Recipes

Squirrel Cakes with Spicy Slaw
Andrew Weisner, @andrew.weisner

My Story:

My wife and I are both avid hunters. I introduced her to the outdoors through deer hunting when we started dating. After taking her first deer (whitetail doe) she was hooked. We are both good cooks and enjoy cooking together.

My recipe was developed out of necessity, due to an abundance of squirrels from a successful 2017 season. We usually take off the opening day of squirrel season (Aug 15 in Indiana), and hunt at my grandpa’s cabin. Our son was born in December 2016 and we were unable to get a babysitter for the opener. Lucky for us, our beech trees in the back yard were loaded with beech nuts and squirrels! We were able to limit out several times during the season from our back patio between naptime and taking turns feeding our son.

I hope you enjoy our squirrel cakes with spicy slaw.

Ingredients:

Slaw Dressing:

• ¼ teaspoon Cumin
• ¼ teaspoon Paprika
• ½ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flake
• 2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
• 4 Tablespoons White Vinegar
• 1 Cup Real Mayo
• ½ Cup Sugar
• 3 Shakes Crystal Hot Sauce
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Slaw Mix:

• ½ Head Purple Cabbage
• 1 Head Cabbage
• 4 Carrots

Squirrel Cakes:

• 4 Squirrels
• 2 Cups Stock
• 1 ¼ Cup Crushed Club Crackers
• 1/3 Cup Celery chopped
• 1 Small Onion chopped
• 1 Green Pepper chopped
• 1 Carrot chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Stone Ground Mustard
• 1 Clove Garlic chopped
• Juice of ½ Lemon
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• Juice of 2 Key limes
• 1 Cup Mayo
• 1 Jalapeño chopped without seeds
• 1 Egg
• Avocado Oil
• Old Bay Seasoning
• ½ Tablespoon Salt

Instructions:

1. Combine slaw dressing ingredients, mix well and set aside.
2. Finely shred purple cabbage, cabbage and carrots (I use a potato peeler making 1in stokes to shred carrots).
3. Combine slaw mix with slaw dressing 30-45 min before serving.
4. Liberally season 4 whole squirrels with Old Bay seasoning and place in a crockpot with 2 cups stock. Cook on high until squirrels are fork tender and can shred off bone. Drain liquid, shred meat, remove bones and set aside.
5. In a food processor combine celery, onion, green pepper, carrot, garlic, stone ground mustard, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and Jalapeño. Pulse for about 20-30 sec until items are blended.
6. In a mixing bowl add crushed Club crackers, mayo, egg, lemon zest and mixture from processor and squirrel meat. Combine ingredients.
7. Place a cast iron skillet with avocado oil on medium-ish heat. I have a piece of crap electric stovetop with a 1-10 setting. I use number 4 for reference.
8. Patty squirrel cake in hand and place in oil. Squirrel cake should be about as round as baseball and about 1in thick (should make 10-12).
9. Cook 3-4 min each side or until cooked all the way through.
10. Plate slaw, add squirrel cake and serve with lemon wedge.
11. This dish is best accompanied with an ice-cold beer. An IPA or Pale ale cut through the heat of the slaw. Lime beers (Bud Light Lime, Uinta Lime Pilsner) also pair well.

Serves 6

Huevos Rancheros Scotch Eggs
Mike Gostisha, @mikegostisha

My Story:

Over the last several years, I have become passionate about cooking. As I became more proficient in the kitchen, I became curious about the art of making sausage. I hated the idea of bringing my meat to the meat processor and paying an insane amount of money just to get a few brats and hot sticks made, so I started playing around with making my own sausages from scratch. I started with a few fresh sausages—breakfast sausage, gyro sausage, and chorizo. I was beyond pleased with the results.

About five years ago, my brother and I started having an annual sausage party where we combine our grind piles from the previous season and spend a whole day making various sausages. Over the years, this event has grown to include extended family and friends. This has become an awesome way for us to extend some aspect of our hunting season together. Nothing beats the cold, dead Wisconsin winter like a day of meat, beers, and hunting stories with those closest to you.

Over the last five years, I have perfected my chorizo recipe. It makes an incredible sausage when stuffed into hog casings, grilled, and topped with salsa. This year, I decided to put my chorizo to new use. Scotch eggs are one of my favorite pub foods, and Mexican cuisine contains some of my favorite flavors. This recipe is my attempt to combine two of my favorite things. I love to share my creations whenever I have a chance. I believe food is one of the best tools we can use to share the hunting lifestyle with those who don’t hunt.

