NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1028906
OCTOBER 2018 • NEBRASKAland 27 freezer. On top of that, since you're doing the dispatching, cleaning and butchering yourself, you have complete control over the whole process. I see the meme "Wild game doesn't get recalled" circulate on Facebook every hunting season. It's true. What is your favorite animal to hunt and cook with? Deer and elk are versatile. They can substitute beef in virtually all recipes, taking into account differences in cooking time. And if you shoot a young animal and take care of it in the field, most people can't tell the difference. What are types of preparations that many hunters overlook? There are many hunters who think that certain parts of an animal are inedible. Anything can be edible as long as you take the time to cook it correctly. Some of my favorite recipes were made from the quarters and legs of an animal, rather than the loins and breasts. I've taken bone-in-shanks from a deer and braised them until they almost fall off the bone to make Italian osso buco and also Persian-style braised venison shank. The bones can be used to make broth and if you can crosscut them, deer marrow is very good. I've also made all kinds of soups with the legs of game birds. And wild turkey legs, when ground, make delicious, healthy burgers and meatballs, but remember to take out the pin bones. What is the biggest misconception about hunting and eating wild game? I think most people's perception of hunting and wild game is changing. If given the opportunity, I think most people are fascinated by it. I've spent a lot of time talking about wild game with different groups in the last few years, and rarely do I meet someone who will completely turn up their nose. Different people can have different opinions about trophy hunting and all that, but food and cooking is a common experience. People love to eat and try new things, more so now in this Instagram era. In my experience, cooking wild game has been a great way to open up bigger conversations about hunting. And it's all about presentation, as my mother – who is an amazing cook – taught me. If your food, plating and photos look good, you'll win people over. Wild game doesn't always have to be wrapped in bacon or drowned in canned brown sauce, which has its place, but as a food photographer and recipe developer, my goal is to convince as many people as I can that eating and cooking wild game is a worthwhile PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY