Betsy and I just finished our elk meatloaf dinner. On the average, wild game will probably grace our table three times a week. Betsy is a great cook, but not what I’d call a gourmet chef. There’s nothing fancy about our “fat of the land” meals. I am often amused by the detailed recipes I find for wild game, venison in particular, in my hunting magazines and on TV outdoor channels. It’s almost like they are trying to disguise what is being served. I hope I don’t bore you by telling you how we do it.

For venison, primarily deer and elk with an occasional antelope, we have everything ground into one-pound packages and mixed with 10% beef tallow. The tallow or fat adds flavor while making it easier for burgers to stick together in the pan. Back strap and tenderloin are the only exception to grinding. We don’t do roasts as venison should never be overcooked, and picky dinner guests like our children and grandchildren generally shy away from rare or even pink venison. Our ground venison goes into meatloaf, burgers, hot-dishes such as goulash, chili, spaghetti sauce, stuffed peppers, runza, taverns and tacos. Though we enjoy marinated back strap and tenderloin steaks from the backyard grill, Betsy sometimes uses the steak packages for stew or stroganoff.

Our venison habit started in the late 60’s when I started bringing home two to three deer along with an antelope. There was a time when I skinned the carcass in the garage and then brought a quarter at a time into the house where Betsy and I processed it on our kitchen table and put it into our freezer chest. More deer came along in the 70’s when my father joined me on deer hunts, and our growing family knew nothing but venison, pheasants, and fish through the 70’sand 80’s. The kids and grandpa are gone, but the habit remains – grudgingly at times to Betsy.

Neither of us like waterfowl, so for fowl we stick to pheasants – with an occasional wild turkey. There was a time when I packaged whole pheasants with the head sticking out for identification. Betsy disliked those pheasant heads peeking at her, and today I debone them. First I fillet the breasts into two meaty pieces. Some people discard the legs and thighs, but I fillet the meat and separate it from the tendons. Betsy either makes pheasant salad and serves it as sandwiches, or makes my favorite – Pheasant Ala King with mashed potatoes and mushroom sauce or gravy.

There was a time when I was addicted to turkey hunting, but I got over it. Today it’s one turkey a year if that often as Betsy doesn’t enjoy roasting turkeys. After the turkey comes out of the oven, I slice the breast white meat from the carcass and more or less pick the carcass clean. Because of the many tendons, turkey drumsticks are inedible in my opinion. I debone this dark meat and put it on a separate platter. It eventually becomes turkey salad for sandwich making.

During the 70’s and 80’s, our family ate fish at least twice a week – often walleye fillets during a time when I could take home an eight-fish possession limit. Quite often I filleted 25-50 white bass at a time along with the walleyes. By skimming the red meat from the white bass fillets, it was just about impossible to tell white bass from walleye once the crispy fillets were on the table. Paddlefish was also a favorite with the girls.

Unfortunately today we don’t dine on fish as often as we’d like. We have ample fish during the late spring and summer, but I don’t get out for ice fishing as often as I once did although my son-in-law and I have plans for Sunday.

I alluded to my grandchildren and their pickiness when it comes to venison. Those “picky” days are gone. I don’t understand them but I respect their choices. Today my three Wisconsin granddaughters are vegetarians! I can understand their not liking venison, but how could anyone not relish medium-rare prime rib of beef with homemade horse radish? It’s beyond my comprehension.

I’ll also admit that Betsy doesn’t like deer nearly as much as elk. I’ve spoiled her as I have brought home an elk three of the past four years and a succulent moose before that. I realize that herbicides are about profit and weed control, but we like to think elk is healthier than domestic meats as elk don’t feed on crops sprayed with herbicides. Bon Appetite!

See you next week.