20 Nebraskaland • November 2020
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
VENISON "MEATBALL" SLIDERS
PHOTO
BY
JENNY
NGUYEN-WHEATLEY
IN THE FIELD
I had an unsuccessful rifle season
last year, so I decided to attempt
deer hunting with a muzzleloader
in December. I am a self-proclaimed
"meat hunter," so a season choice tag
gives me "the best bang for my buck"
— except that I wasn't looking for
a buck. It turned out that I got one
anyway.
As I turned "her" over, I realized
that she was a "he." It was the first
time I had ever shot a male deer, and
recalling an Instagram post that I had
seen about a deer testicle sandwich
earlier that week, I became inspired.
My husband winced as he watched me
take more of that deer home than he
would've.
If you enjoy rocky mountain
oysters, or I guess "prairie oysters"
in these parts, then you'll enjoy deer
testicles — the taste is similar. The
deer was young, so sliders, and not a
whole sandwich, was the way to go.
For those who haven't tried this odd
delicacy, the flavor is mild, like minced
chicken breast, and the texture is soft
and light.
Makes: 2 sliders
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
•
2 deer testicles
•
2 to 4 tablespoons of Italian-style
seasoned bread crumbs
•
2 to 4 tablespoons of marinara
sauce
•
Shredded mozzarella cheese, to
taste
•
2 King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls,
split open
•
2 teaspoons of olive oil
•
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1. With a sharp knife, cut through
the tough outer membrane of each
testicle. Carefully peel away the soft
interior. I don't know what it's like on
older deer, but these were extremely
delicate, and a tad tricky to peel away
from the membranes. I used the edge
of my knife to gently scrape them out.
2. Place each testicle between two
sheets of plastic wrap and gently
flatten them.
3. Spread out half the breadcrumbs
onto a plate, lay the testicles on top
and pour the rest of the breadcrumbs
on top to coat.
4. Heat olive oil in a pan. When it
begins to shimmer, fry the coated deer
testicles in the pan until golden on
both sides. It will firm up as it cooks.
5. Line a small baking sheet with foil.
Assemble the bottom halves of each
roll with a fried testicle, mozzarella
cheese, marinara sauce and red pepper
flakes. Leave the tops of the rolls off,
crust-side facing up. Broil until cheese
melts and bread becomes toasty. Enjoy
and try not to burn your tongue.
