Wild Game Recipes

Finished duck a l'orange recipe on the plate
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

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About | Pointers | Recipes | Sauces, Sous Vide, Bierocks

ABOUT

I have found no real comprehensive source of wild game recipes on the internet, so for the past 12 years, I have been creating one here. It has taken more than a decade to build, but there are almost 1000 recipes for wild game meat in this collection so far, and I am not even close to being done.

You will find recipes for pretty much every animal in North America that has a season and a bag limit, as well as some that don’t, like jackrabbits.

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POINTERS

A few pointers first. Wild game meat, strictly speaking, means meat that is hunted or trapped, ideally by a licensed hunter following all the legal rules. But, other meats are considered “game meats,” which is slightly different. For example, a deer someone hunted is wild game. Venison you bought at Whole Foods or wherever is not; it is, however a game meat. All wild game is “game meat,” but not all game meats are wild game. Got it?

When it comes to venison, I am referring to all similar meats, so not only any deer, but also elk, moose, antelope, wild sheep, mountain goats, etc. All are very similar in the kitchen.

Chances are if you are on this page looking for wild game recipes, you will want to know how to deal with its stronger flavors. Here is what you need to know about gamey meat.

Browse around. And if you don’t find what you are looking for, don’t hesitate to give me suggestions. I am always on the lookout for new wild game recipes.

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RECIPES

Here are the categories I’ve developed over the years:

Slicing smoked venison on a cutting board.

Venison Recipes

This is where all my recipes for deer, elk, antelope, moose, caribou, bison, etc, live. Everything from backstraps to burger, with substitutions for domestic beef, lamb and goat, too.

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slow roast duck recipe

Duck Recipes and Goose Recipes

Recipes for all sorts of waterfowl (mostly ducks and geese), with dishes that use everything from skinless breasts to giblets and beyond.

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smoked pheasant on cutting board

Upland Game Bird Recipes

Here’s where you will find recipes for all the upland birds: pheasants, quail, wild turkeys, grouse, partridges and chukars, woodcock and snipe.

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Three bacon wrapped dove breasts on a plate.

Dove Recipes

There’s more to doves than poppers, and here’s where you will get all kinds of new ideas. I also love to hunt and eat pigeons, so you’ll find recipes for them here, too.

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Braised rabbit with garlic recipe

Rabbit, Hare and Squirrel Recipes

Some of my favorite wild game meats are these small animals, so I have lots of recipes for them here.

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Chopping up wild hog BBQ

Wild Pig and Bear Recipes

I try to shoot at least one wild pig a year, and every now and again we’ll get a black bear. Here’s were you’ll find my recipes for these critters. This is also where my recipes for domestic pork live.

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Other General Topics

chiltepin hot sauce recipe

Wild Game Sauces

Here’s where my compendium of sauces for wild game live. These are sauces that work for all sorts of wild game, from squirrel to pheasant to venison.

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Two sous vide machines, cooking potatoes.

Sous Vide and Wild Game

What you need to know about using this method of cooking when it comes to wild game. Short version: Sous vide can be useful, but it’s not a cure-all.

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A tray of bierocks, fresh out of the oven

Bierocks

Bierocks. Runzas. Kraut Burgers. Whatever you call them, these are amazing packets of wonderful. Use any meat, or even fish, to fill these rolls, and you have a great lunch in the field.

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