Girl Hunter Part 25

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Salt and pepper

1. Rinse the tenderloins and pat them dry. Place them in a nonreactive bowl and cover with the rest of the other ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic against the meat to keep out the air. Place in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Remove from the bowl, shake away the excess moisture, and place in a wire grill basket.

3. Hold the basket over the fire for about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the basket and let rest for a few minutes, then slice and serve immediately.

Also try: other antlered game (Keep in mind that the size of the animal will determine the size of the tenderloin, which means cooking times may vary. See the temperature guide on page 240.)

Fried Venison Backstrap

Serves 8 I also call this recipe Campfire Fried Deer. It is a simple fried cutlet that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and can be prepared easily in the outdoors with simply a skillet and a few ingredients.

1 venison backstrap, cut on the bias into thin slices and pounded between two layers of plastic wrap

Salt and pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup bread crumbs (panko or seasoned work well)

1 cup grape seed oil, plus more as needed

Cranberry Relish (page 228) or your favorite chutney, to serve

1. Sprinkle the cutlets with salt and pepper. In a bowl, stir together the flour and bread crumbs, adding 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

2. Pour the vegetable oil into a skillet to about 1-inch depth and heat over an open fire or stove top.

3. Brush the cutlets with a bit of oil on both sides and dip them into the crumb mixture until covered. Set aside on a plate.

4. Test the temperature of the oil by adding a cutlet and seeing if the oil begins to bubble a.s.sertively. If it doesn't, remove the cutlet and let the oil become hotter. If it does, continue adding more cutlets. Cook until one side is golden brown, then flip and cook until the other side is golden.

5. Transfer to a plate covered in paper towels or a wire rack and sprinkle with a bit more salt to keep them crispy. Serve immediately with a Cranberry Relish or your favorite chutney.

Venison Sausage

Makes 5 pounds Sausages are one of the oldest prepared foods. Traditionally, sausages made use of the less desirable animal parts and sc.r.a.ps that could be cured in salt and put in the cleaned, inside-out intestines of an animal. Today, things aren't done much differently than they were in 589 BC. Sausage is simply a combination of meat, fat, salt, and spices, stuffed into natural animal casing. The combinations of flavors are endless and it is a chance to experiment with your favorite ingredients. Salt and pink curing salt are the two most important ingredients. As you experiment, write down the amounts of each ingredient that you use so you can go back and adjust.

3 1/2 pounds venison shoulder or haunch, cubed

3/4 pound hog shoulder b.u.t.t, cubed

3/4 pound hog or domestic pig fat, cubed

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon pink curing salt #1 (see Note)

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup ice water

4 tablespoons grape seed oil

Natural pork casings, soaked in a bowl of salt.w.a.ter