Fundamental Wild Game Stew

[Early]

The keys to making great wild game stew are meat prep. and cooking liquid. To prep your meat: cut into stew-sized chunks and remove all membrane, silver skin and grissle (Note: for silver skin that is hard to remove...just score it in two directions with a razor blade.). For cuts that are not too tender (rabbit hind quarters, turkey thighs, venison shank, etc.), pound well with a meat mallet. Then, shake the meat in seasoned flour and brown (Do this in the same large stew pot or dutch oven that you will finish the stew in) in hot butter to seal in the juices and get the start on a nice roux for your final stew "gravy". Brown the meat in small batches and remove to a heated platter while doing the rest. Once all your meat is browned, you must add liquid to the pot and stir vigorously to remove all the residue from the browning.

For your stew liquid, I have found this to be the very best: For every quart of liquid required ("required" means enough to cover/cook both meat and vegetables), mix the following: For a "white" (rabbit, turkey, grouse, etc.) stew, add 4 chicken bullion cubes and one vegetable bullion cube to 3.5 cups of water and .5 cup of white wine. For a "red" stew (venison, moose, etc.), add 4 beef bullion cubes and one vegetable bullion cube to 3.5 cups of water and .5 cup of red wine. Simmer the meat in this liquid 30-45 minutes before adding your vegetables of choice (We like potatoes, carrots, whole pearl onions and mushrooms) and simmering until the veggies are tender (probably anotehr 30-45 minutes). Simmered uncovered for the last several minutes to thicken the liquid. (Flour, corn starch or powdered gravy mix may be used to speed up the thickening.)

When serving wild stew to hunting buddies, I serve it in bowls, atop freshly baked biscuits. Use any leftovers (We never have much!) in a meat pie...or serve over hot, cooked brown rice. Good Eats!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Two thimbs up Early....we do the same thing but use instant mashed potatos as a thickener.

[Early]

I like that mashed potato thickener trick....Thanks!

One of our favorite stews...a red stew...is made with snowshoe hare. Absolutely delicious!