This is about the time of year that our men get all MANLY and start planning on killing Bambi in the woods and then proudly stuff our freezers full of the deer meat. Most women I know don’t like the meat and usually the men do all the cooking of it. Like, Deer Meat Chili… a lot of it… and the woman politely tolerates it.
Actually Ben doesn’t hunt. He considers it every year but his parents usually just give us free meat so he never saw a reason to get up at 4 am and sit in the cold. Except now, this year, he’s decided to go hunting for deer for the first time since I’ve known him. Which cracks me up a little bit because he’s just NOT a hunter!
I hated venison for a long time. I refused to eat it because it was so tough and “gamey” tasting. Now that I’m poor I’m reconsidering venison and have actually come to terms with it. It’s actually a very lean meat, high in omega threes and actually pretty good if you know how to marinate and prepare it. Which I now know how to do because of some major trial and errors.
Most of the meat I was given was packaged in larger chunks of meat that were a bit overwhelming at first. I let it de-thaw for a day or so then cut it into smaller pieces, I tried to keep the pieces pretty thin- no more than a 1 inch thick. I felt very barbaric and cave-many but I persevered. Once I had cut the chunk of meat up I placed the pieces in a bowl and covered them with cold water over night. The next morning I poured out the water and added some more. At this point you may be thinking, “WHY WOULD I GO TO THIS MUCH EFFORT FOR SOME YUCKY DEER MEAT?!” and my answer is,
1. your husband will love you for it. He’ll feel like a champion. A provider.
2. you may actually like it.
3. you are giving yourself more freezer space. (Only to be filled up with more meat by your husband…)
4. it is healthy. and free.
Is that good enough? So, after it has sat in water for a day or two in water, drain all the water, Then add the marinate. My father-in-law told me this easy secret.
1/2 cup soy sauce (I use a Gluten-Free version)
1/2 cup Italian dressing (or if you are feeling especially Susie Homemaker, use 3 cloves minced garlic, garlic salt, seasoning salt, regular salt, & pepper and add a little water)
Cover the meat and put back in the fridge for a few hours or over night.
Have your husband grill it.
OR use a large wok or skillet and pan fry it. I’ve had a lot of success with this because Ben worked late so often I stopped depending on him to be home in time for dinner. Don’t cook it for too long, though.
Enjoy. The venison has turned into the poor man filet mignon! YUM YUM!