So you’ve got 250lbs of moose or up to 500lbs of bison in your freezer? You’d better hope the family likes the first dish you prepare, because there’s a lot more where that came from. Most of the problems with wild meat go back to how it died and how it was dealt with from field to freezer. Proper field-care is vital for good tasting game-meat. A number of problems are due to overcooking and a few are psychological—”Oh, I couldn’t possible eat a wild animal!”
First of all you, must realize that wild game is not factory-farmed beef, with it’s fat marbled through the muscles and high chemical content. Wild game is very lean, and the fat is around and between the muscles, not in them. As a result, it needs to be cooked at higher heat for a shorter time, as it quickly dries out and gets tough.
Roasts on the Barbecue
My experience is with a two-burner barbecue— fancier barbecues with multiple burners will have to be experimented with, but the process is the same in that you heat-up the barbecue with all burners and then shut off one side. The “off” side is where you place the roast. It can be marinated in advance if you wish. On the hot side , place a medium-sized stainless steel bowl or a smaller cast-iron pot or fry pan. This container holds the secret to success. Fill or partly fill the bowl/pot on the hot side (it can be replenished as it evaporates) with any of the following or a combination thereof: a soft drink (ginger-ale, coke, etc.) juice (orange, grape, apple, etc.), red or white wine (thinned with water if it’s scarce) or beer. This liquid will boil away and in doing so it glazes and keeps moist the roast on the cool side of the barbecue.
Cooking time is of course affected by temperature, but I have found that 40-50 minutes has a roast for three people done medium to medium-rare. This formula can also be used for separated goose or duck breasts and of course for domestic meat and fowl.
See below for marinade suggestions.
Wild Game Stir-Fry
Use a more tender cut for this OR pound the stir fry strips as you would when making schnitzel or cutlets.
Cut meat into stir fry pieces three to four days before the meal is to be served. Use a minimal amount of marinade (just enough to coat, not float) in a Ziploc bag. They don’t usually leak but putting the bag in a bowl will prevent a big mess. Over the next few days, every time you open the fridge pick the bag up, knead it and turn it over back into the bowl.
Take the bagged meat out of the fridge a number of hours before cooking to get it to room temperature. When it’s time (considering whenever the veggies, rice, potatoes, or whatever else you’re cooking will be done,) heat to very hot, your cast-iron (preferably) or other fry pan and then just dump the contents of the Zip-Loc (with the minimal marinade) into the fry pan and stir like crazy with a wooden spoon or flat front tool. Keep stirring for no more than 2-3 minutes than put a lid on the pan and immediately shut off the heat. It will be ready in 4-5 more minutes or less.
Any leftovers will be even more tender the next day.
Marinade suggestions
Any commercial marinade will work as long as it is oil-based.
Olive oil with fresh or minced garlic
Zesty Italian salad dressing will never let you down. You can use any other salad dressing that you like.
It’s all easy to do and everyone will enjoy it. Try it, you’ll like it.
