Wild Game Recipes

We love to pursue big game animals for the challenge, tradition and excellent table fare.  Heading to deer camp, time with family and friends and the excitement of the harvest are all part of the experience.  Once the harvest is complete and the animal is tagged, the real work begins.  Careful attention to detail in the field and at home can make the difference in the end result of the food we serve to our families.  Here are some of the items that we find important in bringing the big game harvest to the table. 

• Practice Ethical Harvests - marginal shots can cause slow recovery.  Take a shot that is going to effectively harvest in a quick and ethical fashion.
• Don't Push It - Give the animal some time after the shot to expire with dignity.  This will eliminate the possibility of bumping the animal, prolonging the recovery.
• The Right Tool For The Job - a clean, sharp knife will allow you to field dress your harvest effectively and cleanly.  
• Wash The Carcass - Taking a bucket or hose and rinsing the body cavity is an important step in ensuring the meat will remain clean and untainted.
• Allow The Heat To Escape - if temperatures are warm, hang the carcass with the body cavity open.   Removal of the hide if it is hung in a clean environment is highly recommended to allow the heat of the meat to escape.  
• Be Diligent About Staying Clean - Taking extra time to ensure that hair, bone and dirt are removed from the meat while deboning is another important step in ensuring that the meat will maintain good taste.
• Keep The Meat Cool Until You Get Home - Leaving freshly deboned warm meat in a cooler can wreck havoc by the time you get home.  Be sure that the meat is allowed to cool and remains cool until you get to your final destination.
• Be Diligent About Staying Clean - While processing the meat; cutting steaks, chops and roasts and grinding into sausage be careful to clean equipment and preparation surfaces to avoid dirt, hair and bacteria from getting on the meat.

* Follow local and state laws in regard to tagging, processing and transporting wild game