Venison Pot Pies

Venison Pot Pie (Photo by Amy Bradt)

Okay, okay...So I got a little morbid with the Reindeer cutouts on this, but it really cracked me up!!  This recipe can be used with regular stew meat as well, but I'm always trying to come up with new venison recipes, and I did have the adorable pie cutouts....

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                          Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
2 pounds venison, cut in bite-size pieces  
1/4 cup flour  
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
1 teaspoon kosher salt  
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided  
2 tablespoons butter, divided  
1 cup red wine (I used Cotes Du Rhone)  
1 (10.5-ounce) can Campbell's condensed beef broth  
2 cups water  
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce  
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning  
1 bay leaf  
1 shallot, diced  
2 garlic cloves, minced  
4 red potatoes, peeled and cubed  
2 turnips, peeled and cubed  
2 cups carrots, sliced  
2 stalks celery, sliced  
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped  
2 store-bought pie crusts, softened as directed on box 

Directions

The night before: 

Remove all hard fat and silver skin from venison, cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in large gallon re-sealable freezer bag, cover with milk (or salt water) and refrigerate until ready to cook next day. This helps reduce the "gamey" taste.

Serving day:

Combine flour, peppers and salt in large re-sealable bag. Seal and shake to thoroughly combine. Add venison and shake until well coated.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large dutch oven, over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add 1 tablespoon butter and melt. Add 1/2 of the venison to the pot, and sear on all sides. Remove and repeat with remaining oil, butter and venison. Once all the meat has browned, remove from pot and add shallots and garlic. Cook until translucent. Add wine and deglaze pan by scraping up all the browned bits from bottom of the pot. Add broth, tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning and bay leaf.

Return venison to the pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and let cook 2 hours.

Add remaining vegetables, and simmer for another 30-45 minutes, or until vegetables are almost done. Remove from heat, add parsley and let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 400°. Pour stew into six large bowls or ramekins. Cut pie crusts to fit top of ramekins and place on top of stew. Cut small slits in top of crust to vent.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until pie crusts are golden brown.

Venison Pot Pie (Photo by Amy Bradt)

Cajun-Stuffed Pork Chops

Cajun-Stuffed Pork Chops (Photo by Amy Bradt)

My son-in-law's Mother, Evelyn, is a fabulous cook, and her Cajun dressing is THE best cornbread dressing I have ever had!   I took an old recipe for Stuffed Pork Chops, and tried to mimic her dressing instead of the traditional "Stove-Top" stuffing, and came up with this dish using fresh herbs and mushrooms.  It is a bit spicy, so not for the faint of stomach (i.e. my Stepdad, Hal)

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                           Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
For the Brine:
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 quart water
6 (2-inch thick) bone-in rib loin pork chops, split to bone

For the Cornbread:
1 (8.5-ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/3 cup half & half
2 eggs

For the Stuffing:
4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon Tex-Joy seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups crumbled cornbread (from above recipe)
1 (14.5-ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

Directions
Whisk salt, brown sugar and water in large bowl until salt & sugar are dissolved. Place pork chops in a glass 9"x13" dish and pour brine over chops. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat with paper towels until completely dry.

While chops are brining, prepare the cornbread for the stuffing.  Preheat oven to 400°.  Whisk together the Muffin Mix, half & half and eggs.  the batter will be slightly lumpy.  Let rest for 5 minutes, stir lightly, then pour into a greased 8"x8" pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.  Let cool completely before crumbling.

Reduce oven to 350°.  In large saute pan, fry bacon for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon butter, celery, onion and garlic and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add the next seven ingredients, and saute for another couple of minutes.
In a large bowl, mix prepared cornbread with bacon/vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Mix well.

Divide stuffing evenly and stuff into pork chops (about 1/2 cup for each). Secure with string or toothpicks.  Melt remaining butter in pan. Brown the chops on both sides over medium-high heat. Place in a 9"x13" baking dish.

Mix remaining chicken broth and milk with mushroom soup in saute pan until smooth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom. Pour over chops, cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove string or toothpicks before serving.  Pour gravy over chops and serve immediately.

