Venison Workshop this Weekend! (and meatball recipe)

Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension is hosting a venison and meat preparation workshop on Saturday, March 10^th from 10AM-noon in their conference room located in Waterloo (308 Main Street Shop Center, 3^rd floor). Venison is a healthy, lean source of protein that is very tasty if properly prepared. Seneca County and the surrounding Finger Lakes area have abundant populations of white tail deer to hunt. If you love eating venison or if you have had an unpleasant experience eating venison and have the notion that the meat is gamey or tough (or others in your family feel this way), then this hands on workshop is for you! Learn ways to tenderize deer meat with proper marinades, cooking methods, and meat preparation. We will also discuss the important science behind safely canning meat and making jerky. Learning to safely can animal products is a great solution to limited freezer space when considering buying local meat or hunting.

Participants will learn how to can meat and also taste samples during this hands-on workshop. They will also receive a recipe book. Space is limited and advanced registration is required, so please call Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension to register: 315-539-9251

Below is a recipe that will be sampled at the workshop.

Venison Meatballs

1 lb ground venison

2 eggs, stirred

6 T. grated parmesan cheese

½ cup breadcrumbs or quick oats

1 or 2 T. olive oil

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 T. Italian seasonings (thyme, oregano, basil)

1 clove minced garlic

¼ cup minced onion (optional)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Form into 1½ inch meatballs.

Lightly oil a large, heavy skillet or use a non-stick sauté pan and cook the meatballs over medium heat until brown and cooked through, turning frequently. About 15 minutes. The meatballs can also be cooked in the oven at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.

Enjoy your meatballs with your favorite sauce or in a sandwich.

Scooby Snacks

Here is a goose treat the whole family will enjoy. Julie, who supplied the recipe, says this is her kids' favorite kind of meat. So, with a few days left of the waterfowl season (except for snow geese), try to get down some geese.

Scooby Snacks

1 lb of goose breast meat, sliced into thin strips

1-2 cups Chiavetta's Marinade or other vinegary marinade

1 T. olive oil

1/2 cup flour (optional)

Place thinly sliced, skinless goose meat in a glass or ceramic bowl or pan. Pour in marinade and turn to evenly coat the goose pieces. Let this marinate for 15 minutes to overnight (this marinade is strong and will be very vinegary if you leave the meat in it for more than a few hours). Put the olive oil in a large fry pan over medium high heat. You may lightly dust the meat with the flour, shaking off excess flour. Pan fry the goose (either lightly floured or not) in the hot olive oil for a few minutes until the meat is cooked through and lightly browned. You can eat these up as snacks for the whole family or as part of a meal.

Duck Kabobs

Youth days for waterfowl season were last weekend October 8-9. If your junior hunter connected with any ducks over the weekend or you're just looking forward to the regular season, which opens October 22nd, try this simple recipe sure to please everyone.

Grilled Duck and Veggie Kabobs

recipe adapted and photo from allrecipes.com

4 skinned, boned duck breasts

2 yellow squash

2 cups of broccoli

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

8 presoaked wooden or metal skewers

Marinade:

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cut the duck breast into 2" pieces. Mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the duck pieces in the marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Wash the vegetables and cut the squash and broccoli into 2" pieces, making sure there is room to put the skewer through. Toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

When the meat is done marinading, thread the meat and vegetables onto the skewer, allow 1/4 - 1/2" space between the vegetables and the meat. Grill the skewers over medium high heat until vegetables have a slight char and meat is cooked through, about 3 minutes a side. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve hot.

Teriyaki Goose Salad

Early season for Canada goose has just ended and will open again on October 22. Marinades are a good call for goose breast to help tenderize the meat and to enhance the flavor. Goose is an excellent source of iron.

photo from:©

© bev edukabc, Georgia, October 2008

Teriyaki Goose Salad

1 lb. goose breast meat

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1-2 T. rice wine vinegar or sherry

1 T. minced fresh ginger ( or 1 t. powdered)

1 T. minced garlic

1-2 T. brown sugar

cayenne pepper to taste

10 oz. mixed greens (salad lettuces)

2 T. slivered almonds

3/4 cup mandarin orange slices or sliced plums

2 T. Asian flavored salad dressing

To make the teriyaki marinade: mix olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar (or sherry), ginger, garlic, brown sugar and pinch of cayenne in a small glass or ceramic bowl (not metal), using a whisk or fork to combine ingredients well. If using a whole goose breast, pierce the meat all over with a fork and then place it in the teriyaki marinade or you can thin slice the goose and place it in the marinade. The meat can marinate for as little as an hour (turning the meat over a few times) or as long as a day or two in the refrigerator (again turn the meat a few times during the marinating process).

