It seems natural to me that much of what drives my outdoor passion centers on eating the wild food I am fortunate enough to kill or gather.
After all, filling our stomachs is the foundation of why we hunt, fish, and gather or grow food.
I don't understand those hunters and fishermen who only seek trophies or otherwise don't fully participate in the ceremony of preparing and enjoying wild meat at the table.
I know people who will shoot a deer and give the venison away. I don't get that.
And then there is the matter of how wild game field care and preparation is treated on outdoor tv shows. Which is to say it is largely ignored.
Nearly every outdoor show I've ever seen completely ignores field care and the final meal preparation of wild fish and game. Why?
If you choose to pull the trigger or keep a fish then at the very least you owe that animal the dignity of caring for and preparing that wild protein to the absolute best of your ability. It is your responsibility. To do otherwise is unethical.
Enough preaching. Let's eat!
The following is a super simple recipe for converting bones from your big game kill into delicious stock. This stock can be canned or frozen and used throughout the year as a base for soups, stews, sauces, etc.
To begin you will need leg bones from a big game animal.
Ingredients
- 7 pounds big game bones, sawed into 2-inch pieces
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 2 cups red wine
- 20 peppercorns
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
- 1 1/2 gallons water
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place bones on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and brush with the tomato paste. Lay the vegetables over the bones. Return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Place the pan on the stove and deglaze with the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned particles. Put this mixture and the bones in a large stock pot. Add the peppercorns, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a slow simmer. Cook for 4 hours or more. Remove from the heat and skim off any fat that has risen to the surface. Strain the liquid and discard the bones.
Let the stock cool, then add to quart or pint containers. The stock can be frozen or used immediately.
Enjoy!
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