Ingredients

For the Chorizo:

• 2 lbs. ground wild game
• ½ lb. Bacon
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Ancho Chile Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 2 teaspoons Cumin
• 2 teaspoons Chipotle Powder

For the Eggs:

• 4 farm fresh eggs + 1 egg for the egg wash
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon water

For the Salsa:

• 3 Roma Tomatoes, diced small
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 Sweet Banana Pepper, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, chopped
• Salt to taste

For the Beans:

• 2 15oz cans of black beans
• 1 bottle Miller High Life
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Oregano, chopped
• 1 Jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

Note: Steps 1-3 can be prepared a day in advance.

1. Make the chorizo. Combine the ground meat and seasonings in a bowl. Finely chop or grind the bacon and add to the mixture. Mix just until all ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing will give the meat an undesirable texture. Place in the refrigerator for a couple hours or overnight.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover 4 eggs, but do not add the eggs yet. Bring water to a boil. Add the eggs and boil for 8 minutes. Remove the eggs and place directly into an ice bath for 15-20 minutes. Once the eggs are cool, peel them carefully and place them in the refrigerator.
3. Make the salsa. Combine all of the ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Assemble the eggs. Press 4-5 ounces of the chorizo into a disc about ½ inch thick. Place a peeled egg in the center of the chorizo and carefully mold the sausage around the egg. Be sure to pinch any seams or gaps in the sausage shut. Set up a breading station with the all-purpose flour, extra egg and water (beaten), and panko breadcrumbs. Carefully roll the wrapped egg in flour make sure to coat all of the meat. Transfer to the egg wash and coat all surfaces. Transfer to the breadcrumbs and coat all surfaces. Once the eggs are breaded, place them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You will probably have about a pound of chorizo left over. Freeze it and save it for next time.
5. Make the beans. Drain the beans. Place beans, jalapeno, and spices into a medium saucepan. Add ½ of the bottle of beer. Drink the other half. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. Stir frequently to prevent any beans or sugar from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Cook uncovered until about ¼ of the liquid remains, 15-20 minutes. Smash the beans with a spoon, leaving about half of the beans intact. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. Cook the eggs. Heat frying oil to 375 degrees. Place an egg in the oil and maintain an oil temperature of 350 degrees. Turn the egg periodically to make sure it browns evenly. Cook until the chorizo is cooked through and the breading is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
7. Enjoy! Cut the eggs in half and serve with the beans and salsa. The yolks in the eggs should still be slightly soft. Add rice, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, or whatever other condiments you prefer.

Classic Mexican chilaquiles made with delicious, slow cooker venison.

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Fried Squirrel and Waffles
Jamie Carlson @youcookitright

My Story:

A number of years ago my mother had asked if I would take her hunting for the first time. At the time she was in her late 50’s and had never been out hunting. I decided I would take her out squirrel hunting. I wanted to take her squirrel hunting because I feel like it is an easy avenue into hunting and also has many of the same elements as deer hunting, just on a smaller scale. The other reason is that when my grandfather died he left me his dad’s old Marlin .22 lever action. My great grandpa Jim, who I had never met but was named after was my Mom’s favorite and for her to go out hunting using his old gun that she never even knew existed was pretty special for her.

I wanted to make something with the squirrels we got that day that would be equally as special so I came up with this fried squirrel and waffles recipe. It was a big hit and now every year on the opener if I get a squirrel this is my first wild meal of the season.

Ingredients

For the Fried Squirrel:

• 4-6 squirrels cleaned and quartered
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

For the Waffles Mix:

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda

For the Rum Maple Syrup:

• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 tsp crushed red chili flakes

Instructions

For the Fried Squirrel:

1. Mix the buttermilk, sriracha, egg, and thyme together with a whisk and soak the squirrel for at least an hour.
2. Dredge the squirrel pieces in the flour mixture and fry in canola oil at 300 degrees for 7-10 minute per side or until perfectly gold brown

For the Waffles:

1. Mix the wet ingredients together, and then mix the dry ingredients separately. Pour the wet into the dry and mix together. Cook on a waffle iron until golden brown and slightly crisp.

For the Rum Maple Syrup:

1. Heat in a saucepan until well combined.

To assemble the dish, place a waffle in the center of a plate and top with fried squirrel. Cover with syrup and enjoy.