After desired amount of marinating time, remove the meat from the marinade. If using a whole breast, grill, pan fry or broil the goose meat for 5-8 minutes a side. The meat should be medium rare or medium, as it will get tough if cooked longer than this. After cooking, let the whole breast rest a few minutes and then cut the meat into slices. If using goose slices straight from the marinade, pan fry for a few minutes until meat is cooked to medium rare or medium.

Place the cooked goose on the greens with the fruit, nuts, and dressing and gently toss the salad to combine the ingredients.

Serves 3-4.

Season opened for Bass fishing June 18th

Bass season opened the 3rd Saturday in June with a limit of five per day and only keeping those 12 inches or longer. The Finger Lakes have some of the best large mouth black bass fishing in the state! Here is a recipe adapted from Epicurious.com that impressively cooks the whole fish:

Black Bass with Ginger, Cilantro and Scallions

1 (3-lb) whole black bass( large or small mouth)cleaned, leaving head and tail intact
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bunch scallions, white and pale green parts cut into very thin 2-inch strips and greens reserved separately
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 T. light soy sauce
1-2 T. white wine or sake
1/4 t. sugar

Special equipment: a large shallow baking dish (about 15 by 10 inches) to fit inside a 17- by 12- by 2 1/2-inch roasting pan; heavy-duty foil;

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Put baking dish in roasting pan.

Rinse fish and pat dry, then rub inside and out with salt. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with scallion strips (white and pale green) ginger and cilantro.

Stir together soy sauce, wine and sugar until sugar is dissolved, then pour over fish. Add enough boiling-hot water to roasting pan (note: not the same pan that the fish is in!) to reach halfway up side of baking dish. Oil a large sheet of heavy-duty foil, then tent foil (oiled side down) over fish and tightly seal around roasting pan. Carefully transfer roasting pan to oven and bake until fish is just cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.

While fish bakes, cut enough scallion greens diagonally into very thin slices to measure 1/2 cup (any remainder can be saved for another use).

Just before serving, remove foil from fish very carefully. Gently transfer fish intact to a serving dish and sprinkle with scallion greens. Serves 8 family style.

National Lake Trout Derby, Seneca Lake, NY

This weekend is the National Lake Trout Derby held every year on Seneca Lake. Cash prizes are given for the largest Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, and land-locked Salmon. More information can be found on the National Lake Trout Derby website.

Grilling is a great way to enjoy these delicious, healthy, fish species. Simply place skinless, boneless trout fillets in your favorite citrus flavored marinade for about 10 minutes while your grill is heating up. Grill the fillets either on foil or in a fish pan (so they don't fall through the grill rack) for about 5 minute per side or until cooked through and flake easily with a fork. You can brush more of the marinade on as you grill.

Happy fishing!

Italian Venison Burgers

It is time to start thinking about the outdoor adventure of grilling! Venison steaks are excellent on the grill, but they are best if the meat has time to tenderize in a marinade for a few days. If you want to grill tonight, try these Italian flavored burgers....

Italian Venison Burgers

1 pound ground venison, thawed
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup green olives, chopped
1-2 T. olive oil
1-2 t. Italian seasoning
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together and form into 4 hamburger patties. Grill until desired temperature. USDA recommends to cook the meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. To test the temperature, insert a meat thermometer sideways into the burger.

