Captain Chuck’s Favorite Venison Recipes

Corned Venison

• 2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons sugar-based curing mixture
• (such as Morton® Tender Quick®)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 1/2 teaspoons pickling spice
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 6 cups cold water
• 5 pounds boneless shoulder venison roast

PREPARING THE CORNED VENISON

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the curing mixture, brown sugar, pickling spice, and garlic powder; stir until dissolved then remove from the heat. Pour 6 cups of cold water into a 2-gallon container, and stir in the spice mixture. Place the boneless venison into the brine, cover and refrigerate.

Leave the venison in the refrigerator to brine for 5 days, turning the meat over every day.

To cook, rinse the meat well, place into a large pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 4 hours. Remove the venison from the pot, and allow to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

Venison with Blackberry Wine Sauce

• 2- tablespoons shallot, minced
• 1- teaspoon minced garlic
• 3- tablespoons blackberry jam
• 1- cup red wine
• 1- cup beef stock
• 1- tablespoon butter
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4- (1/2 pound) venison steaks
• 12- fresh blackberries

PREPARING THE VENISON

Heat shallots, garlic, blackberry jam, and red wine in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup of liquid, about 15 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve and set aside. Heat the beef broth in a separate skillet over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk the two reduced sauces together, and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the venison steaks until they are beginning to firm, and are hot and slightly pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (65 degrees C). Serve the steaks with the sauce and a few fresh blackberries.

Venison Burritos

• 1- 1/2 pounds boneless venison round steak
• 1- (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1- (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1- (15.25 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
• 1- (3 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed
• 8- (12 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 1- (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican cheese blend

PREPARING THE BURRITOS

Place the venison steaks into the bottom of a slow cooker; cover with the salsa. Discard half of the liquid from the black beans, and then pour the beans into the slow cooker along with the Mexicorn. Set the slow cooker on LOW, and cook 6 to 8 hours until the venison pulls apart easily with a fork.
Break up the meat into bite sized pieces, and then stir in the cream cheese cubes until melted. Place a tortilla onto your work surface, and then spoon some of the filling halfway between the bottom edge and the center of the tortilla. Flatten the filling into rectangle shape with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle some of the Mexican cheese blend over the filling. Fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling, and then fold in the left and right edges. Roll the burrito up to the top edge, forming a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Baked Venison Spaghetti

• 1- (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 2- tablespoons olive oil
• 1- pound cubed lean venison
• 1- small onion, diced
• 1- bell pepper, diced
• 1- (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2- (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1- teaspoon garlic salt
• 1- 1/2 teaspoons dried dill
• 1- 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
• 1- 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 4- ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARING THE SPAGHETTI

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Add venison and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion and green pepper; continue cooking until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and tomato sauce, season with garlic salt, dill, marjoram, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place drained pasta into prepared casserole dish and pour venison overtop. sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 25 minutes.

Mini Venison Burgers

• 1/2 pound ground venison
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1- cup chopped white mushrooms (about 3 ounces of mushrooms)
• 1- cup chopped apples (about 2 apples)
• 2- ounces blue cheese (or your choice of cheese)
• 16- mini-potato rolls (the dinner-roll size)

PREPARING THE VENISON BURGERS

Heat grill. Mix venison, pork, salt, pepper, mushrooms and patties. Grill to medium doneness and crumble blue cheese on top. Serve on potato rolls.

Johnny Marzzetti with Ground Venison

• 1- (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 1- tablespoon canola oil
• 1- pound ground venison
• 1- onion, chopped
• 1- green bell pepper, chopped
• 1- (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1- (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup water
• 1- teaspoon salt
• 1- teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1- (16 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese

PREPARING THE MARZZETTI

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a glass 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Add venison and cook, stirring to break apart, until browned and cooked. Drain off any excess oil, then stir in onion and green pepper. Cook for a few minutes until the onion softens, then stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and water until combined. Season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir together drained macaroni and tomato sauce and pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, then sprinkle evenly with shredded Cheddar cheese, and continue baking until the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 15 minutes.

Bulk Venison Breakfast Sausage

• 6- pounds ground venison
• 2- pounds ground pork
• 1/4 cup sugar-based curing mixture (such as Morton® Tender Quick®)
• 1- tablespoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1- tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3- tablespoons dried sage

PREPARING THE SAUSAGE

In a very large bowl or plastic tub, sprinkle the venison and pork with the curing mixture, pepper, pepper flakes, sugar, and sage. Mix very well to evenly incorporate everything. When working with large quantities of sausage, cook a small piece to make sure the seasoning is exactly how you like it. Divide into 1 pound portions and freeze.

