Wild Game Recipes

The taste of venison, moose or partridge is great year round and we are looking for your favourite wild game recipes. Send along a story as well if you'd like.

Please send us your recipes to info@willisville.ca and we will put them on this page.

Visit our new La Cloche Recipe page.

Watch here for your delicious wild game recipes!
All recipes have been submitted to the site, posted but not tested.

VENISON SHANKS IN RED WINE SAUCE - From Shelley Pearson

Remove front shanks from Deer (easiest when it is hanging). We use a Sawsall to cut the bone and it works great. Also rear shanks if young Deer. Cut below shoulder or back hock joint about 6 - 7 inches long. Remove any hair. If you have more than one Deer bag up 2 - 3 shanks at a time in freezer bags and freeze for later use.

Vernison Shanks in Red Wine Sauce - very easy and just delicious

Place 2 - 3 fresh or frozen Deer Shanks in 5 Qt or larger Slow Cooker.
Add 1 part Red table Wine (or whatever you have as long as it is not sweet) and 2 parts Beef Broth to nearly cover.
Add 1 - 2 tsp Club House Greek Seasoning.
Cook on low setting 7 - 10 hours. Turn shanks over once or twice. Meat will be just about falling off the bone.
Remove Shanks to serving dish.
Pour about half of liquid into med saucepan. Add water/flour mix to make a thin gravy/sauce.
Addition of 1 pkg of brown gravy mix gives extra flavor or add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve Shanks and sauce with mashed potatoes, salad and/or vegetables.
2 of these meaty Shanks will serve 3 adults unless they are big eaters.

This recipe is good with Cariboo shanks too. Don't see why it would not be good with Antelope or Mountain Sheep shanks but have never had opportunity to try that. Maybe next season.

I have been making this with BC Deer for some years and when I moved to Alberta with my new partner I found they were turning this delicious part of the Deer into trim. I had the boys remove the shanks from all the Deer they got and bagged and froze them. In Alberta you can harvest more Deer and they are more prolific so I ended up with quite a few in the freezer from our own deer and from friends who had no idea (yet) what they are missing.
 

MOOSE SHORT RIBS (good enough for company and kids love them) - From Shelley Pearson

Cut (Sawsall works good for us) strips of rib below loin in 2 - 3 inch strips lengthwise. Remove any hair. Cut apart between bones into individual short ribs. Bag for freezer in amounts for your family (1 - 2 ribs per person)

Place enough ribs for your crew in Slow Cooker (if frozen thaw to at least separate)

Mix together:
1 10 oz can tomato soup
1 14 oz can tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes, whatever you have.
2 TBSP Molasses
2 TBSP Vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper

Pour over ribs. If cooking large amount and it does not look like enough sauce just add another can of tomato soup.
Cook 7 - 10 hours on low. Meat will be tender and falling off bone.

Serve 1 -2 ribs per person with mashed potatoes or rice, vegetables and/or salad.

BACON WRAPPED MOOSE TENDERLOIN - From Shelley Pearson

Remove tenderloins from Moose after about 2 days of hanging and before they dry out. Trim off membrane, etc.
Slice in about one inch thick slices.
Partially fry enough bacon to wrap around each slice
Cool and wrap around each slice of tenderloin and secure with toothpick.
Freeze what you are not going to use on cookie sheet and then bag.
Cook to desired doneness on BBQ or George Foreman grill (works excellent, the biggest grill can cook 8 or 10 of these at a time for a group).
Serve with baked potato and fixins and salad or whatever pleases you.

I believe in utilizing as much of our game in the best way possible and we don't make hamburger from trim so this keeps the ribs from being wasted.

These recipes are tried and true favorites of my family. Hope you all enjoy them as much as we do.

Stew, Stew, Stew

Mixed small game
1 lb Onions chopped
1 lb Fresh mushrooms sliced
1 can Cream of celery soup - (10 3/4 oz)
2 tbl Fresh parsley or cilantro chopped
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup Red wine

Instructions:
Instructions: Cut the game into pieces. Put the onions into the pot first. Add the meat, then fill the pot with sliced mushrooms. Add the celery soup, parsley, salt, pepper and red wine. Turn the heat to low and cook for 8 to 10 hours. (This dish doesn't have to be stirred, so you can leave the crockpot unattended.)

Serve the meat and pot gravy with fluffy white rice, steamed vegetables or a green salad, and a crusty loaf of bread. Leftovers are great and can be frozen, along with some of the gravy.

