the surface.  No fridge?  Cooler with bags of ice.  Wrap the ice with plastic, and leave the drain plug open to let it melt off and drain out.  Lay the quarters on top of the ice and close the lid.  Again the meat doesn't want to be in the ice or water, but on top of the plastic covered ice bags.  Frozen milk jugs are also good.  Problem is airflow.  You want those quarters to be dry. 

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On this episode of Huntavore, Nick is joined by Forager, chef, and writer, Alan Bergo.  Alan has honed his craft of foraging plants, mushrooms, roots, and even everyday garden vegetable plants to bring added flavors, textures, and excitement that only wild edibles can.  Alan was recently on the show, Chef vs Wild, where culinary experts make beautiful dishes out of the forage they find.  Together, the two unpack foraging for novices, dive into some specific plants that hold hidden flavor, breakdown the process for creating a mushroom/wildgame chowder, and learn some culinary techniques for creamy soups, and taking the sting out of needles.  Get ready for an information packed episode of Huntavore.

Alan Bergo is a talented chef that started on possibly one of the lowest rungs of cuisine, fast food and climbed up to very esteemed kitchens, where week to week the menu changed, flexing the creative capacity of these chefs to bring exciting new tastes to their customers.  The lifestyle of a cooking staff is easily one that is fast paced, pressure filled, where execution of the dish every time is expected.  Alan appreciated the challenge, and the chance to create with all kinds of ingredients, but like any industry that works its personnel hard,  the limits of staying are short.  Alan chose to walk away from the restaurant, but not from food.  Now Alan is on a venture to forage all he can, play with these flavors, and create food that is exciting. 

For novice foragers, Alan described his time working with wild mushrooms in the kitchen long before he found any in the wild.  When it came time to find the mushrooms himself, it wasn't a mystery to key because he had past experience.  As beginners, familiarize with the goal item and that will help.

Alan hits us with some amazing kitchen tips.  First is if you have dehydrated your chicken of the woods,  they will become woody and fibrous.  However, simmering them in water or stock will extract that amazing flavor.  After the simmering, you can discard the mushrooms themselves but make sure to use that beautiful flavored broth.  The second tip comes about when Alan is describing the process to make a creamy soup.  Create a kneaded rue, equal parts flour and butter, worked into a dough.  Now when it comes time to thicken the chowder, simply cut off what you need, stir into the broth.  It gives a smooth texture because of the butter already being mixed with the flour, and allows it to thicken more if needed.

Our foraging talk takes us to a plant that I have always tried to avoid coming in contact with and that is the stinging nettle.  Alan explains his theory on how the plant puts so much into protection with the sharp glasslike hairs that the actual plant itself is tender, mild in flavor, and delicious.  By cooking or crushing the leaves, the stinging hairs are broken leaving am amazing green to add to the plate.  Alan suggests as a first go, steam the leaves for roughly 5 minutes, add some butter, a flaky salt, and a squeeze of lemon.  Another use of a common plant as an edible are Shagbark Hickory Nuts.  Shagbark nuts have a thinner shell, making them perfect for making hickory nut milk.  Alan’s quick description is after washing the nuts, and giving a quick crack, all the shells and nut meat go into a spice grinder, vitamix, blender, or food processor.  When you have achieved a powder, add the powder in a pot with twice its volume in water.  Bring to simmer.  The shells begin to sink and the meat begins to float and flavor the water with pecan scent.  He strains off the top and will puree smooth.  Alan will reduce it a bit and cook it into a custard which sounds amazing.  My own trial is to try this hickory milk as a coffee creamer.

For more about Alan and his writing, head over to his website:  https://foragerchef.com/

For ordering his book, The Forager Chefs Book of Flora, head here: https://foragerchef.com/the-forager-chefs-book-of-flora-2/

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On this Episode of Huntavore, be ready to get hyped by one very passionate and energetic

chef. Rob is a private chef, who also loves to hunt and fish, preparing and sharing the wild

harvest. The guys get deep on some topics; why taking kids hunting is important, but teaching

and training them along the way is vital. Being a blessing with wildgame, finding balance in life,

and of course some kitchen talk involving venison. Get ready to be pumped up for this episode

of Huntavore.

Rob Chippone is a private chef from New York. His thick New Yorker accent and energy makes

him an absolute blast to talk with. His fever for life to the fullest, and sharing the harvest is

encouraging, inspiring, and a ready made pep talk for anyone. Nick connected with Rob over

discussions of bringing hunting full circle. “Hunting all the way to the plate”. Also teaching and

training our kids about our lifestyle, not just sitting in the stand, but butchering, bagging, and

cooking our wild game as well. All this knowledge is great, but if we don’t share it, it’s going to

die along with us. How is Nick and Rob including their kiddos? Rob's boy gets excited about

bringing the meal to the table, and explaining the dish. Dad is training him for good service.

Nick’s tribe of 3 are eager to help at the cutting table. Lots of proper knife skills being learned,

and practiced.

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Tappecue Meat Probes

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