Deer Venison Bologna

• 2- cups sugar-based curing mixture (such as Morton® Tender Quick®)
• 3- cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2- tablespoons monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• 2- teaspoons ground mace
• 2- teaspoons mustard powder
• 6- tablespoons coarse ground black pepper
• 6- tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 40- pounds ground venison
• 16- fluid ounces liquid smoke
• 1/2 hank 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch beef rounds casings

PREPARING THE BOLOGNA

Stir together the curing mixture, sugar, MSG, mace, mustard, ground pepper, pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Sprinkle over venison in a large mixing tub. Mix the spices into the meat, and then pour in the liquid smoke. Mix together by hand for several minutes until very well combined. Place into a non-reactive (glass or plastic) container, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours. Prepare casings according to note below, allow to soak overnight.

To stuff, cut off a 2-foot (60-centimeter) piece of casing, pinch out the water, and tie a knot at one end. Using a sausage stuffer or large funnel, fill the casing to within 4 inches of the end. Tie the open end close to the meat, so that the bologna is firm. Tie the two ends together to form a circle. Repeat with remaining casings and bologna.

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Bake the bologna in preheated oven until they reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C), about 2 hours. Once cooked, allow to cool, and refrigerate until cold. The bologna may be kept tightly wrapped in the freezer. To serve, cut through the casing lengthwise, and then slice the bologna into thin slices. Peel the casing off of the bologna slices and discard before eating.

Deer Venison Ribs

• 1- cup apple cider vinegar
• 1- (12 fluid ounce) bottle dark beer
• 3- celery ribs, chopped
• 3- carrots, chopped
• 3- chopped red bell peppers
• 1- head garlic, peeled
• 1- chopped onion
• 6- pounds venison ribs
• 2- tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARING THE RIBS

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Pour vinegar and beer into a large roasting pan. Add the celery, carrots, peppers, garlic, and onion. Rub the venison ribs with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Place ribs in roasting pan and cover with a tight fitting lid or aluminum foil.

Bake in preheated oven for 18 hours, or until the meat is falling off of the bone.

Venison Salisbury Steaks

• 1/4 cup oil
• 1- pound venison, cut into cubes
• 1- (16 ounce) package buttery round crackers, crushed fine
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• onion salt, or to taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2- cubes beef bouillon
• 1- cup boiling water
• 1- egg
• 1- medium onion, sliced
• 1- (4.5 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
• 1- tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water

PREPARING THE SALISBURY STEAKS

Heat oil in a heavy skillet, over medium to medium-high heat. In a large bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, garlic powder, onion salt, salt and pepper. Beat the egg in a small bowl.

Dip the venison cubes into the egg, then into the crumb mixture to coat. Fry in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the boiling water and pour into the pan. Add the onions and mushrooms. Lower heat, cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 15 minutes – add more water as needed. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, and stir into the sauce. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.

Venison Tips and Rice

• 1- tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1- pound venison stew meat
• 1- green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
• 1- red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
• 1- small onion, chopped
• 1- (6.8 ounce) package beef flavored rice mix

PREPARING THE VENISON TIPS

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the venison chunks, and cook until nicely browned on the outside and almost cooked through.

Prepare the beef flavored rice mix according to package directions. While the rice is cooking, add the venison, green pepper, red pepper and onion. Simmer until rice is done and peppers are tender.

Venison Summer Sausage

• 5- pounds ground venison
• 2- tablespoons sugar-based curing mixture (such as Morton® Tender Quick®)
• 2- teaspoons mustard seed
• 2- 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 2- 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1- teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

PREPARING THE SUMMER SAUSAGE

Place the venison in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the curing mixture, mustard seed, garlic salt, pepper, and liquid smoke. Mix well with your hands until the mixture is evenly blended and begins to stick together, about 2 minutes.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 days, mixing well each day.

Preheat an oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Divide the mixture into 5 one-pound logs, place onto a broiler pan, and place a sheet of aluminum foil on top to cover.

Bake in the preheated oven until the logs are no longer pink in the center, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 6 to 8 hours. Turn the meat once or twice during cooking. Allow to cool before slicing thinly and serving.

Venison Tenderloin

• 4- pounds venison tenderloin
• 1- cup red wine
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1- medium onion, chopped
• 2- cloves garlic, crushed
• 2- bay leaves
• 2- sprigs fresh thyme
• 2- sprigs fresh rosemary

PREPARING THE TENDERLOIN
Combine the red wine, cider vinegar, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary in a medium bowl, and mix well. Transfer to a large re-sealable bag, and put the venison tenderloin into the bag. Close tightly, pressing out as much air as you can. Place meat in the refrigerator to marinate, turning two or three times, for at least 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Remove meat from marinade, and place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan.
Roast in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or to your desired degree of doneness. For medium rare, the internal temperature of the roast should be at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Let the roast stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

While the tenderloin roasts, heat marinade in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by 1/3. Serve with venison.

ENJOY!!!