Papa's Wild Game Recipes, a Family Tradition

These recipes have been handed down for generations. Both venison and turtle, as well as rabbit have graced tables for hundreds of years, but if you're new to wild game, finding the right recipe to try may seem like a daunting task. Hopefully these tried and true recipes will help you on your wild game adventure.

Turtle Soup

3 lbs turtle meat

3 ½ quart water

2 medium onions, chopped fine

1 bunch celery, chopped fine

¼ bay leaf

2 sprigs of parsley

6 cloves

1 tsp sugar

1 cup canned tomatoes

1 Tbs salt

½ tsp whole black pepper

3 Tbs butter

Wipe meat clean with a damp cloth. Cut meat from bones and add bone and gristle to water in a kettle. Add the remaining ingredients except butter, heat to boiling and reduce, cover, and simmer for one hour. Strained and discard the vegetables and bone Cut turtle meat in small pieces, and bout ¼ inch and brown slowly in the butter until the cubes are golden brown. Add meat to the broth, and any remaining drippings to the strained broth. Heat again to boiling and reduce heat, simmering until a rich flavor is developed. Make sure you do not over cook the turtle meat. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve piping hot.

Summer Sausage

5lbs ground venison

5 heaping tsps of Morton tender quick salt

2 tsps liquid smoke

3 tsps garlic salt

Any amount desired, Peppercorns, optional

4 ½ tsp mustard seed

4 ½ tsps coarse pepper

Mix well in a large bowl and divide into three portions. Put each portion into double plastic Ziplocs and the refrigerate for three days. Each day squash bag to mix. On the fourth day remove the meat from the Ziplocs and roll into 2 ½ inch thick. Put under broiler for eight hours at 150 degrees.

Barbecued Venison Steak

1 thick sirloin or T-bone venison steak

2 Tbs margaring or butter

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp paprika

Sauce:

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp olive oil

1 Tbs catsup

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Blend top ingredients: margarine or butter with the mustard, salt, pepper, sugar, and paprika. Rub this mixture well into the steak. For sauce mix the last ingredients. Brush the sauce over the steak. High broil for twenty to thirty minutes, depending on degree of doneness, turn once and brush in the middle of cooking.

Chicken Fried Deer Steak

2 lbs deer steak

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 ½ cups flour

1 Tbs garlic salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

Mix flour, pepper, salt and garlic salt. Beat egg and milk together. Dip the steak in the egg and milk mixture; dredge in flour and shake until evenly coated. Fry quickly in hot oil.