Hank Shaw's Blog, page 79

Tools for Home Butchering

I recently did a survey on Facebook to see how many of you butcher your own game at home, and I was surprised how many of you do. That makes me really happy! So I thought I'd share my own set up and tools I use now that we're deep into deer season.

In Defense of the Chicken

I did something the other day that I rarely ever do: I bought meat. Specifically, I bought a chicken. I view it as an almost political act. Americans have been brainwashed into believing that cheap chicken is a God-given right. It isn't. It's a horrible disservice to the chicken, the farmer and the consumer.

Honey Mustard Duck Wings

Football food, people. Or party appetizers, whatever. Honey mustard wings are addictive and will make you save the wings on your ducks and pheasants forever more...

Italian Giblet Bolognese

Nothing is wasted in classical Italian cuisine, including the giblets of birds. This is a venerable variant of the traditional Bolognese sauce made with the hearts, livers and gizzards of ducks or chickens. A great use for giblets -- and an easy one to serve the skeptical.

Venison with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Caramelized onions make any dish they appear in better. This recipe is no exception: Big venison steaks, onions and seared hen-of-the-woods mushrooms are autumn on a plate.

Duck Stir Fry with Scallions

This is a classic Chinese stir fry with easy-to-find ingredients that I make with wild duck or goose -- specifically snow geese, sea ducks or divers. Yes, you can eat them and in this recipe you'd never know they're not "good ducks."

Paw Paw Ice Cream

Paw paws, the Hoosier banana, custard apple or Indiana banana. America's largest native fruit, is indeed a little bit like a banana -- and it makes a great ice cream.

Venison Tenderloin with Blueberry Sauce

Pairing venison with fruit is an age-old thing, and blueberry or huckleberries are a particularly good match. This recipe is an Icelandic version that is not sweet at all. The blueberries are balanced with mushrooms and wine to make a really classy yet easy dish.

Repetition, Flaws, Nuance

The process of coming up with recipes for this site isn't always an easy one. Working with wild ingredients is very different from using standardized, store-bought stuff. It can be maddening, but when the recipes work, it's all that much better.

Venison Carbonnade

Belgian carbonnade flamande is one of that nation's great gifts to world cuisine. It's a dark, rich stew or braise that has a hint of sweet-sour-salty-spicy going on -- and it's fantastic with deer, elk or moose.