Venison
Yes, this is a generic name for a dish, but the exact veggies I used aren't the important part: The important part of this recipe is a Chinese cooking technique called "velveting." If you are a wild game cook, you need to learn this trick.
Ducks and Geese
Diver ducks have a reputation as smelly, fishy tasting birds. Sometimes that's true. But as I found out last week, even a clam-eating, saltwater duck can be magnificent at the table. Believe me, I am as shocked to write this as you are to hear it.
Italian
Sometimes you want a gentle hand when cooking rabbit. It is a delicate meat that can easily be overwhelmed by strong flavors. This Italian inspired recipe keeps things mellow to let the rabbit flavor shine. How? Don't brown the meat first.
Featured
I've seen a lot of hunters "breast out" a lot of birds this hunting season, leaving the legs and wings for the coyotes - or even just tossing them in the trash. It pains me to see this. It's my hope, in my own small way, to convince those hunters who do that to change their minds.
Wild Game
Behold the glory that is spickgans, a Pomeranian smoked goose breast that is at the pinnacle of German charcuterie. Goose, cured with juniper and black pepper and smoked over beech, oak or apple wood. The secret is in the shape, which makes it a delight to eat.
Venison
Forget hams and turkeys for Christmas. Roast a leg of venison instead. If you have a whole hind leg of a doe or small deer, this is a perfect recipe for the holidays. It's a lot like roasting a leg of lamb.
Recipe
Wiener schnitzel goes by many names, but whatever you call it, this is a bedrock recipe you need to know as a cook, whether you work with wild game or not. It's quick comfort food that can be made with an array of meats, ranging from pheasant and wild boar to veal, pork or chicken.
Wild Game
If there is one sauce you need to know as a wild game cook, it is Cumberland sauce. Savory, rich and a little sweet, it is a classic sauce for venison, duck, goose or any dark game meat. Learn this sauce by heart and you'll never go wrong.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
There are a few must-have dishes in Chinese-American cuisine. General Tso's chicken is one of them. Eating a plate of this is like eating crack: You will find yourself doing whatever it takes to eat more. You have been warned...
Recipe
Hasenpfeffer. It is an iconic German dish that few have ever eaten in the traditional way. For to be a true hasenpfeffer, you need a "hase," or hare. And while it's still good with rabbit, don't skip the semolina dumplings or you'll be sad.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Done right, smoked pheasant can be the finest expression of this bird at the table. Smokey, juicy and a little sweet from a maple glaze, it's a lot like those smoked turkeys you can buy for the holidays -- only with fewer leftovers. Here's how to do it.
Recipe
If you're having a quiet Thanksgiving, maybe just the two of you, you don't need a whole turkey. Instead, gently poach the turkey breast and serve it with a rich gravy made from turkey wings. And while I used wild turkey, any ole' gobbler will work.
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