eG Foodblog: Shelby (2011) - From the field to the table. (warning, pi

[kayb]

Speaking of the goose, he's resting in the fridge right now. I'm thinking of making goose and noodles near the end of the week.

Goose and noodles....I'm intrigued! I never thought about eating Canada geese...I guess it just never occurred to me, though I eat wild duck as regularly as I get someone to kill them for me. Can you eat snow geese (known down here as "sky carp") as well?

[patti]

Fascinating and fun foodblog. Thanks so much for going to all the effort. I love your farmhouse and your style!

[Marlene]

Love it all except the beer and tomato juice.

Never did get that.

it's almost the only way I drink beer. So I was so happy to see that someone else does too!

[kayb]

Shelby, do you ever brine the venison roasts?

I began using brine, instead of marinade quite a few years ago as it didn't change the texture of the meat as much but did make it more tender and lessened the gamy flavor.

I used the formula described here.

I also have used it on elk, especially the neck and back strap, which tend to be pretty tough.

The elk I have worked with were not near as gamy as venison - I think it is because they feed mostly on grass.

When I was a kid, I had a friend whose family had an elderly (well, she seemed so to me) African-American woman who cooked for them. She brined venison in buttermilk, overnight; she'd put it in the buttermilk before she went home for the day with instructions for my friend's mother to drain it before bedtime, throw away the buttermilk and brine it again in fresh. It made the most astoundingly tender, non-gamy venison roast imaginable. I've never brined or marinated venison any other way.

Edited January 4, 2011 by kayb (log)

[rooftop1000]

I lost interest in my one evening of deer procesing when I was told to step back because of ticks.....Yech....but I was happy to take home my chunk o'meat

isn't Laura's full nick-name Half Pint of Sweet Cider half drunk up?

[andiesenji]

Shelby, do you ever brine the venison roasts?

I began using brine, instead of marinade quite a few years ago as it didn't change the texture of the meat as much but did make it more tender and lessened the gamy flavor.

I used the formula described here.

I also have used it on elk, especially the neck and back strap, which tend to be pretty tough.

The elk I have worked with were not near as gamy as venison - I think it is because they feed mostly on grass.

When I was a kid, I had a friend whose family had an elderly (well, she seemed so to me) African-American woman who cooked for them. She brined venison in buttermilk, overnight; she'd put it in the buttermilk before she went home for the day with instructions for my friend's mother to drain it before bedtime, throw away the buttermilk and brine it again in fresh. It made the most astoundingly tender, non-gamy venison roast imaginable. I've never brined or marinated venison any other way.

You have to use caution when using buttermilk or yogurt on meat. It can turn it mushy and it will not have the ideal texture. If it's a thick cut, it doesn't penetrate deep enough to affect the interior. It works okay with chops and steaks but shouldn't be used longer than 30 minutes or so.

The brine has a totally different action on the meat.

[weinoo]

Please say hello to Newman (as in the Friends Newman, not Paul)

Isn't that the Seinfeld Newman?

[Shelby]

Please say hello to Newman (as in the Friends Newman, not Paul)

Isn't that the Seinfeld Newman?

Oh Good LORD, my brain is MUSH! Yes, thank you, I'm off to correct!

Well, shoot, it's too late.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Shelby (log)

[Shelby]

Wow, quite a production.

Have you considered vacuum packaging?

I can't tell the size of your cutting board.

I have one of these 24 x 48 which gives me lots of room and I don't have to scrub and disinfect my butcher block counter.

I put a thick towel under it to catch any drips and to keep it from sliding.

We have tried it, but, the meat was always too moist no matter how long it sat on paper towels. Maybe I have a crappy Food Saver??

Your sink of knives reminded me of my first real knife, a rapala fillet knife. I got it from my dad when I was nine or ten, and he really tried to build it up as a reward - now I was old enough to help clean (ha!).

He knew what he was doin'

That butchering set-up was awesome.

Thank you, Chris!

Love it all except the beer and tomato juice.

Never did get that.

OH MY, have you ever had it with fresh Kansas tomato juice?????

Speaking of the goose, he's resting in the fridge right now. I'm thinking of making goose and noodles near the end of the week.

Goose and noodles....I'm intrigued! I never thought about eating Canada geese...I guess it just never occurred to me, though I eat wild duck as regularly as I get someone to kill them for me. Can you eat snow geese (known down here as "sky carp") as well?

