LITTLE ROCK — Strong-flavored liver and sauerkraut are two of my favorite foods. But don’t offer me venison or other wild game.
Recently, a close friend tried to persuade me that if venison is cooked right, you can’t tell it from beef.
I wanted to believe her, but I’ve tried venison before and found the gamy taste unpleasant.
“If you soak it in saltwater overnight, then a few more hours in milk, it takes all the wild taste away, and you really can’t tell it from beef,” she re-emphasized.
When she insisted that I take samples of venison (her freezer was packed with her deer-hunting husband’s bounty from the deer woods), how could I refuse? Cutlets from the loin section, a couple of steaks and two pounds of ground meat. I was not convinced it would taste like beef, but I agreed to give it one more chance.
The ground meat was beautiful and fresh. I used it without soaking to make a big pot of chili and also a dish of meatloaf. Did either have a gamy taste? I wasn’t really sure because of the strong flavorings used in the recipes, but after sampling each, I passed them on to venison-loving family members.
The cutlets and steaks were prepared as my friend suggested: soaked first in saltwater and then in milk. I pan-fried the steaks and made a gravy as you would with chicken-fried steak. Was there a slight gamy taste even in the gravy? Maybe.
Half the cutlets were soaked in milk and the remaining half in Coca-Cola, a suggestion from my daughter-in-law. The co*ke added a slightly sweet taste, which made the steaks very good served over rice. A gamy taste? Not so much. Actually it did taste somewhat like beef.
But my favorite recipe, Venison Cutlets With Orange Sauce, was from a 1890s cookbook, White House Cookbook by Hugo Ziemann (White House steward under Grover Cleveland) and F.L. Gillette. The orange sauce blended well with the venison, and the orange sections made a colorful presentation.
But did it taste like beef?
Before answering that question, I must tell you that I fear my taste buds think venison tastes like venison whether or not it actually does.
So, if you are a venison lover, forget my wild taste phobia and enjoy the following recipes. Can you really trust the taste buds of someone who loves the likes of liver and sauerkraut?
Venison Cutlets With Orange Sauce
8 to 12 small venison cutlets 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup Grand Marnier (orangeflavored liqueur) 1/2 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon currant or grape jelly 1/2 cup mandarin orange sections Fresh parsley, for garnish
If cutlets have been soaked in water or milk, place on paper towels to absorb excess moisture.
Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add cutlets and brown on both sides. Remove cutlets from pan and keep warm.
To the pan drippings, add Grand Marnier, orange juice and jelly. Mix well, using a whisk if necessary, and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute. Add orange sections and heat through. Spoon sauce with orange sections over meat. Garnish with parsley.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Recipe adapted from White House Cookbook by Hugo Ziemann (steward in the Grover Cleveland White House) and by F.L. Gillette
Venison Meatloaf
1 pound ground venison 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped celery 1 egg 1/2 cup bread crumbs 1 cup stewed tomatoes
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Transfer mixture to a medium loaf pan. Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until cooked through. Do not overcook. Makes 4 generous servings.
Venison Chili
1 pound ground venison 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 (16-ounce) can Mexicanflavored beans 1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans 1 (16-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, optional 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon paprika
Coat a large skillet or cooking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Add ground venison and cook until all pink is gone. Watching carefully, continue cooking until the meat “toasts” slightly on bottom. Add onion and garlic; sprinkle with salt and cook until onion is slightly wilted. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir until combined. Add beans and tomatoes and enough water to reach desired consistency. Stir in chili powder and paprika. Cook slowly until flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Makes about 6 servings.
Pan-Fried Venison
Steaks With Gravy
1 pound venison steaks Salt and ground black pepper Vegetable oil for frying Flour for gravy 2 cups milk OR water for gravy Cooked rice, for serving
If steaks have been soaked in saltwater and milk, drain and pat dry with paper towels before continuing.
Sprinkle cutlets or steaks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet (large enough to hold all of the steaks at once), heat oil until medium-hot, add cutlets and cook until brown on both sides.
Remove cutlets from pan, add 2 tablespoons flour to oil remaining in the pan (add more oil if needed to mix thoroughly with flour) and cook until flour browns slightly. Stir in milk or water, whisking until smooth. Add more if necessary to reach desired consistency. Serve cutlets over cooked rice and drizzle with gravy.
Makes about 4 servings.
