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/1136479
18 Nebraskaland • July 2019 IN THE FIELD PHOTO BY RYAN SPARKS VENISON SLOPPY JOES By Ryan Sparks I love sloppy joes. When I was in high school, I scavenged extra "joes" from my classmates who scoffed at them. These venison sloppy joes will please even the most discerning sloppy joe aficionado. Doubling the recipe and serving it at a party is a great way to introduce your friends to venison and get them interested in hunting. I wouldn't consider them spicy, but for those who wince at heat, omit the sriracha. Serve with potato chips, dill pickles, additional mustard, cold beer and, in the fall, Husker football. Servings: 6 but can easily be doubled to feed a crowd. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 1½ to 2½ hours Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons canola oil • 2 pounds ground venison • Kosher salt • 1 medium red onion, diced • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 1 dried chipotle pepper • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika • 1 teaspoon ground cumin • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon ground allspice • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • 2½ cups dry red wine, plus more for deglazing (think Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, etc.) • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon mustard of choice • 1 tablespoon sriracha • 1 teaspoon smoked salt or ½ teaspoon liquid smoke • ¼ cup brown sugar • 12-ounce can whole tomatoes with their juice • 2 tablespoons dried oregano • 1½ teaspoons white sugar • Soft buns to serve 1. In a large Dutch oven over high heat, add the canola oil. When it is hot, add the ground venison, salt it liberally and cook until it begins to caramelize. You will likely need to work in batches to avoid crowding the pan. The more you stir the meat the longer it will take to brown. Let it be. When all the meat has browned remove it from the pot and set aside. 2. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook until the onions begin to look translucent. Push the onion mixture to the back of the pot and press the chipotle pepper into the bottom of the pot until it becomes fragrant. Repeat on the other side. Add the cayenne, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and allspice, then the tomato paste. Cook for two minutes. 3. Add a good splash of red wine and scrape all the browned goodness from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula. Once you have the bottom scraped smooth, add the rest of the wine, vinegar, mustard, sriracha and brown sugar. Bring the pot to a simmer and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the tomatoes and their juice as well as the browned meat, oregano and white sugar. Continue simmering until the mixture reaches the optimal sloppy joe consistency, about 45 minutes (if doubling the recipe it will take around 2 hours). Remove the chipotle pepper, slap a scoop of meat on a bun and enjoy.