Comments: Recipes for cooking a mixture of small game are hard to come by. Yet hunters often bring home a mixed bag or have small amounts of assorted game in the freezer that need to be used up. And having several portions of the same kind of small game doesn't necessarily mean they can all be cooked successfully using the same recipe. There is, for example, a vast difference between old and young squirrels. No meat is tougher than that of an old squirrel, whereas the young ones are quite tender. At last, here is a solution.

Fill a crockpot with mixed small game, along with, perhaps, a freezer-burned grouse or a couple of doves. Tough or tender - it doesn't matter.

This recipe works with any meat as long as you have a standard crockpot (3.5- or 4-quart). For best results for all-day cooking, the heating elements should be in the sides instead of the bottom. The amount of game isn't specified in the ingredients list, but there should be enough so that, when all of the ingredients are added, the pot is filled (or almost filled) to the top. If you are short of meat, add a few chicken gizzards or maybe a disjointed Cornish game hen.

Venison - Roe Haunch on the bone, marinated and roasted
 

Marinade
4-6 tbs of olive oil
1/2 bottle red wine
1 onion sliced
3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
8 peppercorns, crushed
1/4 tsp thyme
combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Leave the haunch in the marinade for 24 hours before cooking
loosely wrap the haunch in foil and put in the oven at 190c, 375f, gas 5
Baste every 10 minutes
Cook for 20 mins per 450g (1 lb)
Gravy ingredients
2 tbs flour
2 tsp tomato puree
salt & pepper
150ml fresh/sour cream
Gravy - remove most of the fat from the pan and stir the flour into the pan juices.
Add 275ml of marinade, the tomato puree, salt & pepper, and cream.
stir well and heat till bubbling.
 

Moose or Venison Pie

2 lb Venison or moose steak
3 tbl Lemon juice
1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Chili powder
1/4 cup Lard
1/2 tsp Mace
4 x Bay leaves
1/2 tsp Fresh lovage or celery
Seeds
1 cup Red wine

Instructions:
Instructions: Cut meat into 1" cubes & roll in lemon juice. Mix flour & chili powder; dredge cubes in mixture. Heat lard in large skillet & brown meat a few at a time. When all are seared; return to pan; add spices & red wine. Cover with cold water & bring to boil. Lower heat & simmer, covered, for 1/2 hour. Transfer meat to pie dish & top with crust. Bake at 400 oven for 20-25 minutes.

Venison Jerky

Cut meat 1/4' thick and 3/4' wide.

3# Lean Venison (No Fat!)
1 T Salt
1 T Insta Cure or a cure of your choice
1 T Onion powder
1 T Garlic powder
1 T black Pepper
1/4 cup of Soy or Teriyaki Sauce
1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce

Marinate with all Ingredients for 24 hours. Covered.
Dry in Smoker or oven about 10 hours at 100 Deg. F. on Racks sprayed with Pam (or similar) to prevent sticking.
Dry meat longer if you want it real hard.
Pack in Jars with perforated lids to prevent molding.

NOTE: To prevent meat from falling thru oven racks cut hardware cloth (metal 1/4" mesh) and place on top of oven racks.
 

Venison Italian Soup
 

Ingredients

1 pound ground venison
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 cups water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can green beans
1 carrot, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 (16 ounce) package fusili (spiral) pasta


Directions
1 Brown venison, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and spices. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 30 minutes.
2 Stir in beans, carrots, and zucchini. Simmer soup for 90 minutes.
3 Add pasta, and cook until tender. Top individual servings with grated cheese, and serve.



Makes 8 servings
 

Medallions of Venison with Poivrade Sauce

Ingredients:

4 small venison fillet medallions
1 cup Burgundy wine
1 cup water
1 garlic clove, crushed
Several juniper berries, crushed
1/2 cup clarified butter
Pate de foie gras (1 teaspoon per medallion)
3 tablespoons flour

For the Poivrade Sauce

3 tablespoons butter
3 scallions, minced
1 cup of the marinade
1 small can beef bouillon
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons butter, softened
6-8 peppercorns, crushed


Combine the wine, water garlic and juniper berries in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, cook for five minutes. Let cool and pour over venison medallions and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours. Remove the venison, reserving the marinade, and pat dry. Now prepare the sauce by melting the butter; add the scallions and cook until tender. Stir in the marinade and bouillon and bring to a boil. Add the thyme and reduce the liquid to half. Combine the soft butter and flour, working it almost to a paste, then gradually add it to the simmering liquid, whisking it all the while until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the peppercorns. Sauté the medallions in clarified butter quickly, making sure they do not get overdone. Spread the foie gras over each medallions. Spoon the sauce over each medallions as it is plated.
 

