THE FROZEN KITCHEN

As winter locks its grip on the ice belt, anglers are making their way across frozen lakes and rivers to begin yet another season, chasing a cold obsession, to lay their hands on the fish that swim beneath the very water they stand on. In a matter of days these anglers create communities on the ice, neighborhoods of shanty towns dot the fridged landscape.

It may seem that the focus is fishing but spend enough time around theses folks and you’ll begin to hear the tales of seasons gone by. Vague recollections of hunting and fishing excursions that couldn’t possibly be more fact than fiction. As the story telling runs rampant so does the willingness to share the bounty of the fall harvest. In the Midwest this means venison. Hunters and anglers often are seemingly cut from the same cloth, and a bag of homemade jerky from a successful hunt appears to have the power to change perfect With the seasonal abundance of wild game meat this is the perfect time to create delicious meals that are just as at home on the ice as they are on the dinner table. This should help continue to spark new ideas on ways to use this delicious protein. Here is a recipe for carne asada that can be used to launch your venison game to the next level.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds venison backstrap (Steaks can be used) • ⅓ cup soy sauce • ½ cup avocado oil • 1 Tbs sriracha • ¼ cup brown sugar

METHOD:

• 1 Tbs cumin powder • 3 cloves of garlic (grated) • ½ cup cilantro (chopped) • Juice of 1 orange • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp black pepper

3.

Place meat in the bag with the mixture and ensure meat is fully coated in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator 2-4 hours.

Preheat grill to high heat. Lay meat flat and grill 3-4 mins per side. Internal temperature should hit 125° (Caution: oil may cause flare ups during the cooking process)

Once meat is lightly charred Remove from grill, cover with foil, and rest 5-10 mins. Slice the meat across the grain. Serve.

4.

1.

Start by combining all ingredients except the meat in a bowl and whisk until fully combined. Pour mixture into gallon size ziplock bag. Set aside.

For the meat, butterfly the backstrap lengthwise in a spiral fashion to create a flat “unrolled” piece of meat approximately 1/3” thick. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the meat and with a meat mallet gently pound until the entire piece is a uniform thickness.

5.

From street tacos to steak salads, this recipe can be used to create many delicious dishes. Follow the link below to see step by step how this recipe was used to make some insanely delicious burritos on “The Meat Season”