Notes
You can always use dried herbs in lieu of fresh, just substitute a teaspoon of dried for every tablespoon of fresh.  I personally prefer the taste of fresh much better!

Ronnie's Chili

Ronnie's Chili
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

My brother Ronnie makes his killer chili whenever he visits from New York.  We like to use ground venison and wild hog whenever Skip gets lucky at the deer lease, but ground chuck roast works great in this as well along with the Italian sausage.

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Ronnie Johnson Jr.                                                           Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 pounds ground meat (he uses 1 pound each of venison, lean ground beef, and hot Italian sausage)
1 large jalapeño pepper (with seeds), finely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 medium garlic bulb, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon liquid Barbecue Smoke®
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup chili powder
3 large fresh bay leaves
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 (32-ounce) container beef stock
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can Rotel® diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained

Directions
Heat canola oil in slow cooker insert over medium-high heat.  Add the meats, and cook until no pink remains.  Add the jalapeno, celery, onion and garlic, and cook until meat is nicely browned.  Drain any grease before placing insert into the slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer on high for four hours.  Reduce slow cooker heat to low, and continue cooking for another 1-2 hours.

Notes
Ronnie said he only uses three pounds of meat, as that's what his slow cooker will hold.  I used 2½ pounds of ground chuck roast, 1 pound of venison and 1 pound of sausage, for a total of 4½ pounds of meat. 

Cream Cheese Biscuits

Cream Cheese Biscuits
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

These biscuits are a bit different than regular Buttermilk biscuits, using 1/2 cream cheese and 1/2 butter.  What could be bad about that, right?

The best part is, you don't need a special biscuit cutter, you just cut them like you would brownies before baking.  Just make sure and push straight down with your knife (don't use a sawing motion), as you don't want to create any "seams" in the dough that would prevent them from rising.

Printable Recipe

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                           Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 ounces butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups cake flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
melted butter

Directions
Measure and cut cream cheese and butter, and place in the freezer while preparing other ingredients.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450°.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  

Pulse dry ingredients in food processor until blended, then pulse in chilled cream cheese and butter until mixture resembles corn meal.  Transfer mixture to a large bowl.  Stir in buttermilk until combined (dough may appear slightly dry).

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly until dough comes together.  Roll dough into an 8x6-inch rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into twelve 2-inch squares and transfer to prepared baking sheet.  Bake until light brown, 12 to 15 minutes.  Transfer to wire rack, and brush with melted butter.  Let cool 5 minutes, serve warm.

Notes
If you're lucky enough to live in a southern state that carries White Lily Flour, by all means use that in place of the flours, sugar & baking powder.

Original recipe from: Cook's Country

Gruyère-Stuffed Crusty Loaves

Gruyere-Stuffed Crusty Loaves 
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

If you like chewy, crusty bread, with loads of flavor, this one's for you!  I order the Garlic Oil, Pizza Dough Flavor & Pizza seasoning from King Arthur flour specifically for this recipe.  Definitely worth the time & money for this special occasion bread.

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                     Yield: 4 small loaves

Ingredients
For the Starter:
5¼ ounces unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast*
4 ounces cool water
For the Dough:
all of the starter
9 to 10 ounces lukewarm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pizza dough flavor
14¾ ounces unbleached bread flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast*
For the Filling:
10 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
garlic oil
1 tablespoon pizza seasoning

Directions
To make the starter:
Mix the flour, salt, yeast, and 1/2 cup water in a medium-sized bowl.  Mix till well combined; the starter will be very dry.  Cover and let rest overnight at room temperature; it'll become bubbly. 

To make the dough:  
Combine the risen starter with the water, salt, flour, and yeast. Knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle—to make a smooth dough. 

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1½ to 2 hours, till it's nearly doubled in bulk.  Gently deflate the dough, and pat and stretch it into a 3/4"-thick rectangle, about 9" x 12". Brush the entire surface with the garlic oil, then sprinkle with the pizza seasoning and grated cheese. 

