My first attempt at venison and were hooked!

[Capt-D]

A buddy of mine gave me a bag full of deeer meat for me to see if I like it. More importantly, I needed to see if I could prepare it well enough for the SWMBO and baby to enjoy it and open my wife's horizons to the idea of a freezer full of deer. Let me just say that we succeeded on all fronts!

Well let me fist start by saying I got this recipe of off the food network site (Emeril Lagasse) . Its as follows:

Venison Chops with Dried Cranberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup port
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 6-ounce venison chops
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1 cup demi glace
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
1 small pot of soft polenta
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

In a bowl, soak the cranberries in the port for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saute pan. Season the venison chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Place chops into the saute pan and sear them on both sides for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Place the shallots in the same pan and cook for 1 minute. Drain the port from the cranberries, and carefully add it to the pan. It will ignite. When the fire dies, add the demi glace as well as the venison, and the cranberries. Cook for 2 minutes flipping the chops once. Swirl in the butter and season. Serve with polenta, parsley, and cheese.


I did substitute the demi glace with a pack of McCormick gravy prepared and simmered down to thicken (with corn starch added) as i am no Julia Child! I cooked the polenta according to the directions on the package

Pictures:

1-Graving Reducing
2-Seasoning the deer chops with salt and pepper
3-Sauteing the chops in Olive Oil
4-Burning off the Port as you can see I have an electric stove so I just light it with a lighter stick)
5-Simmering in the sauce
6-Finishing the polenta
7-Grating the parmigiano reggiano (only the best!)
8-Plating up
9- A Happy Boy!
10 - so good we cleaned our plates!

OK Marty, now that I know I like it, its time to bag one of my own!

-D

[pitch bait]

Capt D I tought you said you were coking for a baby. Wow he is getting big. Last time I saw him he was in one of those baby holders with the big handle in Marlyland last year and was just a tiny thing.

[Capt-D]

yeah,

he is growing like a weed and he's only 16 months old!

-D

[Thin Blue Line]

Hey Capt, try a marinade I use. Mix up some soy sauce, to equal part water. Throw in some worchestire sauce, brown sugar, black pepper, splash of tobasco,garlic and onion powder. Marinate for a few hours and toss it on the grill. I got a whole crowd at my daughter b-day party to eat moose tips this way.

[jbones11]

I'll be trying this in two weeks. I got a friend on the hunt bringing me a bag of steaks after this weekend.....I hope.

LOL Congrats on getting them to try it...Looks like everyone was ready for a
2nd helping. Last time I saw him he sure didnt have any teeth and your wife had him in the little carrier haha. Congrats, they get big fast dont they!

[Dave Sikorski]

Pretty work D!!

Glad to see the venison is a hit.

-D