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/498175
60 NEBRASKAland • MAY 2015 I f you're a deer hunter, you're probably reaching the bottom of your freezer by now. All the loins and steaks have been eaten, and now you're left with scraps from the neck and quarters. These cuts will usually be turned into ground meat, to be made into Memorial Day hamburgers, Sunday Italian meatballs and weeknight meatloaf. And if you really know what you're doing, you might even turn most of your deer into sausage. I like ground meat fine, but I can't say that it is my favorite. I would much rather use these cuts for kebabs, stew meat or keep them as larger roasts for slow cooking. Though I'm prejudiced, I cannot deny ground venison's versatility and creative possibilities. I have made almost everything under the sun with ground venison. Aside from the exception of a quality juicy beef burger – which simply can't be beat – I can't say that I really miss ground beef. Ground venison can do anything that ground beef can. And what's more, it's lean and better for you. Don't you just hate having to drain beef taco meat, or that pool of fat sitting at the bottom of your meatloaf pan? Gross. You won't have this problem with ground venison. If you like pasta, then you will love this venison ziti. I hope that you will find it so easy that it becomes a regular in your household. Serve it with a bottle of Chianti or merlot, and it'll be grand. Servings: 8 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Ingredients: • 1 pound of ground venison • ½ cup chopped onion • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 3½ cups of your favorite meatless spaghetti sauce • 1 cup chicken broth • 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried) • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley and extra for garnish • 16 ounces ziti pasta, cooked and drained • 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, divided • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Over medium- high heat, cook the venison, garlic, and onion for 6-8 minutes, or until the venison browns, breaking up chunks of meat. Then stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, oregano and parsley. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. 2. In a large bowl, toss the cooked ziti pasta and sauce together. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish, or several smaller baking dishes with cooking spray. Spoon a layer of ziti into the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with a layer of Parmesan, then a layer of mozzarella. Repeat until you fill up the baking dish, like layered lasagna. 3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top gets bubbly and golden. Cut into large pieces to serve and garnish with extra chopped parsley. ■ This recipe and photograph originally appeared on Jenny's Food for Hunters blog. at Foodforhunters.com. By Jenny Nguyen Read Jenny's NEBRASKAland blog "Midland Musings." R " Lonely bag of venison burger, meet your fate. Baked Venison Ziti PHOTO BY JENNY NGUYEN PHOT PHOT PHOT PHOTO BY O BY O BY O BY JEN JEN JEN JENNY N NY N NY N NY NGUYE GUYE GUYE GUYEN Baked venison ziti is a simple pasta dish that requires few ingredients.