Big Game has many great recipes. One important thing to consider is finding ways to make the meat more tender and tastier.

The problem with BIG BUCKS and BULLS is that they are generally older animals. Older animals mean denser, more muscular, and tougher cuts of meat. Two critters that always have a bit of kickback toughness, smell, and flavor are antelopes and mule deer. Lopes are also known as “Stink goats” for a reason. Mulies love to eat on sage and tend to have a strong odor and flavor. I have always been able to single out these critters in almost all recipes.

Younger elk and whitetail deer are my favorite critters as far as flavor and a more tender bite. Moose is also a very good cut of meat.

Any wild critters taste and tenderness begins when you pull the trigger. A perfect shot, that quickly dispatches the critter is important. If you must track and chase down a critter, then shoot it a few more times, the adrenaline from the animal will make the meat less tender. Lactic acid builds up in the muscle which also toughens the cuts. If you shoot the critter in the guts or organs, flavor will be affected.

If you butcher yourself, things to consider are;

How long did you age the carcass?

Did you remove all the hair and dried blood with a warm wet cloth?

Did you cut the meat with proper cleaning tools?

Is the grind blended with pork fat or pork shoulder, or beef suet?

Did you vacuum seal or double wrap the meat?

Did you remove all the silver skin and fat?…..etc.

Any and all of these factors can ruin or taint the wild game meat.

Great recipes help. Here is a Stroganoff recipe that works well with older and tougher cuts of meat. You can expand and modify the recipe with what you have in the pantry. The key here is to slow cook the meat in a slow cooker pot or Dutch Oven. I have made this meal on a wood stove in the tent, using a Dutch oven on low and slow covered ovens.

• 2 lb. wild game cubes or grind
• 1 can of Cream o Mushroom soup
• 1 tbsp horseradish
• 1 chopped up onion
• 1 clove of garlic chopped up
• 4 celery stalks chopped up
• 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt/pepper or Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 cup of mushrooms
• 1 pack of onion soup mix
• 1 packet of cream cheese or a cup of sour cream
• Bag of egg noodles
• Paprika and parsley for a garnish. You can also sauté’ some mushrooms to add on top. Maybe a dollop of sour cream on each serving as well. This goes on top last, when serving

Brown the meat in garlic, salt/pepper, or Montreal steak seasoning, onion/celery, etc. You can add the sour cream and cream cheese later near the end.

If using a slow cooker, set on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. I kinda start it on high for a few hours then turn it to low to finish.

If using a Dutch Oven, start the browning and cooking in the hot Dutch Oven. Mix and add the ingredients, then put on the lid. Slow heat is best so make a bed of coals to the side of the fire or on some charcoal briquets. Place some coals on top. If you do the wood stove cook, stir every 30 minutes, cook all day, and avoid burning. The stove fire needs to be lower temperature.

Before serving, cook the egg noodles in boiling water and drain. Serve in bowls with the noodles going in first. Then add the rest. The fresh herbs, sour cream/cream cheese, sprinkled with paprika looks tasty.

If you cook up the Stroganoff ahead of time, freeze it in a zip or vacuum sealed bag. Place the frozen or sealed meal into the water pot that you boil for the noodles. This will warm it up without any additional prep. You can mix the noodles and stroganoff together, but it makes a better presentation when placed and served in a more appealing way.

Feast with your friends!

Montana Grant