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Many of us have memories of hunting with our dad, wearing our hand me down camo with a heavy shotgun slung over our shoulder; trudging through knee deep snow. Hunting is a rite of passage for many kids, and my childhood was no different. My earliest memory of hunting was my 7th birthday, when I accompanied my dad on a quick turkey calling expedition. It wasn’t actually hunting, as season wasn’t open yet…simply a walk in the woods with some turkey calls. I can still remember the feel of my dad’s …

Outside of General Tso's chicken, I think pot stickers are one of the most beloved Chinese culinary creations that Americans enjoy today. It's a dumpling that consists of two delicious worlds that are a match made in heaven. One side is a steamed and silky, the other is seared and crispy.This recipe calls for venison but wild boar would be an awesome substitute. Keep in mind that part of these dumplings deliciousness comes from the fat content of the meat filling. So if you're going to be using …

Christmas is this week! With holiday season in full swing comes Tamale season. We eat tamales every Christmas Eve in my house and this year I decided to make Venison Tamales. I don’t know if this is a Texas thing or if other states do it, but I love Tamales on Christmas Eve. Shoutout again to LEM for the meat grinder. It has made easy work of the three deer my husband and I have shot, butchered, and processed at home. My family, in the past, normally just bought tamales. We didn’t go through th …

Jerky is a popular snack that people have enjoyed for centuries. It is made by drying and curing meat to preserve and enhance its flavor. There are many types of jerky, each with its unique taste and texture.One of the most common debates among jerky enthusiasts is the difference between ground and muscle jerky. Ground jerky is made from ground meat and has a smooth texture, while muscle jerky is made from whole slices of muscle meat and has a chewier texture.Let's explore the different characte …

If you mention picking persimmons to the average person, they will give you an odd look and ask what the heck a persimmon is. However, the outdoorsy people -- the hunters and foragers and homesteaders – will know exactly what you are talking about. Wild Persimmons are something special, and once you’ve found a spot where a tree is, you’ll visit it regularly to beat all the wildlife to the deliciously sweet fruits.They look somewhat like an orange plum (hence one of the terms it is referenced by …

Meat Processing at Home: Process and Preserve Your Own Venison with These TipsAlthough hunters take their venison to meat processing facilities, anyone can process their own meat at home, given the right conditions. There's no better feeling than knowing you harvested, processed, and prepared a meal out of game meat yourself. Once you understand how the entire process works, it can take less than half an hour to complete the major processing steps. Let us show you how to process meat at home suc …

There are lots of reasons hunters are hesitant to process their own deer: What if I mess up and waste the meat? Will turning the kitchen into a processing center drive my spouse or partner out the door for good? Am I equipped to get the job done right?Processing deer at home isn't as scary as it seems, especially with the right preparation. And there are a lot of benefits to skipping the processor. Here's a quick rundown of what you need to know to approach the job with confidence, and get it do …

Before getting down to the high temp cheese, we must first understand the basic term 'cheese.' Well, there are different types of cheese, and the groupings can vary from one to another. The classification of cheese will depend on many factors, some of which include production methods, the time it takes to ferment, or its texture.High temp cheese is typical due to its ability to maintain form at high temperature. Different cheese flavors can be added to prepare sausages at home and make them tast …

There’s a reason the best burger joints grind fresh. The final product is both tastier and juicier. For hunters, obviously there are advantages to grinding game then freezing, but, when possible, it is a great idea to keep either a roast or chunks of trim whole to grind burger to order.But the fact is: When meat is frozen, ice crystals form in muscle fibers, causing very small tears in protein. Upon thawing out, moisture loss occurs. This is a big reason we never want to freeze meat twice, as th …

The sad reality is so many things that don’t belong in our food get pumped into lunchmeat and served to our kids. Nearly all the lunchmeat sitting on grocery shelves and being served at delis is either processed or packed full of preservatives or hormones or all of the above. It’s a scary reality.Making venison lunchmeat is easy and can be very tasty. It is also the perfect organic option with which to make sandwiches for you or your kids’ lunches. Sometimes, when I don’t finish a roast or backs …