Snow Geese

Hunting is encouraged for snow geese in New York state with the season extended until April 15, a bag limit of 25 per day, and no possession limit! According the the NYS DEC, there is an overabundance of Snow Geese on the Atlantic Flyway, increasing from about 50,000 birds in the 1960's to over a million birds in recent years. The overabundance of snow geese is detrimental to fragile habitats. Thousands of geese can be found in Seneca County fields. So, stock up the larder and help with conservation efforts!
(photo courtesy of Keith Tidball)

BBQ Goose

breast meat from 1 goose, about 2 lbs, boneless and skinless
1-2 T. of olive oil or butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2-4 cups apple juice or chicken stock
favorite barbecue sauce

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and brown the goose breasts for a few minutes on each side. Transfer to a slow cooker and add the onion, garlic, and enough juice or stock to cover the meat. Simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours. This can also be done in a dutch oven or braising pan placed in the oven at 300 degrees for 3+ hours (make sure the liquid does not cook off). The meat should be tender and easily shredded when done. Remove the goose meat from the pan and shred the meat. Discard the cooking liquid. Mix the goose meat with your favorite BBQ sauce and heat through. Great for sandwiches. Should serve about 8.

Corned Goose

The second half of waterfowl season is in full swing until January 9th in Seneca County. There is a daily limit of 3 Canada Geese and 25 Snow Geese per day (hunting of this species is obviously encouraged, and you can read more about this in an earlier post, "Snow Geese Abound"). What to do with all this goose meat? You can freeze some for later use with a vacuum sealer or butcher paper, smoke some, make jerky, and you can corn it, along with many other possibilities. Corning meat is a relatively simple process, consisting of placing the meat in a brining solution, similar to preparing meat for smoking, though for a longer period of time, about 5-7 days, and then slow cooking the meat in water for 3-5 hours with or without cabbage. Here is the recipe...

Corned Goose (or venison)

4 goose breast pieces (from 2 birds) or a 3-5 lb venison roast

2 quarts water

1/2 cup canning or pickling salt

1/2 cup tender quick salt (this is a curing salt which contains nitrates and should not be substituted for food safety reasons, color and taste. A common brand is Morten Tender Quick)

5-6 whole peppercorns or 1 T. cracked black pepper

3 T. sugar

2-3 T. pickling spice

6 crushed garlic cloves

1 T. thyme (optional)

1 t. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Bring the water, salt, sugar, and spices to a boil for a few minutes (all of the ingredients except the goose!) and then remove from heat and allow to return to room temperature or colder. Place the boneless, skinless goose breasts in a glass, ceramic or plastic container that is large enough to hold the goose with a few inches of head space. Do not use a metal container. Pour the cooled brining liquid over the goose meat to cover it. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, turning the meat occasionally. Remove the goose meat from the brine and cook it in a crock pot or dutch oven by covering the meat with clean water and allowing it to simmer for 3-5 hours until tender. Cut it into thin slices for serving with mustard or sauerkraut.

Note: The same recipe can be used for a 3-5 pound venison roast.

Tomorrow is the last day for Deer in Seneca County

photo courtesy of Keith G. Tidball

Tomorrow (December 21) is the last day to take a deer with a muzzle loader or bow in Seneca County.

The snowy, winter weather is perfect for enjoying venison stew which can also be made in a crock pot. Hopefully you have had a productive and memorable big game season this year.

Venison Stew

1.5 lb cubed venison meat (can cube a steak or roast if you do not have stew meat packaged)

6 medium potatoes washed and cut in half or quartered

1 medium onion, diced

1 c. diced carrot (large chunks or can use "baby" carrots)

1 c. diced celery

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 T. olive oil

1/4 cup flour (optional to season the flour with salt and pepper)

1 T. Italian season

salt and pepper to taste

1 t. Worcestershire sauce (optional)

1 T. balsamic vinegar (optional)

1.5 cups dry red wine or 12oz. of dark beer

1 can (about 14.5 oz) canned tomatoes (diced or whole)

4 T. fresh chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees or turn on your crock pot. In a suitable braising pan (i.e. a deep pan with an oven-proof lid, such as a dutch oven) heat the 3 T. of olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile lightly flour the venison cubes. Brown the floured venison cubes in the oil until nicely browned on all sides about 3-5 minutes. Remove venison from the pan and set aside on a plate. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and seasonings to the pan and gently brown your veggies for about 3 minutes. Add the wine, Worcestershire and vinegar to the pan and gently scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Turn off burner. Add potatoes and tomatoes and add venison meat back into the pan. Gently stir all ingredients to combine and season with salt and pepper (about 1tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper) and parsley (optional). Cover the braising dish and place in oven for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the meat is tender.