Sky Carp I've never heard that term! Yes, we've eaten snow geese and we like them. There just aren't as many of those around here.

Fascinating and fun foodblog. Thanks so much for going to all the effort. I love your farmhouse and your style!

Thank you so much!!

Shelby, do you ever brine the venison roasts?

I began using brine, instead of marinade quite a few years ago as it didn't change the texture of the meat as much but did make it more tender and lessened the gamy flavor.

I used the formula described here.

I also have used it on elk, especially the neck and back strap, which tend to be pretty tough.

The elk I have worked with were not near as gamy as venison - I think it is because they feed mostly on grass.

When I was a kid, I had a friend whose family had an elderly (well, she seemed so to me) African-American woman who cooked for them. She brined venison in buttermilk, overnight; she'd put it in the buttermilk before she went home for the day with instructions for my friend's mother to drain it before bedtime, throw away the buttermilk and brine it again in fresh. It made the most astoundingly tender, non-gamy venison roast imaginable. I've never brined or marinated venison any other way.

I've done the buttermilk when I'm making chicken fried venison steaks before. It does make it nice and tender!

I lost interest in my one evening of deer procesing when I was told to step back because of ticks.....Yech....but I was happy to take home my chunk o'meat

isn't Laura's full nick-name Half Pint of Sweet Cider half drunk up?

Ick. Ticks! That's why we wait until after a good, hard freeze to do this. No ticks for me!

And, YES, that's her full nick-name. Good job!!

[Dejah]

Thanks for documenting the butchering proces, Shelby! My future s-i-l is an avid fowl and deer hunter and butchers all that he hunts. I'm going to forward your blog to him.

Enjoying the rest of your blog as well!

[onrushpam]

Shelby,

When you posted about the pot pies, I meant to respond with a suggestion and forgot...

The absolute BEST pot pie I ever ate was a "game pie" at a pub in rural England. It was a combination of venison, pheasant and hare. (We had just come from a long, cold day of hare coursing.) The thing was HUGE (the pub offered it as a starter for the table to share). My "share" wasn't nearly enough and I wished I could have ordered it for my main! The following year, we tried to find the same pub and failed. I kept describing it to people, hoping someone would be able to direct us back to it. But, they all looked at me like I had three heads!

Anyway, you should try a "mixed game" pot pie, if you haven't already!

I anxiously await the appearance of quail. I LOVED the quail I ate as a child growing up in Missouri. The ones we find down here, in the land of quail hunting plantations, are a poor substitute. They are bigger, but not nearly as tasty.

[Shelby]

Thanks for documenting the butchering proces, Shelby! My future s-i-l is an avid fowl and deer hunter and butchers all that he hunts. I'm going to forward your blog to him.

Enjoying the rest of your blog as well!

Oh thank you!! Good luck to the new bride and groom!

Shelby,

When you posted about the pot pies, I meant to respond with a suggestion and forgot...

The absolute BEST pot pie I ever ate was a "game pie" at a pub in rural England. It was a combination of venison, pheasant and hare. (We had just come from a long, cold day of hare coursing.) The thing was HUGE (the pub offered it as a starter for the table to share). My "share" wasn't nearly enough and I wished I could have ordered it for my main! The following year, we tried to find the same pub and failed. I kept describing it to people, hoping someone would be able to direct us back to it. But, they all looked at me like I had three heads!

Anyway, you should try a "mixed game" pot pie, if you haven't already!

I anxiously await the appearance of quail. I LOVED the quail I ate as a child growing up in Missouri. The ones we find down here, in the land of quail hunting plantations, are a poor substitute. They are bigger, but not nearly as tasty.

What a GREAT idea!! I've never thought of mixing different meats!

Quail comin' up, boss!

[Shelby]

The great hunter a.k.a. my husband is home!

Goose plucker.

[Shelby]

He got pheasant and quail today.

You can tell the age of a male pheasant by his claw and his tail. The older one--about 3 years--is the top claw.

[Shelby]

Pheasant cleaning pictorial:

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[Shelby]

[christine007]

Pa called her half pint.

[heidih]

Wow- and he probably did it all within a few minutes. Is the deep yellow actually fat? Looking forward to how you use the meat.