Bear and Beans

Prepare bear meat ahead of time as follows: Take 1-1½ lbs. of clean meat with some bone left in. Best parts are from the hindquarter or front shoulders. Cut 1-2 inches thick. Use ½ oz. of Morton's smoke-flavored sugar cure for each lb. of bear meat. Rub cure in well and place meat in refrigerator for 1-2 weeks, depending on thickness. Remove meat from refrigerator and soak in lukewarm water for about an hour to remove excess surface salt. Pat dry and return to the refrigerator for another 2 days. At this point you can either put the meat in the beans (see below) or smoke in your smokehouse to desired taste and then put in the beans.
Prepare beans as follows:

1 lb. small white beans (dry)
2 t. dry mustard
1 T. salt
3 medium onions, diced
¼ C. brown sugar
¼ C. molasses
2 T. pickle juice or vinegar with a little cinnamon and cloves
1-1½ lbs. bear meat prepared as above
Soak beans overnight. Drain and rinse. Cover beans with water, and mix in all ingredients. Bake 6-8 hours at 250° with the lid on.
 

Crispy Duck
(Mandarin Style)

Traditionally, Crispy Duck is served as follows. Place platters of duck, heated pancakes, bowl of sauce, and scallion brushes on the table. Each guest spreads a pancake flat on a plate, dips a scallion in the sauce and brushes the pancake with it. The scallion is placed in the middle of the pancake with a piece of duck skin and a piece of meat on top. The pancake is folded over about 1 inch to enclose the filling, and the whole rolled into a cylinder that can be picked up and eaten with the fingers.

1 duck (or goose)
5-6 C water
¼ C honey
4 slices peeled fresh ginger root (1" diameter, 1/8" thick)
2 scallions, including the green tops, cut in 2" lengths

The Sauce:

¼ C hoisin sauce
1 T water
1 t sesame-seed oil
2 t sugar
12 scallions
Make sauce by combining hoisin sauce, water, sesame-seed oil and sugar in small pan and stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil then simmer for 3 minutes and cool.

Prepare scallion brushes by cutting scallions to 3-inch lengths and trimming roots. Stand each scallion on end and make four intersecting cuts 1 inch deep into stalk; repeat at other end. Place scallions in ice water and refrigerate until cut parts curl into brush like fans.

Mandarin pancakes:

2 C sifted all-purpose flour
¾ C boiling water
1 to 2 T sesame-seed oil

Sift flour in mixing bowl; make a well in the center and add ¾ cup of boiling water. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix flour and water together until a soft dough is formed. Knead gently for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Cover with damp towel and let rest for 15 minutes.

Roll dough to about ¼-inch thickness. With a 2½-inch cookie cutter (or glass) cut as many circles of dough as possible. Arrange circles side by side; brush half the circles lightly with sesame-seed oil and, sandwich-wise, place un-oiled circles on top. With a rolling pin, flatten each sandwiched pair into a 6-inch circle, rotating the sandwich an inch or so in a clockwise direction as you roll so the circle keeps its shape, and turning it once to roll both sides. Cover pancakes with a dry towel.

Set a heavy skillet on high heat for 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and cook pancakes, one at a time, in ungreased pan. Turn them over as they puff up and little bubbles appear on the surface. Regulate heat so pancakes become specked with brown after cooking about 1 minute on each side. As each pancake is finished, gently separate the halves and stack them. Serve at once or wrap in foil and refrigerate or freeze for later use. To reheat, steam for 10 minutes or warm (still wrapped in foil) in a preheated 350° oven for about 10 minutes.

Preparing the Duck/Goose:

Wash the duck with cold water and pat dry inside and out. Suspend with a cord tied around loose neck skin (or under wings) in a cool airy place for 3 hours to dry the skin (train a fan on the bird to speed drying).

In a wok or large casserole, combine water, honey, ginger root and cut scallions; bring to a boil over high heat. Holding the duck by the cord, lower it into the boiling liquid, using a spoon to turn the duck from side to side until thoroughly moistened. Remove the duck (discard liquid) and re-hang in cool place to dry for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°. Untie duck and cut off any loose neck skin. Place duck, breast side up, on a rack and set in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes a pound. Lower heat to 300°, turn duck on its breast and roast 10 minutes a pound. Then raise heat to 375°, return duck to original position and roast for a final 10 minutes a pound.