If using a crock pot: flour and brown the meat in the olive oil as explained above. Place browned meat in a crock pot. Add the wine or beer to the pan that the meat was browned in and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add this to the crock pot along with the remaining ingredients and leave it to cook all day (4 -5 hours on high setting or 8+ hours on low).

Pheasants until December 31

The hunting season is in full swing in Seneca County. If you have already tagged a big buck and/or have venison for the freezer, it could be fun to go out for pheasant. NYS DEC has some great information on the history of pheasant hunting, along with the regulations. Wild populations of pheasant can be hard to find, yet there are a few game preserves in the area that offer pheasant hunts, such as Whispering Pines.

Earlier in the season, a group of youth hunters went on a pheasant hunt and were then taught how to clean their birds and prepare "Pheasant Fingers". To read more about this hunt and see photos from the day's event go to Kuneytown Sportsmens Club website.

Here is the recipe for

Pheasant Fingers

2 T. flour
1-2 t. Cajun seasoning
1 lb. boneless, skinless pheasant breast cut into 3/4" strips
1 1/2 cups corn flake cereal
2 eggs

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet. Place flour and Cajun seasoning in resealable plastic bag. Place pheasant (3 to 4 strips at a time) in bag. Seal and shake to coat pheasant. Remove pheasant and lay on a plate. Place corn flakes in plastic bag and gently crush the cereal until you have finely crushed corn flakes. For "hot" fingers add 1/2 T. of Cajun seasoning. Lightly beat 2 eggs and place in shallow pan. Dip floured pheasant strips in egg and then place in corn flake bag and shake to coat pheasant evenly with corn flakes. Place pheasant on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until baked through and crispy on outside. Enjoy with your favorite barbecue sauce for dipping.

Ruffed Grouse opens Oct 1!

Ruffed grouse season opens October 1st in Seneca County, and is already open in northern New York (i.e. Tug Hill and ADK's). According to NY DEC information on grouse hunting, "Each fall in New York about 75,000 hunters take to the field in pursuit of ruffed grouse making them the second most popular game bird behind wild turkeys. Despite declines in their numbers over the past 40 years, ruffed grouse are still common, particularly in younger forests, and provide excellent hunting opportunities." Grouse hunters are encouraged to participate in a Cooperator Ruffed Grouse Hunting Log and Ruffed Grouse Drumming Survey, both conducted through DEC, to help monitor grouse populations in the state. The Ruffed Grouse Society also has a wealth of information on the species.

Ruffed grouse have been called "Wild Chicken of the Adirondacks" or "road chicken" and indeed you can substitute wild caught grouse in most chicken recipes. Grouse roasts nicely and can also be sauteed (think Grouse Marsala). Keep in mind that grouse has less fat than domesticated chicken and is smaller, so cooking time may vary from a chicken recipe. Chicken recipes that cook with liquid (braising or sauces) are often a good way to cook grouse to insure moistness. The following recipe brings out all of the delicious flavor of grouse...

Braised Grouse with Bacon and Sage

4 boneless, skinless grouse breast halves

8 slices bacon

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup chopped shallot (or 1/4 cup red onion)

4 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon chopped sage

ground black or white pepper to taste

3 Tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large, oven-proof skillet (i.e cast iron fry pan) fry the bacon until almost crisp but not overly browned, over medium-high heat. Remove bacon and set aside. Leave 1-2 Tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the pan and discard the rest. Place the grouse breasts in the pan and brown them quickly, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the grouse from the skillet and wrap each grouse breast with 2 pieces of bacon, securing them with a toothpick if necessary. Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and scrape up any bits off the bottom of the skillet with a wooden utensil. Remove from heat and add the grouse back to the pan. Place the oven-proof skillet in the preheated oven and roast uncovered for 45 minutes. When done, remove the grouse from the pan and keep warm on a separate plate loosely covered with aluminum foil. Put the skillet on a burner over medium heat and whisk the flour into the pan juices, stirring constantly until thickened. Serve the pan gravy over the grouse breasts. This dish tastes excellent over wild rice. Serves 4.