Starting with a long side, roll it into a log, pinching the seam to seal. Cut into four equal pieces and place them (cut side up) on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Make sure and pick up any of the cheese that may have fallen out during rolling, and sprinkle over the top of the loaves.  Cover with lightly greased cling wrap let rise for 1 to 1½ hours, till it's puffy though not doubled in bulk. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F. 

Spritz with warm water, and immediately place them in the preheated oven. 

Bake for 20 minutes (for the mini-loaves), or until the cheese is melted and the loaves are a very deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on a rack. 

Notes
*If you don't have instant yeast, just use 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon of regular active dry yeast.

Original recipe from: King Arthur Flour

Japanese Milk Bread Rolls

Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

Also referred to as Hokkaido milk bread, these rolls are incredibly soft and airy thanks to a technique involving a roux "starter," known as tangzhong. The roux is mixed into the final dough, producing wonderfully tender bread.

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                        Yield: 8 large rolls

Ingredients

For the Starter:
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons Unbleached Bread Flour

For the Dough:
2½ cups Unbleached Bread Flour (more as needed)
2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°
1 large egg
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) melted unsalted butter

Directions
For the Starter: 
Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan, and whisk until no lumps remain.
Place the saucepan over low heat, and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until thick and the whisk leaves lines on the bottom of the pan, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Transfer to a small mixing bowl or measuring cup and let it cool to room temperature.

For the Dough:
Combine the starter with the remaining dough ingredients, then mix and knead - by hand, mixer, or bread machine - until a smooth, elastic dough forms, adding more flour as needed.

Shape the dough into a ball, and let it rest in a lightly greased covered bowl for 60 to 90 minutes, until puffy but not necessarily doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough, divide it into 8 equal pieces, and shape each piece into a ball.
Place the rolls into a lightly greased 9-inch round pan. Cover the pan, and let the rolls rest for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush the rolls with egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water), and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep golden brown on top; a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the middle roll should read at least 190°F.

Remove the rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Japanese Milk Bread Rolls
(Photo by Amy Bradt)

Notes
To make into a loaf: After the dough's initial rise, divide it into four equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a rectangle, then fold the short ends in towards one another like a letter. Flatten the folded pieces into rectangles again and, starting with a short end, roll them each into a log. Place the logs in a row of four — seam side down and side by side — in a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover the loaf and allow it to rest/rise for 40 to 50 minutes, until puffy. Brush the loaf with milk or egg wash and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads at least 190°F. Remove the loaf from the oven, and cool it on a rack.

Original recipe from: King Arthur Flour

Crispy Chicken Wings with Sweet & Sour Sauce

Crispy Chicken Wings

Another great one from Betty Crocker's Chinese Cookbook by Leann Chin.  Double frying these give them an extra crispness, and the sweet & sour sauce has enough heat in it even for Skippy!

Recipe by: Amy Bradt                                                                           Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
For the Wings:
12 chicken wings
1 egg
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
vegetable oil

For the Sweet & Sour Sauce:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup sugar
15 drops red pepper sauce

Directions
For the chicken wings:
Cut each chicken wing at joints to make 3 pieces; reserve tips for another use.  Mix egg, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, soy sauce, salt, sugar and five-spice powder; pour over chicken.  Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Add water and next 3 ingredients to chicken wings, stirring until thoroughly mixed.

Heat vegetable oil (1½ inches) in large saute pan (or wok) to 350°.  Fry 4 or 5 chicken pieces at a time until light brown, turning 2 or 3 times, about 4 minutes;  drain on paper towels.  Increase oil temperature to 375°.  Fry half of the chicken pieces until golden brown, about 1 minute.  Drain on paper towels.  Repeat with remaining pieces.  Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

For the sauce:
Mix all ingredients; cover and refrigerate until chilled.  Makes 1¼ cups.

Notes
I usually buy the chicken wings already cut up, but if you do buy the whole ones, save the tips to make homemade chicken stock!

Original recipe from: Betty Crocker's Chinese Cookbook