Using a small sharp knife and your fingers, remove the crisp skin from the breast, sides and back of duck. Cut skin into small rectangles and arrange in a single layer on a heated platter. Carve the wings, drumsticks and all meat away from the carcass. Slice meat into small pieces and arrange with wings and drumsticks on another heated platter. Serve as above
 

Roast Moose Supreme

3-4 lb. roast
½ C. red cooking wine (divided)
1 t. meat tenderizer
2 t. salt
2 t. pepper
1 t. garlic powder
6 thin slices of fresh lemon
4-6 slices salt pork
 

Basting Sauce:
¼ C. butter
¼ C. honey
½ C. frozen orange juice concentrate
½ t. rosemary

Soak roast in water with ½ C. vinegar overnight. Rinse and dry well. Brush with wine. Shake on tenderizer, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place lemon slices on top of roast. Place salt pork on top of lemon slices. Secure with toothpicks. Place in 300° oven 4-5 hours. In top of double boiler, melt butter; add honey, orange juice, remainder of wine and rosemary. Baste roast often with this mixture while baking.

Did you know that...
After cooking, small roasts should sit for 10-15 minutes before carving; a large roast should sit for 20-30 minutes.
 

Breast of Grouse

2 breasts of grouse
4 T. butter
½ glass tart jelly (apple, gooseberry, etc.)
5 oz. dry sherry
salt and pepper
3-4 T. heavy cream
paprika

Sauté breasts in butter until nearly tender, about 15 minutes, add jelly and wine. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove breasts to a platter. Add cream and a dash of paprika to the gravy. Taste for seasoning and if necessary add salt and pepper. Pour gravy over meat. Makes 3 to 4 servings.
 

Guacamole moose kebab recipes


Serves 4


INGREDIENTS:
5 oz. moose, properly aged and cut into 1 inch chunks
5 oz. cherry tomatoes
5 oz. avocadoes, skinned, de-stoned and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup sunflower oil
1 cup lime juice
1 cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup chili sauce
a spinach salad to serve
soft crusty rolls to serve


METHOD:
Combine onion, oil, lime juice, cilantro and chili sauce. Add moose, tomato and avocado pieces and coat thoroughly. Cover and chill for 5 hours.


Preheat grill to hot. Using metal skewers, pierce centers of each piece until full. Balance skewers on a grill pan and cook for 5 minutes each side, or until juices run clean. Serve hot with a spinach salad and soft crusty rolls.
 

Roast Partridge on a bed of Liver Pate
 

Description/Notes: Serves 4 - Crisp and succulent partridge served on a bed of liver pate and garnished with watercress and fried breadcrumbs. Delicious!

Ingredients: for the roast partridge


4 young partridges
8 rashers bacon
butter
flour
salt and pepper
4 slices toast
liver pate
fried crumbs
watercress

For the fried crumbs


4 oz. (125g) fresh white breadcrumbs
1 oz. (25g) butter

Cooking Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 450F, Gas Mark 8, 230C.
Season the partridges with salt and pepper.
Put a knob of butter inside the birds and put 2 slices of bacon on their breast.
Stand on a trivet in a roasting tin, baste with melted butter, and cook in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, basting again after 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 400F, Gas Mark 6, 200C and cook again for 10 minutes, basting twice.
Remove the bacon from the breasts, baste with hot butter, sprinkle with flour, baste again and cook for a further 4-5 minutes to make the breasts crispy.
Increase the oven to 450F, Gas Mark 8, 230C and cook till birds are browned.

For the fried crumbs, melt the butter in a frying pan, stir in the crumbs and keep turning until they are brown and crisp

Spread the toast with liver pate, arrange the birds on top and garnish with fried crumbs and watercress
 

GRILLED RABBIT

1 rabbit, cut up
1/2 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. summer savory
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper

Marinate rabbit in lemon juice for at least three hours in refrigerator. Melt butter in saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Grill rabbit 5 to 7 inches from coals being careful that fire is not too hot. Brush with butter mixture and grill 40-45 minutes, turning frequently until golden brown and tender.

(Note: Since rabbit has so little fat in the meat, it must be cooked over low heat or it will be tough. If you can hold your hand near the grill for a count of 3-5 seconds, the fire should be about the correct temperature).
 