If you have favorite grouse recipes of your own, please share them by posting a comment!

Venison "Veal" Cutlets

It is that time of year to clean out the freezer and look ahead to (hopefully) filling it back up with the bounty of the fall hunting season. Venison steaks and chops are excellent when marinated and grilled (stick to medium or medium rare for tenderness sake), but for a change of pace, you could also make venison "veal" cutlets. These tender morsels can be eaten simply or interchanged with any veal recipe, such as venison veal parmesan, venison veal marsala, venison veal piccata, etc)

VENISON VEAL CUTLETS

1 pound venison steak or chops

1/2 c. onion, sliced

1/2 c. fresh herbs such as parsley, rosemary, thyme or 2 T. dried Italian seasoning

1 qt water

2-4 T. salt

1 egg, stirred

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. seasoned bread crumbs

1-2 T. olive oil

Starting in the morning, cut the venison into pieces about the size of a deck of cards (chop size). Then pound the venison until they are about 1/4 inch thick, using a meat mallet (tenderizer). In a glass baking dish mix 2 cups of cold water with 1 T. of salt, a shake of black pepper, the onion and herbs. Place the pounded venison cutlets in the water and place in the refrigerator. Drain and change the salted water at least every hour (every half hour for the first 2 hours is even better). The venison will start to lose it's red color and become pale and tender like veal. It is best to have all day for this process, but it can be achieved in 3-4 hours. Once the venison has transformed into veal-like qualities, you can cook it cutlet style...place milk in one bowl, the mixed egg in another, and the seasoned bread crumbs in a third bowl or plate (no need for more salt because of the salted water brine). Heat 1-2 T. of olive oil in a fry pan. Place each cutlet first in the milk, then egg, and then coat with bread crumbs. Fry in the olive oil 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. These are delicious hot out of the pan with just a squirt of lemon and parsley or you can proceed from here to make venison parmesan, etc. Venison meat tends to have far fewer calories and fat than veal. Enjoy!

Red, White, and Blue 4th of July Venison Burgers!

In celebration of the 4th of July, try this "Red, White, and Blue" burger...sure to be a crowd pleaser. The "red" is from sun dried tomatoes, the "blue" is blue cheese and the "white" is white tailed deer. Hopefully you have some ground venison in your freezer, but if not, you can get some from a local butcher or substitute with grass-fed beef.

Recipe was developed by Cagey T.
















Red, White, and Blue Venison Burger

1.5 lbs. ground venison meat
1/2 cup diced sweet onion, such as vidalia, red, or shallot
1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 egg or just egg white
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp parsley flakes)
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and form into 6 hamburger patties. Grill patties until cooked through. You can top patties with additional blue cheese and chives. It is important to not over cook venison or it will dry out due to it's lack of fat, which also makes it a healthy choice of meat! Serves 6.

Let's hear it for the Red, White, and Blue: Spring Turkey opens May 1st!

New York State is one of the top turkey hunting states in the East. The spring seasons lasts from May 1 until May 31st with hunting in the mornings (1/2 hour before sunrise until noon) and a 2 tom limit for the season (as in, a bearded turkey...a jake will do, but no hens). To get more information about Wild Turkey hunting, including harvesting information and safety, look at the NY State DEC website.

Wild turkeys were nearly extinct in New York State a hundred years ago due to habitat loss and over hunting, but with proper management, they have made an incredible recovery. More can be read about this interesting history in NYS DEC's "Wild Turkey Management Plan". The plan outlines the history of wild turkeys in the state and their re-establishment. The Wild Turkey Management Plan also states, "Now that the wild turkey has been restored to New York State, our goal is to ensure that a vigorous, self-sustaining population is maintained in all suitable habitats of the State. Furthermore, turkeys will be managed to best meet the needs and desires of the people of the State of New York, using the steps outlined in this plan." In managing New York’s wild turkey resource, DEC focuses on four primary areas; Monitoring and Protecting the Wild Turkey Population; Public Use and Enjoyment of the Wild Turkey; Turkey Nuisance and Damage Management; Information and Outreach. Thanks to proper management wild turkey can be on the dinner table in Seneca County!

I have found the easiest way to prepare a turkey is by breasting it. Lay the turkey on its back, and cut a small incision along the top of the breast bone just long enough to be able to grab the skin to pull it back. The skin with the feathers should easily pull away from the breast meat. Once the breast meat is exposed, carefully run your knife (a fillet or boning knife works well) along the breast bone and ribs until the breast is cut free. Be careful not to cut the crop which is located at the top of the breast bones (inside the v shape) and can be a bit stinky. There are a few useful videos of turkey breasting posted on You Tube (use your discretion, I am not endorsing this particular video or any of them). There will be a lot of meat with each breast which can be used in any turkey breast recipe, and the flavor will be more intense and delicious. If you wrap the meat in butcher paper it will keep in the freezer for a good six months (until Thanksgiving). Often there are some scraps of meat still on the bird after the breasts are removed, including some thigh and leg meat which can be tough if traditionally cooked as whole pieces. I remove any remaining white pieces of meat and choice pieces of leg meat to use for the following recipe....

Wild Turkey with Sherry and Broccoli

1 lb turkey,wild caught (cooked pieces)

1 bunch broccoli, washed and chopped

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1.5 cup skim milk

.5 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sherry wine

2 t. worcestershire sauce

2 T. grated parmesan cheese

If starting with raw turkey pieces, saute turkey pieces in a greased (either with cooking spray or a little olive oil) fry pan over medium heat until just cooked through (about 5 minutes). Cook broccoli either in microwave or steamer until barely tender (about 3-4 minutes). Arrange the broccoli on the bottom of a greased casserole (or 9x11 inch) dish and then layer the cooked turkey meat on top of the broccoli. Meanwhile heat butter in sauce pan over medium heat and add the flour. Stir and cook about 2 minutes to form a roux (a paste). Gradually stir in milk and chicken broth and cook until sauce thickens. This may take 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste, then add sherry wine. Cook 1 minute longer. Pour the sauce over the turkey and broccoli. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese (and some parsley flakes, if you have them). Bake in a 400 degree oven for 2o minutes. Serves 4. This recipe is very tasty served over wild rice. Wild turkey has less fat and more protein than traditional birds bought from the grocer and typically has more polyunsaturated (good) fat and less saturated fat. The attached nutrition label is based on farm turkey, so the fat and protein content will be slightly different using wild turkey (a healthier difference).

Trout Season Open

(Photo from NYS DEC website)

Trout fishing opened on April 1st. To get up to date information on the fishing, check out the DEC Central NY Fishing Hotline.

The weather has been gorgeous and perfect for outdoor grilling. Here is a simple grilled trout recipe...

Grilled Trout

4-five to six ounce trout fillets

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. olive or canola oil

1T. fresh dill, chopped (or 1 t. dried dill)

1T. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 t. dried parsley)

salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 t. each)

Mix lemon juice, oil, herbs and seasoning in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Add the trout fillets to this mixture, being sure to coat both sides of the fish. Meanwhile light the grill. Oil the grill or grill pan before cooking the fish. Cook the fish about 2 minutes per side over moderate heat, or until opaque. Serve with fresh lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Snow Geese Abound!

The Snow Geese have arrived, and there are thousands of them in the county! New York State DEC has once again implemented a special snow goose season from March 11-April 15, 2010 with a daily bag limit of 15 Snows. This is a conservation effort to control the number of Snow Geese which have grown significantly over the past 50 years and are damaging the arctic tundra where they breed. You can read more about this at NYS DEC and get information on the hunting regulations. Also, the Artic Goose Joint Venture (AGJV) is a multi-agency partnership between the federal governments of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, along with some States, Provinces and Ducks Unlimited, that was established to further understand and manage North America's geese. AGJV has a great website, including a snow goose cookbook!