RABBIT - FRIED

1 Rabbit, cleaned cut into pieces
Cooking oil
Salt and pepper
1 Onion, sliced
1/4 c Flour
If it is a young rabbit, proceed with recipe. A older tougher rabbit should be boiled in saltwater until tender. Lightly brown onions in cooking oil. Dredge rabbit pieces in flour. salt and pepper. Put in hot skillet with oil and onions and cook until brown on both sides. Remove meat from skillet and make gravy by sprinkling a tbs. of flour from dredging in oil. Cook until brown. At 1 1/2 cups water, return rabbit to mixture and cook slowly until gravy thickens. 6 servings
 

Roasted Grouse

This recipe for roast grouse includes black pudding (you may have to omit this if it is not available) and griddled green vegetables. It comes from the kitchens of the 5-star Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland.


Ingredients (to serve four):
1lb 2 oz new potatoes
4 sticks celery
1 leek
2 small courgettes (zucchini - baby marrows)
12 baby asparagus tips
8 baby onions
3 tbsp olive oil
2 oz butter
4 whole grouse [oven ready]
4 oz shallots
2 stalks of fresh thyme , chopped
1 fl oz Madeira
Half pint game or beef jus (gravy)
4 slices black pudding
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Place the new potatoes in a pan, cover with salted water and three-quarter cook (10-12 minutes). Drain and refresh under cold water until cool. While the potatoes are cooking, wash trim and cut the celery, leek, and courgette crossways in to 2cm rounds at an angle. Leave the asparagus and onions whole. Lightly season the vegetables and brush with olive oil.

Preheat a griddle pan. Slice the new potatoes lengthways into quarters and fry them with the vegetables on the griddle to create a criss-cross effect. Remove and place on oven tray to reheat later.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Heat the remaining olive oil and 1oz of the butter in a heavy based frying pan. Season the grouse and seal on all sides of the pan. Place in a roasting tray and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. Leave to rest for approximately 5 minutes.

To make the sauce, peel and finely shred the shallots. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, add the shallots and thyme and cover. Cook for about 2 minutes, until just transparent. Add the Madeira and the game or beef jus and bring to the boil. Strain and set aside.

Grill the black pudding on both sides until cooked and crispy. Place on kitchen paper to drain for a few seconds. While the black pudding is cooking, place the vegetables back into the oven for 2 - 3 minutes to reheat.

To assemble the dish, place a slice of black pudding in the centre of each plate and arrange some vegetables and potatoes around it. Place the grouse next to the black pudding. Season the sauce and spoon over.

 

Baked Moose Steak

SHOPPING LIST: dairy sour cream, flour, honey, margarine, moose steak, salt, and pepper


INGREDIENTS
moose steak, 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. flour, 1/4 cup melted margarine, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, dairy sour cream.


INSTRUCTIONS
Heat fry pan and melt 1/4 cup of margarine.
Dredge the moose steak with 1/4 cup of flour
Brown moose meat on both sides in hot butter.
Place the moose steak in a roasting pan.
Mix together 1/4 cup of honey, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Pour the mixture over the top of the moose steak
Roast covered in a 300F degree oven until tender, about 2 hours.
Take from oven and remove moose steak from roasting pan
Gravy
Skim fat from cooking liquid, reserving 2 tablespoons.
In a saucepan, heat the 2 tbsp. fat and blend in 2 tbsp. flour.
Gradually stir in 1 cup of the liquid remaining in the roasting pan from the meat.
Cook, stirring until thickened.
Mix in 1 cup of dairy sour cream and heat thoroughly.
Serve the gravy with the moose steak.
 

VENISON SHISH-KABOB
1st Place "Blue Ribbon" Winner Of Fred Trost's 1990 Fish & Game Cooking Contest
(Tom Boaks)

2 lbs. venison (cut in chunks)

MARINADE:
1 c. olive oil
1/4 c. wine vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 t. each salt & pepper
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. paprika
1 t. M.S.G.
1 sliced onion
4-6 cloves garlic, smashed

HOT SAUCE:
1/2 c. catsup
2 T. honey
2 T. cider vinegar
1 t. dry mustard
2 t. Kitchen Bouquet
dash of hot pepper sauce
1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1.) Soak venison chunks in marinade overnight in refrigerator.
2.) Spear shish-kabob with mushrooms, onions, green and red sweet peppers (or whatever vegetables you like).
3.) Baste with hot sauce while grilling for 12-15 minutes over medium coals.
4.) Serve with rice.

 

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