Here is a simple crock pot recipe for BBQ Snow Goose;

Pulled BBQ Goose

boneless, skinless breast from 1 snow goose

cold water

2 Tbsp, plus 2Tbsp salt

bottle of favorite BBQ sauce

Dissolve 2 Tbsp of salt in 2 quarts of cold water in a glass, plastic or ceramic bowl (not metal). Place the snow goose breasts in the water and gently knead the meat to remove blood, feathers, shot, etc. Rinse the meat and set aside. Add 2 quarts fresh, cold water to the bowl along with another 2 Tbsp of salt. Add the meat and put in the refrigerator to brine the meat for about 4 hours or overnight (this step is optional). Rinse the goose and cut into thin strips. Put goose meat in a crock pot and add enough BBQ sauce to coat and/or cover the meat. Stir to combine and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. You can serve the goose meat on whole wheat rolls as a sandwich or over noodles or rice. Serves 4-6. Each serving of meat has about 180 calories and 3.5 g of fat (no saturated!).

(note: source of snow goose photo was the National Fish and Wildlife Service, National Digital Library)

Ice Fishing- Perch

Ice fishing is on in Seneca County! Watch an ice fishing clip, get some basic know-how tips, and find ice fishing regulations from NYS DEC. There are many informal reports of nice size perch coming out of the frozen north end of Cayuga Lake. There is a daily limit of 50 yellow perch and no size regulations, though it is tough to get a boneless fillet off the small perch. The sweet flesh makes up for the time consuming filleting!

Here is a healthy version of "fried" perch...

Parmesan Perch Fries

1 lb of boneless perch fillets (could be 6+ fish)

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 tsp parsley flakes

dash of salt to taste or Old Bay seasoning

1 T. olive oil

Rinse perch fillets. Put milk in a small bowl or dish. Mix cheese and seasonings (except oil) on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Heat olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Place perch fillets in milk and then coat them individually with the cheese "breading". Place parmesan crusted fillets in hot oil and brown about 3 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. Serves 2-4 people.

Squirrel Fricassee

If you are looking for a diversion from deer hunting, and since the waterfowl is a bit scarce, then why not consider some squirrel? I must confess, I was a bit skeptical about squirrel consumption at first, but having tried some recipes to post here, I have to say, it is mighty tasty! It is also a perfect way to get youth excited about bringing game to the table. Here is a tried and true recipe from a local ag leader...

Mike's Squirrel Fricassee

4 squirrels
2 cups flour
1-2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
Olive oil for frying
2 large onions, chopped fine
8 tsp lemon juice
6 cups chicken broth or consumme
4 bay leaves


• Cut squirrel into serving pieces. (3 pieces/animal, 2 thighs and mid section)
• Rub seasoning into meat.
• Roll meat in the flour and fry until brown in hot oil in a large heavy skillet.
• Place browned meat pieces in a large glass casserole dish.
• Add onion and remaining flour to left over oil and brown.
• When onion and flour are brown, add chicken broth or cosumme to make gravy.
• Pour gravy over the meat pieces in the casserole dish, enough to just cover the meat.
• Add lemon juice and bay leaves and bake @ 300 F for 2 to 2.5 hours (until meat is tender).
• Serve over rice or whipped potatoes

Venison steaks! Tomorrow is opening day for Deer (gun) in Seneca County

Here is tried and true way to make venison steaks....

Swiss-steak Style Venison
1 lb. venison steak or boneless chops
1/4 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion (about 1/2 cup), chopped
1 clove of minced garlic (1-2 tsp)
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped peppers
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 pint diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 tsp Italian seasoning or a mix of oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, etc.
salt and pepper to taste

Flour the venison steak and pound with a meat mallet until about 1/4-1/2" thickness. In a large braising pan or cast iron skillet(properly seasoned, of course)heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the steaks and cook about 3 minutes until well browned. Flip and brown the other side. Remove the meat and set aside on a plate. Add the onion, carrot, pepper, mushroom, garlic and 1 tsp herbs to the skillet. Saute the veggies 3-5 minutes. Push the veggies aside, put the steaks back in the pan, and arrange veggies around and on top of the meat. Mix the other 1 tsp herbs with the tomatoes and pour on top of the meat and vegetables. Cover pan and cook in a 325 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Serves 4. Can be served over brown rice or whole grain noodles with a side salad for a balance, nutritious meal!